Practice
She has or she have: which is correct?
She has a meeting at ten. Does she have time for lunch afterward? The two sentences use different forms because the second sentence has the helper does.
Use she has in present-tense statements, and choose have only when another grammar pattern requires the base form.
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
she has /ʃi hæz/
The short answer
Use she has in an ordinary present-tense statement. Use have after do, does, did, a modal verb, or another structure that needs the base form. In a question, say Does she have...?, not Does she has...?.
She has enough information to finish the form.
Why it works: The subject is she, and this is a simple present statement, so has is the correct form.
5 more examples
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She has a spare key in her desk.
This is a present-tense statement with she, so the verb takes the form has.
Not this:
They havea spare key in their desk. What changes: They uses have, not has, in the simple present. -
She has lunch with her manager on Mondays.
Has can describe a regular activity as well as possession.
Not this:Does she
have lunchwith her manager on Mondays? What changes: Does carries the question form, so the next verb returns to have. -
She does not have access to the shared folder.
After does not, use the base form have.
Not this:
She hasaccess to the shared folder. What changes: Without does not, the simple present statement needs has. -
She can have the appointment on Thursday.
Can is a modal verb. A modal is followed by the base form have.
Not this:
She hasthe appointment on Thursday. What changes: This direct statement has no modal, so it uses has. -
I suggest that she have a copy of the schedule.
In this formal American subjunctive pattern, have is a base form after suggest that.
Not this:
She hasa copy of the schedule. What changes: This is an ordinary statement about what she possesses, so it uses has.
Read the full guide
Find the main verb pattern first. A present-tense statement with she usually needs has. If you can see does, did, can, will, or another helper, the verb after that helper is normally have.
Use has in a direct statement
A simple present statement with she needs has. This rule applies whether have means own, experience, eat, or take part in an activity.
She has a useful idea for the project.
The subject she is third-person singular, so has is the present-tense form.
Choose the form: She ___ an appointment this afternoon.
Use has: She has an appointment this afternoon.
Keep have after does
Questions and negatives often use does with she. Once does is in the sentence, have stays in its base form. Do not write does she has or she doesn't has.
Does she have the receipt?
Does shows the third-person singular pattern, so have does not need an s.
Complete the negative: She doesn't ___ enough time today.
Use have: She doesn't have enough time today.
Use have after modal verbs
After can, will, may, should, and similar modal verbs, use the base form have. The same rule applies with every subject, including she.
She will have the report ready tomorrow.
Will is the modal verb, so the next verb is have rather than has.
Choose the form: She can ___ one guest at the event.
Use have: She can have one guest at the event.
Notice the uncommon formal pattern
In formal American English, some verbs can introduce a clause with a base verb: I recommend that she have a break. This is called the subjunctive. You do not need this pattern for ordinary present-tense statements.
The doctor recommended that she have a follow-up visit.
The phrase recommended that creates a different grammar pattern from a simple statement.
Which form fits an ordinary statement: She ___ a follow-up visit next week.
Use has: She has a follow-up visit next week.
Check the helper before you edit
When you are unsure, look for does, did, can, will, or another helper before the verb. If there is no helper and the subject is she, choose has for a simple present statement.
She had a long call yesterday, but she has time today.
Had refers to the past. Has refers to the present. Both are forms of have, but the time in the sentence changes the form.
Choose the present-tense form: She ___ a question about the invoice.
Use has: She has a question about the invoice.
Before you go
Remember this
Use she has in a simple present statement. After does, did, or a modal verb, use have because the helper controls the form. If you are writing an ordinary sentence about her, she has is the form to 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 "She has or she have: which is correct?"
Why is she has correct in a simple present statement?
In the simple present, he, she, and it use has. Use it when the sentence directly states what a person owns, experiences, does, or plans. The sentence does not need another helper verb before has.
She has a spare key in her desk.
Why do we say does she have instead of does she has?
Does already carries the third-person singular form in a question. The main verb after does stays in the base form, so the correct pattern is Does she have...? and not Does she has...?
They have a spare key in their desk.
Can she have be correct after can or will?
Yes. After a modal verb such as can, will, may, or should, use the base form have. The modal controls the verb pattern, so she can have and she will have are correct.
She has lunch with her manager on Mondays.
Is she have ever used in formal English?
It can appear in a formal American subjunctive clause, such as I recommend that she have more time. That pattern is different from an ordinary present-tense statement, where she has is correct.
Does she have lunch with her manager on Mondays?
How can I check which form belongs in my sentence?
First look for a helper such as does, did, can, or will. If a helper is present, use have after it. If the sentence is a direct present statement with she and no helper, use has.
She does not have access to the shared folder.