'She Has' or 'She Have': Which is Correct?

If you are wondering whether to say 'she has' or 'she have,' then look no further. This article will answer that question for you.

We will discuss the verb 'to have' in all its forms and how to use it. But if you are just here for a quick answer, here it is:

The correct form is 'she has.' It is only accurate to say 'she have' if it is in a question.

'She Has' vs. 'She Have'

Let's start by clarifying when it is okay to use 'have' and when you should use 'has.'

When Do You Use 'Have'?

'Have' comes from the verb to 'have' and is the conjugation of the first and second person singular and the first, second, and third person plural. In other words, you use 'have' with all the pronouns except the third person singular.

It looks like this:

I have
You have
She/he/it has
We have
You have
They have

When Do You Use 'Has'?

You use 'has' with the third person singular, i.e., 'she,' 'he,' and 'it.'

This is always the case, except for a question or a negative sentence. We will get to that later.

The Verb 'To Have' - Is It 'She Have' or 'She Has'?

'Have' functions both as a regular and auxiliary verb, meaning it can take two different forms depending on the context. Let's find out more.

As a Standard Verb

The verb 'to have' resembles any other verb. It usually expresses ownership of something. Here is once again how to conjugate the verb:

I have
You have
She/he/it has
We have
You have
They have

As already stated, you can use 'have' with 'I,' 'you,' 'we,' and 'they,' and 'has' with 'she,' 'he,' and 'it.'

I have three cars.
She has a headache.

Auxiliary Verb

'Have’/’has' is also an auxiliary verb, meaning it does not function as the main verb in the sentence. Instead, it acts as a helping verb. For example:

• I have tried sushi but didn't like it.
• She has eaten the whole packet of cookies.

You might recognize these two examples as the present perfect tense. You can also make present perfect continuous tense sentences using the auxiliary verb 'has’/’have.' For example:

• We have been trying to reach you all day.
• The sun has been heating the ocean all Summer.

Modal Verb

The verb 'have' also serves as a modal verb in the form of 'have to.' Well, technically, it isn't a complete modal verb because of the 'to,' so it's usually referred to as a semi-modal or pseudo-modal.

'Have to' is used to express an obligation.

Here are some examples of 'have to' or 'has to' in a sentence:

• You have to get to the station before your train leaves.
• Ben has to undergo training before he can ask for a raise.

Exceptions and Alternatives for 'She Have' / 'She Has'

This is the English language, so as you might have expected, there are exceptions to the rule.

Questions

As we have established, you should always use 'have' unless you are talking about the third person singular.

Except if it's a question.

In this case, you use 'have' for all the pronouns, including the third person singular. Let us demonstrate:

• Did she have anything to eat? 
• How can he have already arrived?
• Will it have enough petrol?

Negative Sentences

Similarly, the third person singular uses 'have' in negative sentences that contain the verb 'do.' For example:

• She doesn't have enough money.
• It doesn't have to be this way.

Note that while you can use 'have' with 'she,' 'he,' and 'it' in this scenario, you cannot use 'she' and 'have' together in a row to make 'she have.'

Contractions

The verb 'have' has contractions, which you can use in non-formal writing, and are almost always used in speech. Here is a list of the verb's contractions:

I have = I've
you have = you've
we have = we've
they have = They've
he has = he's
it has = it's

There are also negative contractions:

has not = hasn't
have not = haven't
had not = hadn't

Concluding Thoughts on 'She Has' Vs. 'She Have'

I hope this article has helped you feel more confident as to when you should use 'have' and when you should use 'has.'

As with everything, it isn't as straightforward as you might think, but by following the simple rules laid out here, I'm sure you'll use it correctly from now on (if you weren't already!).