Have Been vs. Had Been: What's the Difference?

Edited by Sumera Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on November 21, 2023

"Have been" is used for actions that started in the past and may continue into the present. "Had been" indicates actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.

Key Differences

"Have been" and "had been" are both verb forms that denote actions or states in relation to time. "Have been" is in the present perfect tense, used to describe actions or states that began in the past and still hold relevance or connection to the present moment. "Had been," on the other hand, falls under the past perfect tense, used to express events or states that occurred before another event in the past.

Nov 19, 2023

For clarity, "have been" often communicates an ongoing experience or a general truth. For instance, when someone says, "I have been working for five hours," they mean they started working five hours ago and are still working now. In contrast, "had been" delves deeper into the past. If someone mentions, "I had been working for five hours when he called," they're implying they started working, worked for five hours, and during that time, someone called them.

Nov 19, 2023

Grammatical structure is essential when using "have been" and "had been." "Have been" is constructed using the auxiliary verbs "have" or "has" followed by "been" (e.g., I have been, you have been, he/she/it has been). Meanwhile, "had been" consistently uses the auxiliary verb "had" followed by "been" irrespective of the subject.

Nov 19, 2023

The choice between "have been" and "had been" can dramatically change the meaning of a sentence. For instance, "I have been to Paris" indicates the speaker went to Paris at some point in their life, holding relevance to the present (maybe they're drawing on their experience). In contrast, "I had been to Paris" implies the speaker's trip to Paris occurred before another past event, like "I had been to Paris before I visited Berlin."

Nov 19, 2023

It's worth noting that both "have been" and "had been" are used in passive voice constructions or with the verb "to be" as a main verb. In passive voice, actions are emphasized over who performed them. For instance, "The documents have been processed" versus "The documents had been processed" show present relevance and a past event's sequence, respectively.

Nov 19, 2023

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Comparison Chart

Tense

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

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Indication

Action/state started in past & continues/relevant now

Action/state happened before another past action/state

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Example

I have been reading.

I had been reading when she arrived.

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Auxiliary Verb Used With

Have/Has

Had

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Common Use

To emphasize the current relevance of a past action or state.

To emphasize the sequence of two past actions or states.

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Have Been and Had Been Definitions

Have Been

Depicts a condition or state that still holds true.

He has been ill since Monday.

Oct 20, 2023

Had Been

Used in passive voice to highlight actions before another past event.

The room had been cleaned before the guests arrived.

Oct 20, 2023

Have Been

Refers to an action or state that began in the past and has relevance to the present.

I have been waiting for an hour.

Oct 20, 2023

Had Been

Conveys past actions or states that continued for a while but ended before another past moment.

They had been playing soccer all afternoon before the rain started.

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Have Been

Used in passive voice to highlight actions more than performers.

The forms have been completed.

Oct 20, 2023

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Had Been

Used to emphasize the sequence of two past actions or states.

She had been sleeping when the alarm rang.

Oct 20, 2023

Have Been

Denotes experiences or actions that are still applicable now.

We have been to that museum before.

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Had Been

Depicts a condition or state that was true and then changed.

He had been the CEO before stepping down.

Oct 20, 2023

Have Been

Indicates ongoing past actions or states without a specified ending time.

They have been traveling for months.

Oct 20, 2023

Had Been

Indicates an action or state that occurred and completed before another past event.

I had been living in New York before I moved to LA.

Oct 20, 2023

FAQs

Does "have been" imply an action is still ongoing?

Yes, "have been" can indicate an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

Nov 19, 2023

And "had been"?

"Had been" is associated with the past perfect tense.

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Can both be used in passive constructions?

Yes, both "have been" and "had been" can be used in passive voice constructions.

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And the structure for "had been"?

Always use "had" followed by "been," regardless of the subject.

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Can "have been" talk about life experiences?

Yes, e.g., "I have been to Spain" indicates a past experience with relevance to the present.

Nov 19, 2023

How does "had been" relate to the sequence of past events?

"Had been" emphasizes the order of past events, showing one happened before another.

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Does "had been" indicate an action's completion before another past action?

Yes, e.g., "I had been reading when he called" indicates reading started and continued up until the call.

Nov 19, 2023

Which tense is "have been" associated with?

"Have been" is associated with the present perfect tense.

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When is "had been" typically used?

"Had been" is used to describe something that occurred before another event in the past.

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Do both forms always require an ending time?

No, ending times can be omitted for both, making them more indefinite.

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Is "have been" more common in daily conversation?

"Have been" is commonly used in daily conversations to denote recent or relevant actions.

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Which indicates a longer duration of action in the past: "have been" or "had been"?

Both can indicate prolonged durations, but the context determines the specific length.

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What’s the structure for using "have been"?

Use "have" or "has" based on the subject, followed by "been."

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How do "has been" and "had been" differ?

"Has been" is third person singular present perfect, while "had been" is past perfect for all subjects.

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Which is correct: "They have been happy" or "They had been happy"?

Both are correct, but their meanings differ. The former indicates ongoing happiness, while the latter refers to past happiness before another event.

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Can "have been" be used without mentioning the action's start time?

Yes, the start time can be omitted, making the action's beginning ambiguous.

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Is it correct to say "I have been had been working"?

No, combining "have been" and "had been" in that manner is grammatically incorrect.

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Is it essential to understand the difference between "have been" and "had been"?

Yes, distinguishing between them is vital for clear communication and understanding temporal relationships.

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Can "have been" indicate a general life experience?

Yes, e.g., "I have been to concerts" suggests attending concerts in the past with current relevance.

Nov 19, 2023

What emotion does "had been" often convey?

"Had been" can convey nostalgia or reflection on past events relative to other past happenings.

Nov 19, 2023

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About Author

Written by

Sawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.

Edited by

Sumera is an experienced content writer and editor with a niche in comparative analysis. At Diffeence Wiki, she crafts clear and unbiased comparisons to guide readers in making informed decisions. With a dedication to thorough research and quality, Sumera's work stands out in the digital realm. Off the clock, she enjoys reading and exploring diverse cultures.