there were been

USAGE SUMMARY

'there were been' is not a correct or usable phrase in written English.
The correct phrase is 'there had been.' For example: 'Since there had been no rain for weeks, the garden had dried up.'.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

"All the water there is, is".

The New York Times

There's been nothing".

The New York Times

There's been documentation.

The New Yorker

"There's been animosity, tension".

Independent

"There's been a shift.

The New York Times

"There's been Colonel Gaddafi.

Independent

"There's been research done..

The New York Times

There's been an incident.

Independent

"There's been no strategy.

The New York Times

There's been no change.

Independent

There's been a disconnect.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating a past perfect state, use "there had been" instead of "there were been". For example, "There had been several attempts before the final success".

Common error

Avoid using "were" with "been"; "been" always follows "have", "has", or "had". Using "were" with "been" is a common grammatical error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there were been" is an incorrect construction. The auxiliary verb "were" does not combine with "been"; the correct form for past perfect constructions is "there had been." As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase violates standard grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "there were been" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI pointed out, the correct form for expressing a past perfect state is "there had been". Due to its incorrectness, this phrase should be avoided in writing and speech. Use alternatives like "there had been", "there was", or "there has been" depending on the intended meaning and context. Consistent and accurate grammar ensures clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there had been

Uses the correct auxiliary verb "had" to form the past perfect tense, indicating a completed action before another point in the past.

there has been

Uses the present perfect tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continues to the present or has relevance to the present.

there was

Uses the simple past tense, indicating an action that occurred and finished in the past.

there would have been

Uses the conditional perfect tense, indicating what would have happened if a condition had been met.

there used to be

Indicates a past state or habit that is no longer true.

there might have been

Expresses possibility in the past that something existed or occurred.

there could have been

Expresses potential or ability in the past that something existed or occurred.

there should have been

Expresses obligation or expectation that something existed or occurred, but it didn't.

there must have been

Expresses a strong inference about something that existed or occurred in the past.

there may have been

Expresses uncertainty about something that existed or occurred in the past.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use the past perfect tense with "there"?

The correct way to use the past perfect tense with "there" is "there had been". For example, "There had been a storm before we arrived".

What's wrong with the phrase "there were been"?

The phrase "there were been" is grammatically incorrect because "been" requires an auxiliary verb like "have", "has", or "had", not "were". The correct form is "there had been".

How does "there had been" differ from "there was"?

"There had been" indicates an action completed before another point in the past, while "there was" simply states something existed in the past. For example, "There had been a flood before the town was rebuilt" versus "There was a flood last year".

Can I use "there are been" instead of "there were been"?

No, "there are been" is also grammatically incorrect. The correct usage depends on the tense you want to convey, but "been" always requires an auxiliary verb like "have", "has", or "had". For the present perfect, use "there have been".