Have been or has been

Question

the last few years have been or the last few years has been?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

They have been.

Anonymous · Answer

thank you! but can you explain? I always get confused with these words

Mister Micawber · Answer

It is time that you stopped being confused by such a simple, basic English grammar point.

Plural subject (we, they, pencils) = have

Singular subject (I, you) except 3rd person = have

3rd person singular subject (he, she, it, a pencil) = has

Avangi · Answer

Anonymousthe last few years have been or the last few years has been?

This is present perfect tense.
As you can see, there are two verbs: the main verb "to be," and the helping verb, "to have."

These are very busy verbs. Each of them can serve as a main verb or as a helping verb.

In this tense, the main verb appears in the past participle form, "been," and the helping verb is inflected. That is, its form changes according to person (1, 2, 3), number (singular, plural), and tense (simple present, simple past).

The form of "have" as a helping verb is the same as it would be if it were a main verb:

I have two doughnuts. I have eaten two doughnuts.

She has two doughnuts. She has eaten two doughnuts.

What happens if you reverse the roles of these two verbs, making "to have" the main verb and "to be" the helper?

I am having trouble.

She is having trouble.

In both of these sentences, the main verb "to have" appears as the past participle, "having,"

while the helping verb "to be" is inflected.

"Am" is the first person singular, while "is" is the third person singular.

Regards, - A.

Have been or has been

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