How to Use ‘Has, Have, Had’ Without Confusion
Use of ‘Has, Have, Had’
(A simple, student-friendly guide with real-life examples)
Many students say, “Sir, I know English, but I always get confused with has, have, and had.”
If you feel the same, relax. You are not weak in English. You are just unclear about one small but important rule.
In this article, I will explain has, have, and had in a very simple, friendly, and practical way—just like a teacher sitting beside you and explaining slowly. No heavy grammar words. No pressure. Just understanding.
First, Understand One Thing Clearly
Has, have, and had are forms of the verb “have.”
They are used to show:
possession (owning something)
experience
actions completed or related to time
The confusion comes because:
We use them with different subjects
We use them with different tenses
Once you understand these two points, the confusion disappears.
Part 1: When to Use Have
Let us start with “have” because it is the easiest.
Use have with:
I
You
We
They
Plural nouns
Examples:
I have a pen.
You have a beautiful voice.
We have an English test today.
They have completed the work.
The students have new books.
👉 Simple trick:
If the subject is plural or sounds more than one, use have.
Part 2: When to Use Has
Now comes “has.”
Use has with:
He
She
It
Any single person or thing (singular noun)
Examples:
He has a bike.
She has finished her homework.
It has stopped raining.
Ramesh has a good handwriting.
The dog has a sharp nose.
👉 Simple trick:
If you can replace the subject with he/she/it, use has.
A Small Comparison (Very Important)
| Subject | Correct verb |
|---|---|
| I | have |
| You | have |
| We | have |
| They | have |
| He | has |
| She | has |
| It | has |
Read this table twice. Half of your confusion will end here.
Part 3: When to Use Had
Now let us talk about “had.”
This is the easiest one because:
👉 Had is used with ALL subjects.
Yes, you read it right.
Use had with:
I, you, we, they
he, she, it
singular or plural
But there is one condition.
Had is used for the past.
Examples:
I had a headache yesterday.
She had a pen, but she lost it.
They had completed the work before the bell rang.
We had never seen such a scene before.
👉 Simple trick:
If the sentence talks about past time, use had.
Part 4: Has/Have as Main Verbs (Possession)
Sometimes has, have, and had are used as main verbs (to show ownership).
Examples:
I have two brothers.
She has a new dress.
They have a big house.
He had a dream to become a teacher.
In these sentences:
There is no other verb
Has/have/had themselves show meaning
This is the simplest use.
Part 5: Has/Have/Had with Past Participle (Perfect Tense)
Now comes the part that scares students—but it is actually very easy.
When has, have, or had is followed by:
V³ (past participle)
(example: eaten, gone, done, written)
They form Perfect Tense.
Present Perfect Tense
(Has/Have + V³)
Used when:
Work is completed
Result is important now
Time is not clearly mentioned
Examples:
I have finished my homework.
She has gone to school.
We have seen that movie.
He has won the prize.
👉 Remember:
Has → he/she/it
Have → I/you/we/they
Past Perfect Tense
(Had + V³)
Used when:
One action happened before another action in the past
Examples:
The train had left before we reached the station.
She had completed her work when the teacher came.
I had eaten food before I slept.
👉 Simple idea:
Had shows the earlier past action.
Part 6: Negative Sentences
Many students make mistakes here.
With have/has
Use not after the verb
Examples:
I have not completed the work.
She has not come today.
Short forms:
have not → haven’t
has not → hasn’t
With had
Examples:
I had not seen him before.
They had not informed us.
Short form:
had not → hadn’t
Part 7: Questions Using Has, Have, Had
Questions are very easy if you remember this rule:
👉 Put has/have/had before the subject.
Examples:
Have you done your homework?
Has she called you?
Had they left before you arrived?
See? Simple movement—no confusion.
Part 8: Common Mistakes Students Make
Let us correct some common errors.
❌ He have a car.
✅ He has a car.
❌ She have finished her work.
✅ She has finished her work.
❌ I has a pen.
✅ I have a pen.
❌ Did you had lunch?
✅ Did you have lunch?
👉 Important note:
After did, always use the base form (have).
Part 9: A Golden Shortcut to Remember
If you remember only three lines, remember these:
Present → has/have
Past → had
He/She/It → has | Others → have
That’s it. Grammar becomes easy.
Final Words (From a Teacher’s Heart)
Grammar is not about memorising rules.
Grammar is about understanding patterns.
If you practise 5 sentences daily using has, have, and had:
Your confidence will increase
Your speaking will improve
Your writing will become correct automatically
Mistakes are part of learning.
Do not fear grammar.
Make it your friend.
English is not difficult—only misunderstood.
And today, you understood it a little better.
Here is one well-structured exercise based on “Has, Have, Had”, designed especially for students.
The questions move from easy to slightly challenging, so learners gain confidence step by step.
Exercise: Fill in the Blanks
Use the correct form of has, have, or had.
I ______ a new notebook.
She ______ completed her homework.
We ______ two English classes today.
He ______ a headache yesterday.
They ______ already reached the station.
Rina ______ a beautiful voice.
You ______ made a good decision.
The students ______ submitted their projects.
My father ______ a busy schedule last week.
It ______ stopped raining now.
We ______ never seen such a big animal before.
He ______ lost his wallet yesterday.
I ______ finished my work before evening.
She ______ three pens in her bag.
They ______ left the place before we arrived.
The boy ______ broken the window.
You ______ a chance to improve yourself.
The train ______ already departed when we reached the station.
My sister ______ prepared tea for everyone.
I ______ no idea about this rule earlier.
The teacher ______ explained the lesson clearly.
We ______ a picnic last Sunday.
She ______ never spoken to me before.
They ______ many problems in their life.
He ______ completed the work before the deadline.
Answers
have
has
have
had
have
has
have
have
had
has
have
had
had
has
had
has
have
had
has
had
has
had
had
have
had
Teacher’s Tip
Ask students to read each sentence aloud before filling in the blank.
Hearing the sentence often helps them feel the correct answer, not just think it.
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