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Differentiating the usage of the three words Have, Has and Had in English
When to use Have, Has and Had in English? This is undoubtedly a question that many people are seeking answers to. Let's explore the definition, verb conjugation after Have, Has and Had, and the differences between these three verbs with PREP!
I. What are Have, Has and Had?
Before delving into when to use Have, Has and Had, let's study the definitions of Have, Has and Had first with PREP!
1. Definition
In English, Have is pronounced as /hæv/ and functions as a verb and auxiliary verb. The base form of the verb Have changes to "Has /hæz/" when used with a singular subject and to "Had /hæd" in the past tense. Therefore, Have, Has and Had share the same meanings, including:
Meaning of Have, Has and Had | Example |
to own | Do you have a car? |
to perform the action mentioned | Anna has breakfast at 9 AM. |
to eat or drink something | Can I have a cake as well? |
to be ill | Have you ever had measles? |
to suffer something that someone does to you | I had such a tough day. |
2. Some phrases associated with Have, Has and Had
Let's pocket some phrases associated with Have, Has and Had along with examples!
Some phrases associated with Have, Has and Had | Example |
(have/ has/ had) a baby | Anna had a baby last month. |
(have/ has/ had) a try | Can I have a try at solving the puzzle? |
(have/ has/ had) a go | I had a go at rock climbing over the weekend. |
(have/ has/ had) an operation | Alex has had an operation on his knees. |
(have/ has/ had) a long wait | We had a long wait at the airport for our delayed flight. |
(have/ has/ had) a shock | I had a shock when I saw the final exam questions. |
(have/ has/ had) a think | Let me have a think about whether I can attend the meeting. |
(have/ has/ had) a problem | Jennie has a problem with her computer and needs help. |
(have/ has/ had) a feeling/ sense | I have a feeling that something good is going to happen. |
(have/ has/ had) a clue | Do you have a clue where my keys are? |
(have/ has/ had) a (good) laugh | We had a good laugh at the comedy show last night. |
(have/ has/ had) a surprise | Lisa had a surprise waiting for her on her birthday. |
II. Usage of Have, Has and Had in sentences
When to use Have, Has and Had? Let's find the answer right below!
1. Usage of Have
1.1. Have as the main verb
Have functions as the main verb (plural form) in the simple present tense. Have is used with plural subjects: I, We, You, They, plural nouns. For example:
- They have a beautiful home.
- My sisters often have friends over.
1.2. Have as an auxiliary verb
Have functions as an auxiliary verb in the present perfect tense and future perfect tense:
Present perfect tense | Future perfect tense | |
Confirm | S + have + V3 + O. Ex: I have finished my homework. | S + will have + V3 + O. Ex: Alex will have submitted the report by tomorrow. |
Negative | S + have not + V3 + O. Ex: I have not received the email yet. | S + will not have + V3 + O. Ex: Anna will not have finished reading the book by the time the movie starts. |
Interrogative | Have S + V3 + O? Ex: Have you finished your lunch? | Will + S + have + V3 + O? Ex: Will Xavia have completed the assignment by Friday? |
2. Usage of Has
2.1. Has as the main verb
Has functions as the main verb (singular form) in the simple present tense and is used with singular subjects: He, She, It, and singular nouns. For example:
- Maria has long black hair.
- Anna has three best friends.
2.2. Has as an auxiliary verb
Present perfect tense | Example | |
Affirmative | S + have + V3 + O. | Jennie has finished her work. |
Negative | S + has not + V3 + O. | Robert has not submitted the report yet. |
Interrogative | Has S + V3 + O? | Has Lisa visited that place? |
3. Usage of Had
3.1. Had as the main verb
Had functions as the main verb in the simple past tense, past perfect tense, and present perfect tense. For example:
- When I was a child I had a dog.
- She realized that she had had too much to eat.
- I have had my car for five years.
3.2. Had as an auxiliary verb
Had functions as an auxiliary verb in the past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense:
Past Perfect tense | Past perfect continuous tense | |
Affirmative | S + had + V3 + O. Ex: Alex had submitted his paper before the deadline yesterday. | S + had + been + V-ing + O. Ex: I had been working at a multinational company for five years ago I went abroad. |
Negative | S + had not + V3 + O. Ex: They hadn’t left when I arrived. | S + hadn’t + been + V-ing + O. Ex: My father hadn’t been finishing his work when my mother came home. |
Interrogative | Had + S + V3 +O. Ex: Had the match started when you arrived at the stadium? | Had + S + been + V-ing +O? Ex: Had they been working on that project for months? |
III. When to use Have, Has and Had?
When to use Have, Has and Had? Let's find out the answer with PREP below!
Have | Has | Had | |
As the main verb | Used in the simple present tense (with plural subjects). | Used in the simple present tense (with singular subjects). | Used in the simple past tense, past perfect tense, and present perfect tense. |
As an auxiliary verb | Used in the past perfect tense and future perfect tense. | Use in the present perfect tense. | Used in the past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense. |
Subject | Plural subjects | Singular subjects | All subjects |
Example | I have three books. | Maria has three books. | I had three science books on my shelf, but I decided to buy more. |
IV. The special structure of Have, Has, Had
In addition to the common usage that PREP shared above, let's explore together the other ways of using it below!
The special structure of Have, Has, Had | Function | Meaning | Example |
(Have Has Had) someone V | Regular verb | Ask someone to do something | I have my sister prepare dinner. |
(Have Has Had) + O + V-ing | Regular verb | Cause someone to do something | He had us laughing during his talk show last night. |
Have/Has been to + place | Auxiliary verb | Have gone to somewhere | I have been to Paris before, in 2015. |
Have Has Had + got | Regular verb | To possess, own something | My sister has got a new phone. |
Have Has Had + to | Modal verb | To have an obligation or be required to do something | I have to do the homework after eating. |
V. Exercise on distinguishing Have, Has and Had
To confidently answer the question "When to use Have, Has and Had?", let's complete the following exercise with PREP!
Exercise: Conjugate the verbs in brackets correctly:Has, Have or Had
- They already________(completed) the project.
- We________(reach) the destination before noon.
- They________(not study) the new material yet.
- We________(not complete) the construction work by next month.
- They________(submit) their applications already?
- They________(reach) the summit before sunset?
- Anna________(have) a surprise waiting for her on her birthday.
- Let's________(have) a laugh and enjoy ourselves.
- I need________(have) a think before making a decision.
- ________(Have) a long wait at the doctor's office can be frustrating.
Answer:
- have already completed
- will have reached
- have not studied
- will not have completed
- Have they submitted
- Will they have reached
- Will have
- Have
- To have
- Having
PREP hopes that through this article, PREP has helped you answer the question "When to use Have, Has and Had?" along with “How to conjugate the verb after Have, Has and Had?”. Let’s follow PREP for more valuable English knowledge!
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