Difference Between “Is” & “Has Been”

Is vs Has Been

Is and has been are two words in the English language that are often confused. They are different from each other in terms of usage. The auxiliary verb ‘is’ is used in present continuous tense and in the singular form as seen in the sentences:

1. Francis is eating his meals.
2. Angela is shouting at her friend.

In both sentences, the auxiliary verb ‘is’ is used in present continuous tense and singular form. Observe the two sentences:

1. Robert has been suffering from fever for the past 5 days.
2. Lucy has been impatient all these days.

On the other hand, the form ‘has been’ is used in the formation of present perfect continuous tense. In both sentences, the form ‘has been’ is used in present perfect continuous tense, also in singular form.

It is interesting to note that the form ‘has been’ is used with the continuous form of a verb. If you look at one of the sentences given above, you may notice that the form ‘has been’ is used with the continuous form of the verb ‘suffer’ as ‘suffering’. This is an important observation to make when it comes to the usage of the form ‘has been’.

As a matter of fact, the verb ‘is’ has its past tense form in the word ‘was’ and the form ‘has been’ has its past perfect form in the word ‘had been’. This is another important difference between the two forms.

The auxiliary verb ‘is’ is sometimes used in the formation of interrogative sentences as in:

1. Is he correct in saying so?
2. Is it true?

In both sentences, the verb ‘is’ is used in interrogative sentences. These are the main differences between the two words, namely, ‘is’ and ‘had been’.

Key Takeaways

• ‘Is’ is used in present continuous tense and in the singular form.
• ‘Has been’ is used in the formation of present perfect continuous tense, also in singular form.
• The verb ‘is’ has its past tense form in the word ‘was’ and the form ‘has been’ has its past perfect form in the word ‘had been’.