Have Been vs Has Been | Meaning, Examples, Exercises, and More

Understanding when to use have been and has been is a small grammar problem that makes a big difference in clear English grammar. This guide explains the meaning, rules, examples, exercises, and a handy comparison chart — all written simply so you can use these forms confidently in speaking and writing.

Quick Overview: What do “have been” and “has been” mean?

Both have been and has been are forms of the present perfect (often present perfect continuous) that connect past actions or states to the present.

• They show actions that started in the past and continue to the present, or actions that happened at an unspecified time before now.
• Use have been with I, you, we, they (and plural nouns).
• Use has been with he, she, it (and singular nouns).

Simple examples:

• I have been waiting for an hour. (action started earlier and continues)
• She has been working here since April. (action started earlier and continues)

Have Been vs Has Been — Meaning (detailed)

Present Perfect Continuous

Used to emphasize the duration of an action that started in the past and is still happening now.

• They have been studying for three hours. (focus on duration)
• He has been playing the guitar since he was ten.

Present Perfect Simple (with “been”)

Used when the focus is on the result or experience rather than duration.

• I have been to London. (experience — at some time in the past)
• She has been the manager for two years. (state that began in the past and continues)

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When to Use “Have Been”

Use “have been” with: I, you, we, they, and plural nouns.

Rules & examples:

• With continuous actions: We have been researching the topic all week.
• With experiences or states: They have been friends since college.
• With negative form: You have not (haven’t) been paying attention.

Common pronouns/nouns:

I have been, you have been, we have been, they have been, my parents have been

When to Use “Has Been”

Use “has been” with: he, she, it, and singular nouns.

Rules & examples:

• With continuous actions: He has been training for the marathon since January.
• With states or roles: It has been a difficult week.
• Negative: She has not (hasn’t) been feeling well lately.

Common pronouns/nouns:

He has been, she has been, it has been, the company has been

Difference Between “Have Been” and “Has Been”

The main difference is subject-verb agreement.

• Have been → used with plural subjects and 1st/2nd person: I, you, we, they.
• Has been → used with singular 3rd person: he, she, it.

Why it matters: Using the wrong form makes sentences grammatically incorrect and can confuse readers.

Example:

• They have been waiting for the bus.
• They has been waiting for the bus. (wrong)

Comparison Chart about Have been vs Has been

Examples in Context

Daily life examples

• I have been cooking since noon.
• She has been watching that series every night.

Work & professional examples

• We have been updating our website for the last month.
• The manager has been reviewing the reports.

Academic & study examples

• They have been preparing for exams since May.
• He has been researching climate change for years.

Exercises — Practice (with answers)

Fill in the blank (choose have or has)

1. She ___ been learning French for two years.
2. I ___ been trying to call you.
3. The students ___ been working on the project.
4. It ___ been a long day.
5. You ___ been very helpful.

Answers: 1. has, 2. have, 3. have, 4. has, 5. have

Multiple choice

1. He ___ been ill lately.
   a) have b) has
2. We ___ been friends since 2010.
   a) have b) has

Answers: 1 — b) has; 2 — a) have

Fill the sentence (continuous vs. simple perfect)

Decide whether the sentence should be have/has been + -ing (continuous) or have/has been + past participle (perfect/state).

1. I ___ (be) to Japan. → have been (experience)
2. She ___ (work) here for five years. → has been working (duration)

Common Mistakes & Quick Tips on Has been vs have been

Mistake: She have been waiting.
Correction: She has been waiting.

Tip 1 — Subject check: Ask “who is the doer?” If it’s he/she/it, use has. If it’s I/you/we/they, use have.

Tip 2 — Duration vs. Experience:

• Use have/has been + -ing to emphasize duration.
• Use have/has been (with a noun/past participle) to indicate experience or state.

Tip 3 — Contractions in speaking:

• I’ve been / you’ve been / we’ve been / they’ve been
• He’s been / she’s been / it’s been (be careful: he’s/she’s/it’s can also mean he is/she is/it is in some contexts — rely on context)

Formatting Recommendations for Writing (quick guide)

To make your own content about this topic easier to read:

• Use short paragraphs (2–4 sentences).
• Add bullet lists for rules and tips.
• Use bold for key rules (e.g., Use has with he, she, it).
• Include clear examples after each rule.
• Add a comparison table (like the chart above) for quick scanning.
• Provide 5–10 practice sentences with answers.

FAQs

Can “has been” be used with plural nouns?

No. Use have been with plural nouns. The teams have been practicing. (Not has been)

Are both forms only for present perfect continuous?

No. They appear in both present perfect simple (for experiences or states) and present perfect continuous (for ongoing actions).

What’s the best way to practice?

Read short articles, write daily diary lines using have/has been, and complete fill-in-the-blank exercises.

Can contractions be confusing?

Yes. He’s been could mean he has been or he is being in casual speech. Use context to figure it out.

Conclusion — Key Takeaways

• Have been → I, you, we, they (and plural nouns).
• Has been → he, she, it (and singular nouns).
• Use the continuous form (have/has been + -ing) to show duration; use the simple perfect (have/has been + noun/past participle) to show experience or a state.
• Practice with short exercises and check subject-verb agreement.