Have vs Has vs Had
Descubre cuándo usar Have, Has y Had en inglés con ejemplos claros, reglas de uso y errores comunes, además de consejos prácticos para mejorar la gramática y la escritura en conversaciones y textos.
Discover when to use Have, Has, and Had in English with clear examples, usage rules, and common mistakes, plus practical tips to improve grammar and writing in everyday conversations and texts.
English uses *have, has, and had* to show possession, actions, and experiences across time. This guide explains when to use each form with clear examples and signal words.
Have
Use *have with I, you, we, they* and plural nouns to show possession, actions, or experiences. It appears in the simple form, in questions, and in the auxiliary use for perfect tenses.
Examples
Usage
*Have appears in everyday sentences for ownership (I have a car), activities (They have lunch at noon), and in questions (Do you have a moment?*).
Signal Words
Signal words for *have sentences often include time expressions like every day, sometimes, usually, and questions with do/does*.
Has
Use *has with he, she, it and singular nouns to show possession, actions, or experiences. Like have*, it appears in simple sentences, questions, and as an auxiliary in perfect tenses.
Examples
Usage
*Has is used for third-person singular subjects: She has a dog, It has rained all day, Has he arrived?* These sentences align with habitual actions and recent events.
Signal Words
Signal words for *has sentences include always, often, never, and questions formed with has* for experiences or possession.
Had
Use *had as the past form of have and has* to show possession, actions, or experiences before a specific time. It appears in simple past sentences and as the past perfect auxiliary.
Examples
Usage
*Had is used for past events: I had a bike, They had finished, Had you seen it before?* It sets the scene for earlier actions or completed experiences.
Signal Words
Signal words for *had sentences include past time expressions like yesterday, last year, by noon, before, and questions with had*.
Summary
Use *have with I/you/we/they and plurals for present possession or actions, has with he/she/it and singulars for the same, and had* for past possession or actions with all subjects. Signal words help identify the correct tense.
Quick Reference
| Subject | Present Tense | Past Tense | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | have | had | |
| You | have | had | |
| We | have | had | |
| They | have | had | |
| He | has | had | |
| She | has | had | |
| It | has | had |
I have a car today. Yesterday I had a flat tire.
Suggested Reading
English File by Unknown (Oxford University Press series)
Practical English Usage by Michael Swan
English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
English Grammar Workbook: Simple Grammar for Non-Native Speakers by SIMPLE English Language School
Essential Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy
New Concept English by L. G. Alexander
Oxford Practice Grammar by Norman Coe, Mark Harrison & Ken Paterson
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus
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