Practice
He has or he have: verb agreement
He has a new phone is correct in the present simple. With he, she, and it, the present form of have usually changes to has.
Choose has or have with he by checking the subject and the verb 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
he has /hiː hæz/
The short answer
Use he has in an ordinary present statement: He has a meeting at noon. Use have after does, do not, or a modal verb: Does he have a meeting? He does not have a meeting. He may have a meeting.
He has a meeting at noon.
Why it works: He is third-person singular, so the simple present statement uses has.
5 more examples
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He has two brothers.
This is a simple present statement with the subject he.
Not this:They
havetwo brothers. What changes: They is plural, so it takes have. -
Does he have an appointment today?
Does already shows third-person singular, so the next verb is have.
Not this:He
hasan appointment today. What changes: Without does, the statement needs has. -
He does not have a driver's license.
Does not is followed by the base form have.
Not this:He
hasa driver's license. What changes: The positive simple present statement uses has. -
He can have lunch after the interview.
Can is a modal verb, and a modal is followed by the base form.
Not this:He
haslunch after the interview. What changes: This simple present statement uses has. -
He plans to have a quiet evening.
An infinitive uses to plus the base form have.
Not this:He
hasa quiet evening every Friday. What changes: The main verb in this simple present statement is has.
Read the full guide
For a present statement, match he with has. Then check whether another helping word appears before have. After does, does not, can, will, or to, use have rather than has.
Use has in a simple present statement
Use has when he is the subject of an ordinary present statement. This pattern is common when you describe what someone owns, experiences, or does regularly.
He has a reliable bicycle.
The subject is he, so the present form is has, not have.
Choose the verb: He ___ a class on Tuesday.
Use has: He has a class on Tuesday.
Compare he with other subjects
The subject changes the form. I, you, we, and they use have. He, she, and it use has. Compare the subjects before you decide.
They have a flexible schedule.
They is plural, so it uses have. Change the subject to he, and the verb becomes has.
Complete the sentence: She ___ a reservation.
Use has: She has a reservation.
Use have after does
Questions and negatives often use does or does not. Does carries the third-person singular form, so the main verb after it is have. Do not write does he has.
Does he have enough information?
Does is already marked for he. The next verb stays in its base form: have.
Choose the verb: He does not ___ any change for the bus.
Use have: He does not have any change for the bus.
Use have after a modal or to
A modal verb such as can, will, may, or should is followed by the base form. The infinitive pattern to have also uses the base form. These words explain why he can sometimes appear before have.
He might have time after work.
Might controls the verb phrase, so use have after it.
Complete the sentence: He wants to ___ a short break.
Use have: He wants to have a short break.
Check the whole verb phrase
Do not choose a form by looking at he alone. Read the words after he too. If no helping word appears, choose has. If does, a modal, or to comes before the main verb, choose have.
He has finished the training.
Here has is a helping verb before finished. The subject he still requires has in this present-perfect statement.
Which sentence is correct: He has a break now, or He can have a break now?
Both sentences can be correct. Choose has for a present statement and have after can.
Before you go
Remember this
Use he has in a simple present statement. Use he have only when another word controls the verb form, such as does, can, might, or to. Check the whole verb phrase before you choose.
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 "He has or he have: verb agreement"
Is he have ever correct?
Yes, when another word controls the main verb. Use have after does, does not, a modal verb, or to. For example, Does he have a ticket? and He wants to have more time are correct.
He has two brothers.
Why do we say does he have, not does he has?
Does already carries the third-person singular form. The main verb that follows it returns to its base form, have. The same pattern appears in He does not have time.
They have two brothers.
Do he and she use the same form?
Yes. In simple present statements, both he and she use has. For example, She has a weekly lesson, just as He has a weekly lesson is correct.
Does he have an appointment today?
Can he have appear after can or will?
Yes. Modal verbs such as can and will are followed by the base form have. You can say He can have coffee now or He will have coffee later.
He has an appointment today.
Is has used in the present perfect with he?
Yes. Use has before a past participle in the present perfect: He has completed the form. In this pattern, has is a helping verb.
He does not have a driver's license.