10 Difference between Has and Have (With Table)

What is the main difference between Has and Have? We use ‘has’ with a third person, i.e. He, She, It, etc. whereas we mainly use ‘have’ with a first and second person, i.e. with I, We, You, etc. and also with the third person when the sentence starts with ‘they’.

This article provides more insights into the differences, examples, and similarities between has and have in sentences. Take the time to read the entire post for better understanding about these English grammar terms.

Difference between Has and Have with Table

Basic Terms	Has	Have
Subject	Typically used with the third-person singular subjects (he, she, it, a singular noun).	Typically used with first-person singular (I), second-person singular (you), and plural subjects (we, they).
Conjugation	It is the singular form of the verb “to have.”	It is the base form of the verb “to have.”
Usage	Used when the subject is singular.	Used when the subject is plural or when the subject is “I” or “you.”
Examples	He has a car. She has a cat. It has been raining.	I have a book. You have two tickets. We have a meeting. They have some interesting ideas.
Tense Agreement	Typically used in the present simple tense.	Used in various tenses, including present simple, present perfect, and past simple.
Negative Form	Becomes “has not” or “hasn’t” in the negative.	Becomes “have not” or “haven’t” in the negative.
Questions	Used to form questions in the third person singular.	Used to form questions with other subjects.
Possession	Can indicate possession, but not limited to it.	Can indicate possession and is commonly used for this purpose.
Contractions	Commonly contracted to “he’s,” “she’s,” “it’s” (for “has”)	Commonly contracted to “I’ve,” “you’ve,” “we’ve,” “they’ve” (for “have”)
Examples (Questions)	Has he finished his homework? Has she seen the movie?	Have you visited that place before? Have they met the new manager?

What Is Has?

“Has” is a verb in English that primarily functions as the third-person singular form of the auxiliary verb “have.” It is used to indicate possession, ownership, or the act of experiencing or performing something in the present simple tense for singular subjects, such as “he,” “she,” “it,” or a singular noun.

In addition to indicating possession, “has” is also employed to form the present perfect tense when combined with a past participle, signifying actions or events that have occurred at an unspecified time before the present. For example, “She has eaten breakfast” suggests that the action of eating occurred at some point before the current moment.

Moreover, “has” plays a vital role in forming questions and negatives in the third-person singular context. In the negative form, it becomes “has not” or the contraction “hasn’t.” In interrogative sentences, “has” is placed at the beginning of the sentence to create questions like “Has he finished his work?”

What Is Have?

“Have” is a versatile verb in English that serves multiple functions depending on its usage. In its base form, “have” is commonly used as an auxiliary verb, working in conjunction with the past participle of another verb to form different verb tenses.

Present Simple Tense: “Have” is used with first-person singular (“I”) and plural subjects (“you,” “we,” “they”) to denote actions, habits, or general truths in the present. For example, “I have a car” or “They have busy lives.”

Present Perfect Tense: “Have” is combined with the past participle to create the present perfect tense, indicating actions or events that occurred at an unspecified time before the present. For instance, “She has visited Paris” suggests the action happened sometime in the past without specifying when.

Possession: “Have” can signify ownership or possession, as in “I have a dog” or “They have a lovely home.”

Causative: It can also be used causatively to indicate that someone has caused something to happen, like “I had my car repaired.”

Modal: In some cases, “have” is employed as a modal verb to express necessity, obligation, or permission, as in “You have to finish your homework.”

Main Difference between Has and Have

“Have” is an irregular verb with a dual role as both a main action verb and an auxiliary verb for creating present perfect sentences using the past participle form. Conversely, “has” is the third-person singular form of the verb ‘have.’
“Has” and “have” are used in the simple present tense with “has” employed for singular nouns like teacher, child, judge, my mom, etc., while “have” is used with plural nouns such as teachers, parents, children, judges, etc.
“Has” is utilized with pronouns like He, She, it, this, that, etc., whereas “have” pairs with pronouns I, you, we, they, these, those, etc.
Examples:

Have you ever considered starting a new business?
The company has assigned the marketing of the new product to the top marketing team.

Similarities between Has and Have

Both are forms of the verb “have.”
They are used to indicate possession.
Both can be used in present perfect tense.
“Has” and “have” are irregular verbs in English.
They function as auxiliary verbs to form questions and negatives in the present tense.

Conclusion

The primary difference between “has” and “have” lies in their usage with different subjects and in various contexts of English grammar. “Has” is specifically used with third-person singular subjects, while “have” is employed with first-person singular, second-person singular, and plural subjects.

This distinction affects their application in present simple tense and present perfect tense, with “has” being restricted to singular subjects, and “have” accommodating both singular and plural subjects. Understanding these distinctions is pivotal for accurate communication and grammatical precision in English.

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