Practice
Has or have: choosing the correct verb
You write I have a question, but My colleague has a question. The idea is the same. The subject decides which present-tense form you need.
Choose has or have by matching the verb to the subject and recognizing the present perfect pattern.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
has and have /hæz/ and /hæv/
The short answer
Use have with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns. Use has with he, she, it, and singular nouns. In questions with do or does, use have after the helper: Does he have a key?
The new manager has a meeting at ten, and the assistants have meetings later in the day.
Why it works: Manager is singular, so it takes has. Assistants is plural, so it takes have.
5 more examples
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My brother has an early train on Friday.
My brother is one person, so the sentence uses has.
Not this:My
brothers haveearly trains on Friday. What changes: Brothers is plural, so the verb changes to have. -
I have enough time to read the instructions.
I always takes have in the present tense.
Not this:
Maya hasenough time to read the instructions. What changes: Maya is one person, so the sentence uses has. -
The students have their notebooks with them.
The subject is plural, so have is the present form.
Not this:The
student hasa notebook with her. What changes: Student is singular, so the sentence uses has. -
She has already sent the email to the client.
Has is a helping verb here. Sent is the past participle in a present perfect sentence.
Not this:They
have already sentthe email to the client. What changes: They is plural, so the present perfect uses have. -
Does your neighbor have a parking permit?
Does carries the third-person singular form in this question, so the main verb stays have.
Not this:
Do your neighbors haveparking permits? What changes: Neighbors is plural, so the question uses do and have.
Read the full guide
Find the subject first. A single person, thing, or name usually needs has. I, you, we, they, and plural nouns need have. Then check whether do or does is already helping in a question or negative sentence.
Match the verb to the subject
Check who or what performs the action before you choose the verb. Use has for one person, one thing, or one named subject. Use have for I, you, we, they, and plural nouns.
The library has a quiet study room.
The libraries have quiet study rooms. Changing library to libraries changes the verb to have.
Choose the verb: My friends ___ a plan for the weekend.
Use have: My friends have a plan for the weekend.
Use have with I and you
I and you take have, even though I refers to one person. This pattern is fixed in standard present-tense English. The same form works for a singular you and a plural you.
You have a clear reason for your choice.
He has a clear reason for his choice. He is third-person singular, so use has.
Complete the sentence: I ___ an extra copy of the form.
Use have: I have an extra copy of the form.
Keep have after does
In present-simple questions and negatives, does already marks a singular third-person subject. The main verb stays in its base form, have. Write Does she have a reservation? and He does not have a reservation.
Does the store have a return policy?
The store has a return policy. Without does, the singular subject needs has.
Correct the sentence: Does she has her passport?
Write: Does she have her passport?
Use has and have in the present perfect
Has and have can also be helping verbs. In the present perfect, place has or have before a past participle. The subject rule stays the same: a singular subject uses has, while I, you, plural subjects, we, and they use have.
Our team has completed the first task.
Our teams have completed the first task. The plural subject needs have before completed.
Choose the helper: They ___ arrived at the station.
Use have: They have arrived at the station.
Do not let another noun distract you
A sentence can contain several nouns. Choose has or have from the subject, not from the nearest noun. In The list of supplies has changed, list is the subject. Supplies is inside the of phrase and does not control the verb.
The set of instructions has a missing page.
The instructions have a missing page. Here instructions is the subject, so use have.
Choose the verb: The box of tools ___ a broken handle.
Use has because box is the subject: The box of tools has a broken handle.
Before you go
Remember this
Use has with he, she, it, and singular nouns. Use have with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns. After does, use have. In the present perfect, choose has or have from the subject, then add a past participle.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Has or have: choosing the correct verb"
When should I use has instead of have?
Use has with he, she, it, and a singular noun in the present tense. For example, She has a new job and The bus has a late stop. Use have with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns.
My brother has an early train on Friday.
Why do I say I have, not I has?
I takes have in standard present-tense English. The word has is used with third-person singular subjects such as he, she, it, or one named thing. This is a fixed verb pattern, even though I refers to one person.
My brothers have early trains on Friday.
Do I use has or have after does?
Use have after does. Does already shows that the subject is third-person singular, so the main verb stays in its base form. Write Does she have a ticket? Do not write Does she has a ticket?
I have enough time to read the instructions.
How do has and have work in the present perfect?
In the present perfect, has or have comes before a past participle. Use has with a singular third-person subject, as in He has finished. Use have with I, you, we, they, and plural subjects, as in We have finished.
Maya has enough time to read the instructions.
What if a sentence has more than one noun?
Find the subject before you choose the verb. In The list of items has changed, list is the subject, so use has. Items is part of an of phrase and does not control the verb. The nearest noun is not always the subject.
The students have their notebooks with them.