Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Confused about “has been” and “has gone”? This short English lesson makes it easy! With a clear explanation and practical examples, you will understand when someone has returned (“has been”) and when they’re still away (“has gone”). Watch now and start speaking more correctly and confidently in social, academic, and work situations. You can do it! engvid.com/confusing-english-grammar-has-been-or-has-gone
Learn to fix even more common English mistakes in my course: 10.bexenglish.com
More confusing English grammar:
youtu.be/Jp2xeQMQi5E
youtu.be/Mp6SYj9w5mo
In this lesson:
0:00 "has gone" or "has been"?
3:00 Test
Transcript:
Let me ask you a question. What is the difference between these two sentences? John has been to Brazil and John has gone to Brazil. What's the difference? Is there a difference? If so, what is it? If not, why not? Okay, so let's find out, alright?
The answer is that yes, there is a definite difference between these two sentences. Let's understand why. John has been to Brazil means that John went to Brazil and came back. Now he's back to wherever, okay? And John has gone to Brazil means John went to Brazil and he's still in Brazil, okay? Let's look at that a little bit more carefully.
So, "has been" is from the verb "to be", right? "Been" comes from the verb "to be". "Gone" comes from the verb "to go". When we say John has been to Brazil or John has been to the supermarket or John has been to the bank, anything, okay? It means somebody went somewhere and they came back. Now they're back. They're not there now. They're two directions. But when we say someone has gone to Brazil or to the office or to the concert, it means they went there and they're still there. Got it? That's the difference.
Alright, so now, as I said, the verb "been" comes from the verb "to be". It's an irregular verb. "To be" is an irregular verb. And here, we're using it in the present perfect. "Gone" comes from the verb "to go", also an irregular verb. And here, we're also using it in the present perfect. "Has been", "has gone", but completely different meanings, right? So, just imagine, for example, if you're on the phone with someone and let's say you get home and your friend was supposed to meet you at home and he's not there or she's not there, so you're on the phone and you say, "Hey, where have you gone?" Why are you saying, "Where have you gone?" Because they're not here. They're somewhere else, right? Where have you gone? I'm waiting for you, okay? But now, they come back. Or you were trying to reach somebody and you couldn't reach them and now they finally walk in and you say, "Hey, I've been trying to call you. Where have you been?" Why are we saying, "Where have you been?" Because clearly, they went somewhere and now they are back in the presence with you, okay? So, these are the differences between "have been" and "have gone".
So now, let's do some practice. Number one. Maria's not in the office. Do we say, "She's gone to a conference" or "She's been to a conference"? Maria's not in the office. She's gone to a conference or she's been to a conference. Well, the answer is, "She's gone to a conference." Why? Because she's not in the office. She's not here. She's there, right? So, she's gone to a conference. She hasn't come back yet. She hasn't returned.
Next, number two. Hey, there you are. I was waiting for you. Where have you gone? Or, where have you been? What's the answer? So, remember they're saying, "Hey, there you are. I was waiting for you. Where have you been?" Where have you been? Okay? Why? Because the person is now in front of you, so obviously they went somewhere and they returned. So, remember, if it's two directions, then we say "been". If it's only one direction, we say "gone", alright? Next. Oh, and did you notice something, by the way, about how I'm pronouncing this? In North America, we usually just say "been". Even though it's written like this, we say "been", b-i-n. Okay? Where have you been?
Next, number three. The doctor was here until two o'clock, but he's gone to the hospital now. Or, the doctor was here until two o'clock, but he's been to the hospital now. Which one is right? Think about it. So, it should be "he's gone". He was here. He's not here now. He's gone to the hospital. Okay? He's there. That's it.
