Has gone means the person has left and isn't here now, while has been means they visited a place and have come back. She's gone to Paris means she's in Paris now or on her way there. She's been to Paris means she was there at some point and may now be sitting right next to you.
been or gone — can you pick the right one?
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have/has gone to + place: left and is still there or on the way; have/has been to + place: visited and came back; Have you ever been to…?; have/has been in + place + for + time: is still there
- Anna isn't at her desk because she's gone to the bank.
- Have you ever been to Scotland? The countryside is beautiful.
- I've been to the gym three times this week, so I'm skipping today.
What changed
First versionI've gone to Spain twice, and I loved it both times.
RevisionI've been to Spain twice, and I loved it both times.
Gone is a form of go, so I've gone to Spain seems logical for a trip. But gone means you're still there, and you're talking about a holiday after coming home. For travel experience, English uses been: I've been to Spain twice.
Watch the preposition: I've been to London means I've visited London. I've been in London for a week means I'm in London now, have been here for a week and haven't left yet.
Your turn
Mark can't come to the phone right now — he's ___ to the shop for some milk.
Show the answer
gone — Mark can't come to the phone because he isn't at home: he has left and hasn't come back yet, which is gone. Been would mean he has already been to the shop and come back, and then nothing would stop him from taking the call.
Write about a country you've visited. Name the country and how many times you've been there.
I've been to Georgia three times, and on each trip I discovered a new city.
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