The verb to be · Conjugation
Present Perfect of be
The answer: have / has been
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to be is have / has been.
Example: I have been to London twice.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have been | I've been |
| You | have been | You've been |
| He / She / It | has been | He's / She's / It's been |
| We | have been | We've been |
| You (pl.) | have been | You've been |
| They | have been | They've been |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have being tired ❌
Been is the past participle: use it after have or has in the Present Perfect. Being is the -ing form: use it in the Present Continuous. Compare: I have been tired all week and He is being silly.
2. She has gone to Tokyo twice ❌
She has been to Tokyo means she went there in her life and came back. She has gone to Tokyo means she is travelling there or is there now, not back yet. For an experience you can count, use been: She has been to Tokyo twice.
3. I am here since… ❌
For a situation that started in the past and continues now, English uses the Present Perfect, not the Present Simple. Say I have been here for two hours, never I am here since two hours. Use for with a length of time and since with a starting point: since 3 o'clock.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Present Perfect of be in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYMaster the Present Perfect of be when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Present Perfect of be on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Present Perfect of be, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
What is the present perfect of be?+
It is have been (I, you, we, they have been) or has been (he, she, it has been). Been is the past participle of be. Example: I have been to London (I went there and came back).
What is the difference between has been and has gone?+
She has been to Paris means she went to Paris at some time in her life and came back. It is an experience. She has gone to Paris means she left for Paris and is not back yet. Been or gone completely changes the meaning.
When do you say have been to and have been in?+
Have been to + a place means you visited it and came back: I have been to Japan. Have been in + a place means you are there and have not left yet: She has been in the office since 9 o'clock.
How do you say how long you have lived somewhere?+
Use the Present Perfect: I have been here for 10 years (or since 2016). In English, a situation that started in the past and continues now takes the Present Perfect, not the Present Simple. I am here for 10 years is a common mistake.
How do you make questions and negatives with have been?+
Negative: I have not been (haven't been), she has not been (hasn't been). Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you ever been to London? Has she been here before?
Related pages: be Present Perfect
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/be/present-perfect
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to be are coming soon.