Next, number four. Are you going to the library? No, I've already gone there. Or, no, I've already been there. Which is the right answer here? Think about it. So, two people are speaking, they're both in the same place, and they're asking - or they might not be in the same place, but they're speaking - and they're saying, "Are you going to the library?" And the person says, "No, because I already went there and came back." So, how do we say, "I already went there and came back"? "I've already been there." Okay? Good. […]
Confused about “has been” and “has gone”? This short English lesson makes it easy! With a clear explanation and practical examples, you will understand when someone has returned (“has been”) and when they’re still away (“has gone”). Watch now and start speaking more correctly and confidently in social, academic, and work situations. You can do it! engvid.com/confusing-english-grammar-has-been-or-has-gone
Learn to fix even more common English mistakes in my course: 10.bexenglish.com
More confusing English grammar:
youtu.be/Jp2xeQMQi5E
youtu.be/Mp6SYj9w5mo
In this lesson:
0:00 "has gone" or "has been"?
3:00 Test
Transcript:
Let me ask you a question. What is the difference between these two sentences? John has been to Brazil and John has gone to Brazil. What's the difference? Is there a difference? If so, what is it? If not, why not? Okay, so let's find out, alright?
The answer is that yes, there is a definite difference between these two sentences. Let's understand why. John has been to Brazil means that John went to Brazil and came back. Now he's back to wherever, okay? And John has gone to Brazil means John went to Brazil and he's still in Brazil, okay? Let's look at that a little bit more carefully.
So, "has been" is from the verb "to be", right? "Been" comes from the verb "to be". "Gone" comes from the verb "to go". When we say John has been to Brazil or John has been to the supermarket or John has been to the bank, anything, okay? It means somebody went somewhere and they came back. Now they're back. They're not there now. They're two directions. But when we say someone has gone to Brazil or to the office or to the concert, it means they went there and they're still there. Got it? That's the difference.
Alright, so now, as I said, the verb "been" comes from the verb "to be". It's an irregular verb. "To be" is an irregular verb. And here, we're using it in the present perfect. "Gone" comes from the verb "to go", also an irregular verb. And here, we're also using it in the present perfect. "Has been", "has gone", but completely different meanings, right? So, just imagine, for example, if you're on the phone with someone and let's say you get home and your friend was supposed to meet you at home and he's not there or she's not there, so you're on the phone and you say, "Hey, where have you gone?" Why are you saying, "Where have you gone?" Because they're not here. They're somewhere else, right? Where have you gone? I'm waiting for you, okay? But now, they come back. Or you were trying to reach somebody and you couldn't reach them and now they finally walk in and you say, "Hey, I've been trying to call you. Where have you been?" Why are we saying, "Where have you been?" Because clearly, they went somewhere and now they are back in the presence with you, okay? So, these are the differences between "have been" and "have gone".
So now, let's do some practice. Number one. Maria's not in the office. Do we say, "She's gone to a conference" or "She's been to a conference"? Maria's not in the office. She's gone to a conference or she's been to a conference. Well, the answer is, "She's gone to a conference." Why? Because she's not in the office. She's not here. She's there, right? So, she's gone to a conference. She hasn't come back yet. She hasn't returned.
Next, number two. Hey, there you are. I was waiting for you. Where have you gone? Or, where have you been? What's the answer? So, remember they're saying, "Hey, there you are. I was waiting for you. Where have you been?" Where have you been? Okay? Why? Because the person is now in front of you, so obviously they went somewhere and they returned. So, remember, if it's two directions, then we say "been". If it's only one direction, we say "gone", alright? Next. Oh, and did you notice something, by the way, about how I'm pronouncing this? In North America, we usually just say "been". Even though it's written like this, we say "been", b-i-n. Okay? Where have you been?
Next, number three. The doctor was here until two o'clock, but he's gone to the hospital now. Or, the doctor was here until two o'clock, but he's been to the hospital now. Which one is right? Think about it. So, it should be "he's gone". He was here. He's not here now. He's gone to the hospital. Okay? He's there. That's it.
Next, number four. Are you going to the library? No, I've already gone there. Or, no, I've already been there. Which is the right answer here? Think about it. So, two people are speaking, they're both in the same place, and they're asking - or they might not be in the same place, but they're speaking - and they're saying, "Are you going to the library?" And the person says, "No, because I already went there and came back." So, how do we say, "I already went there and came back"? "I've already been there." Okay? Good. […]
