Has been or Have been: Which Is Correct?

Updated 2026-10-12 · Which One Is Correct editorial team

Quick answer: The choice between has been and have been depends entirely on your subject. Use has been with singular third-person subjects like he, she, it, or the dog. Use have been with I, you, we, they, and all plural nouns or pronouns to ensure your sentence is grammatically correct.

The Short Answer

Use has been with singular third-person subjects like he, she, it, or the dog. Use have been with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.

People often confuse these forms because English verbs change shape based on who is speaking, and the past participle has been remains the same while the helper verb shifts.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Form	Status	Use it when
has been	Singular	Use with he, she, it, or a single noun.
have been	Plural	Use with I, you, we, they, or multiple nouns.
has been	Form	Combines has with the past participle of be.
have been	Form	Combines have with the past participle of be.

Correct Example Sentences

The cat has been sleeping all morning.
She has been working on that project for hours.
They have been traveling to many places lately.
Have you been to the store yet?
We have been waiting since noon.
He has been very quiet today.
The dogs have been running in the park.
It has been raining all week long.
I have been feeling tired lately.
The students have been studying hard.

Common Mistakes and Fixes

She has been playing, but he have been watching.: She has been playing, but he has been watching.
The cat have been hiding under the bed.: The cat has been hiding under the bed.
We have been there, but they has been here.: We have been there, but they have been here.
He has been running, and they have been walking.: This sentence is actually correct; no fix needed.
The dog have been barking all night.: The dog has been barking all night.
You has been late again this week.: You have been late again this week.

A Quick Test You Can Use

To choose the right form, identify the subject and ask yourself if it represents one person or thing or more than one. If the subject is singular and not I or you, use has been. If the subject is plural, or if it is I or you, use have been.

Related Word Pairs

does or do: Use does with singular third-person subjects and do with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
is or are: Use is with singular third-person subjects and are with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
goes or go: Use goes with singular third-person subjects and go with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
runs or run: Use runs with singular third-person subjects and run with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
writes or write: Use writes with singular third-person subjects and write with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
sits or sit: Use sits with singular third-person subjects and sit with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
eats or eat: Use eats with singular third-person subjects and eat with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.
reads or read: Use reads with singular third-person subjects and read with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects.