Have vs had

The choice between 'have' and 'had' depends on the context and tense of the sentence. 'Have' is used in present perfect tense, while 'had' is used in past perfect tense. Both are correct, but they are used in different contexts.

Last updated: March 22, 2024 • 970 views

Have

The word 'have' is correct when used in present perfect tense to indicate actions that started in the past and continue into the present.

Use 'have' when you are talking about actions that started in the past and continue into the present, such as 'I have finished my homework.'

Examples:

I have visited Paris before.
She has already eaten lunch.
They have lived in this city for five years.

Show examples from the web [+]

Have an immediate impact on our community.
Have another little monster running around.
Have some respect for your father.
Have kids, take them to Disneyland.
Have another drink before your next number.
Have something warm before going to bed.
Have Pacific Tech monitor the drop.
Have fun guarding an empty subway station.
Have your teams sweep each sector moving inward.
Have a word with Hadley's girlfriend Madeleine.
Have some concerts and record something.
Have a chat with Hank before the hearing.
Have Nelson pull her online presence.
Have the copter maintain visual contact.
Have lieutenant provenza carry the bags.
Have their clothes and sheets destroyed.
Have the Chicago team sweep the building quickly and quietly.
Have always been like my dads.
Have fun trying to control everyone.
Have your men douse their lanterns.

Alternatives:

I have been to Paris before.
She has eaten lunch already.
They have been living in this city for five years.

had

The word 'had' is correct when used in past perfect tense to indicate actions that were completed before a certain point in the past.

Use 'had' when you are talking about actions that were completed before a specific time in the past, such as 'She had already left when I arrived.'

Examples:

He had finished his work before the deadline.
She had never been to that restaurant before.
They had already left when we got there.

Show examples from the web [+]

My father had had great qualities as a man.
If I'd had only had the exploder.
Karl-Heinz Florenz had been present but had not taken part in all the votes.
Robert Sturdy had been present but had not taken part in the votes.
This removed the doubts which the Commission had had.
Layma and her sisters had had enough.
He had had 20 minutes of glorious music.
The promise of entry to the European Union had had a stabilising effect.
Just imagine if the Stalinist regime had had it in their hands.
The inspector was asking me if Claudio had had any disappointments.
Thus, as parties had had ample opportunity to comment on this choice, their procedural rights had been respected in full.
The researchers found that within 4 years of implantation, 50 % of patients who had had problems with their defibrillators had been forced to undergo further surgery.
Giovanni Procacci had given notice that they had been elected to the Italian Parliament and had accepted their national mandates with effect from 28.04.2006.
Because it had been too indulgent, Parliament had suddenly had to bang its fist on the table and almost censure your predecessor.
There had already been some initial success: women in Scandinavia had won the right to vote, although other countries had still to wait for this.
It had been many years since the Bluth family had had any business success.
The intensity that they had together must have had its limits and it had to explode at some point.
It had taken three days of almost non-stop driving, but this incredible machine had breached what the experts had said would be an impregnable wall.
Othmar Karas had made it known that he had not had his voting card with him and had wanted to vote in accordance with the PPE-DE Group voting list.
Othmar Karas had made it known that he had not had his voting card with him and had wanted to vote in accordance with the PPE-DE Group voting list.

Alternatives:

He had completed his work before the deadline.
She had not visited that restaurant before.
They had left already when we arrived.

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