“Has” and “have” are both auxiliary verbs used in English, but they differ in terms of the subject they accompany. Here are five key differences between “has” and “have”:
Subject:
Has: “Has” is used with the third person singular subjects (he, she, it, or a singular noun). For example: “He has a car,” “She has completed the assignment.”
Have: “Have” is used with first person, second person, and third person plural subjects (I, you, we, they, or plural nouns). For example: “I have a book,” “They have two dogs.”
Tense:
Has: “Has” is used in the present perfect tense for the third person singular. For example: “She has visited the museum.”
Have: “Have” is used in the present perfect tense for first person, second person, and third person plural. For example: “We have traveled to many countries.”
Usage in Questions:
Has: “Has” is used in questions with the third person singular. For example: “Has he finished his homework?”
Have: “Have” is used in questions with first person, second person, and third person plural. For example: “Have you seen that movie?”
Negative Form:
Has: In the negative form, “has” is combined with “not” to create “has not” or its contraction “hasn’t.” For example: “He has not arrived yet” or “He hasn’t arrived yet.”
Have: In the negative form, “have” is combined with “not” to create “have not” or its contraction “haven’t.” For example: “They have not finished their project” or “They haven’t finished their project.”
Usage in Present Perfect Continuous Tense:
Has: “Has” is used in the present perfect continuous tense for the third person singular. For example: “She has been working on the project for hours.”
Have: “Have” is used in the present perfect continuous tense for first person, second person, and third person plural. For example: “We have been waiting for the bus for a long time.”
Remember that choosing between “has” and “have” depends on the subject of the sentence and the tense being used. The distinction is particularly important in maintaining grammatical correctness in English sentences.