There Is and There Are 3: There Has Been a Change
By the end: I can report developments up to now with there has or have been.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
One development
Use there has been with a singular count noun or an uncountable noun. The period reaches up to now.
There has been a change to the plan.
There has been some progress.
Several developments
Use there have been with plural nouns. The grammatical subject is not an ordinary person doing an action.
There have been three delays today.
There haven’t been any complaints this week.
Ask or locate a finished event
Invert has/have and there in questions. Use was/were for a specifically finished past time.
Has there been an update?
There was an update yesterday.
Move has or have, then keep noun agreement
Question: Has there been an update?
Question: Have there been several changes?
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Compare form and meaning with the model.
1. Complete: There ___ been a mistake.
Compare a model and explanation
has
A mistake is singular.
2. Complete: There ___ been several changes.
Compare a model and explanation
have
Changes is plural.
3. Make a question: There has been a delay.
Compare a model and explanation
Has there been a delay?
Invert has and there.
4. Make negative: There have been complaints.
Compare a model and explanation
There haven’t been any complaints.
Use haven’t with the plural.
5. Correct: There has been three meetings.
Compare a model and explanation
There have been three meetings.
Use plural agreement in the target standard pattern.
6. Correct for a finished time: There has been a meeting yesterday.
Compare a model and explanation
There was a meeting yesterday.
Yesterday locates a finished past occasion.
7. Does There has been progress necessarily mean the project is finished?
Compare a model and explanation
No. Progress does not mean completion.
Keep the claim limited.
8. Report one singular and one plural development today.
Compare a model and explanation
There has been an update, and there have been two questions.
Keep the agreement separate.
A short conversation
Listen first, then open the transcript when useful.
Open the conversation transcript
A: Has there been any news about the trip?
B: Yes. There has been a change of date.
A: Have there been any cancellations?
B: Only one so far. There was a cancellation this morning.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have a separate score.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.
Use it in your own words
Speaking 1
Give two updates about a fictional class or project.
Reveal a possible response
There has been a timetable change. There have been three new questions.
Success check: Use singular and plural forms.
Speaking 2
Ask about developments and answer negatively.
Reveal a possible response
Have there been any problems? No, there haven’t.
Success check: Keep question and reply agreement.
Put it all together
Give a brief report distinguishing today so far from yesterday.
Reveal a possible response
There have been two calls today. There hasn’t been a decision yet. There was a meeting yesterday.
Success check: Use the perfect up to now and past simple for the finished occasion.
Take it with you
I can report developments up to now with there has or have been.