there was been

USAGE SUMMARY

'there was been' is not correct and usable in written English.
The correct phrase would be 'there had been.' Example: After our discussion, there had been a shift in perspective.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

But while there was been speculation in the last week that the motion picture association may be trying to broker a compromise, as of yesterday the ban was still in place.

The New York Times

Clearly a continued recovery in equity markets may result in retail flows into equities improving especially in Continental Europe where there was been a move into money market funds and cash deposits in recent quarters.

The Guardian - Business

There was been no word from the vice-president, Abd al-Rabb Mansour al-Hadi, who will oversee the formation of a national unity government and military commission to restructure the country's fractured armed forces in preparation for elections in three months.

The Guardian

For myself and my son David, who has Down's Syndrome, there was been a very personal legacy that came about because he was one of the Paralympic torch carriers.

BBC

Killarney has hosted the Irish Open over the last two years while there was been speculation that it would be staged in the Dublin area in 2012 but that has been delayed to next year when it will be played at Carton House.

BBC

There was been blowback.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"All the water there is, is".

The New York Times

There was, wasn't there?

The Guardian - Film

All there was was a tiny patio.

The New York Times

"What there was was competition," he said.

Forbes

There's been nothing".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct past perfect tense "there had been" or present perfect tense "there has been" instead of the grammatically incorrect "there was been".

Common error

Avoid mixing simple past tense auxiliaries (was/were) with past participle forms (been) in perfect tenses. Remember that "was" requires a present participle (e.g. "was being") or a simple past construction (e.g. "there was"), while perfect tenses require "had" or "has/have" before "been".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there was been" attempts to function as an existential clause, indicating the existence or occurrence of something. However, it's grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct forms are "there had been" or "there has been", depending on the intended tense. Examples found by Ludwig show this error occurring in published news media.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "there was been" is a grammatically incorrect construction often found in place of the past perfect ("there had been") or present perfect ("there has been"). Ludwig AI identifies this error, noting that the correct tense depends on the intended meaning and timeframe. Although examples of its usage appear in news media, as identified by Ludwig, the phrase remains non-standard. To maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity, always opt for "there had been" or "there has been" depending on whether the event occurred before a specific point in the past or has relevance to the present. Avoiding this error enhances the credibility and professionalism of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there had been

Uses the correct past perfect tense instead of the grammatically flawed "there was been".

there has been

Uses the correct present perfect tense.

there was

Simplifies the phrase to indicate past existence, omitting the perfect tense.

there have been

Uses the correct present perfect plural.

there used to be

Indicates a past state or condition that no longer exists.

there existed

A more formal way to indicate something was present in the past.

there occurred

Focuses on an event or incident taking place.

it happened

Indicates that an event took place, often used to replace 'there was' in certain contexts.

that existed

Emphasizes the existence of something specific in the past.

it has transpired

A formal way to describe an event that has occurred, often unexpectedly.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "there was been"?

The grammatically correct alternatives are "there had been" (past perfect) or "there has been" (present perfect), depending on the intended meaning and time frame.

When should I use "there had been" instead of "there was been"?

Use "there had been" to indicate that something existed or occurred before another point in the past. "There was been" is grammatically incorrect.

Is "there was been" ever acceptable in English?

No, "there was been" is not considered acceptable in standard English. Always use "there had been" or "there has been" instead.

What are some alternatives to "there was been" that I can use in my writing?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "there had been", "there has been", or simply "there was".