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Is it correct to say has he come?

This is a common question that many English learners have regarding the usage of “has” and “have” in sentences. The short answer is that both “has he come?” and “have he come?” can be used, but there are some key differences in meaning.

Using “Has” vs “Have”

“Has” is used for singular subjects, while “have” is used for plural subjects. So if the subject is a singular pronoun like “he”, “she”, or “it”, then you would use “has”.

For example:

  • Has he come home yet?
  • Has she finished her homework?
  • Has it stopped raining?

If the subject is a plural pronoun like “they”, “we”, or “you”, then you would use “have”.

For example:

  • Have they arrived at the party yet?
  • Have we met before?
  • Have you finished eating?

So in the sentence “Has he come?”, the use of “has” is correct since “he” is a singular pronoun.

Meaning and Context

While both “has he come?” and “have he come?” are grammatically correct in some contexts, they carry slightly different meanings:

  • “Has he come?” implies that a single person (he) may have already come, and you are checking or confirming if this action happened.
  • “Have he come?” implies that you are expecting a single person (he) to come in the future, and you are checking if this future action has happened yet.

Some examples:

  • “Has he come home from work yet?” – You are asking if he has already come home.
  • “Have he come to fix the sink yet?” – You are asking if he has arrived yet to fix it in the future.

So the meaning changes slightly depending on whether the action is viewed as completed or still upcoming.

In Summary

  • “Has he come?” is more common and idiomatically correct when referring to a completed action in the past.
  • “Have he come?” is usable but less common for referring to a future action.
  • Use “has” with singular subjects and “have” with plural subjects for the most grammatically correct sentences.
  • Pay attention to the context and intended meaning when choosing between “has” and “have”.

Examples in Sentences

Here are some more examples of using “has” and “have” correctly in sentences:

  • Has he come to the party yet?
  • No, he has not come. We are still waiting for him.
  • Have they come to a decision in the meeting?
  • The plumber said he would have come by 3 pm to fix the leak.
  • I hope you have a good trip! Have you come to the airport yet?
  • Has the mail come today? I’m expecting an important letter.
  • Have the test results come back from the lab yet?
  • Has anyone come looking for me while I was away?

Common Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes people make regarding “has” vs “have”:

  • Using “has” with a plural subject:
    • Incorrect: Has we decided on the menu yet?
    • Correct: Have we decided on the menu yet?
  • Using “have” with a singular subject:
    • Incorrect: Have he brought the documents?
    • Correct: Has he brought the documents?
  • Saying “has came” instead of “has come”:
    • Incorrect: Has he came home early from work?
    • Correct: Has he come home early from work?

So be careful about matching your verb tenses properly with singular versus plural subjects to avoid mistakes.

Conclusion

In conclusion:

  • “Has he come?” is the more idiomatically correct option when referring to a completed past action by a singular subject.
  • “Have he come?” is usable but less common for a future action.
  • Pay close attention to the subject, context, and intended time frame when deciding whether to use “has” or “have”.
  • Match your verb tenses properly to the subject to avoid common grammatical mistakes.

I hope these examples and explanations help provide clarity on the proper usage of “has” versus “have” in sentences like “Has he come?” versus “Have he come?”. Let me know if you have any other questions!

When to Use “Has” vs “Have” – Quick Reference Table

Subject Use…
I have
You have
We have
They have
He has
She has
It has

Additional Examples

Here are some additional examples of using “has” and “have” correctly:

  • I have finished my homework.
  • She has gone to the store.
  • We have eaten dinner already.
  • They have decided to sell the house.
  • He has arrived early for the appointment.
  • It has been raining all day.

Common Irregular Verbs with “Has” and “Have”

Here are some common irregular verbs that are used with “has” and “have”:

Base Form Past Participle
be been
do done
go gone
see seen
eat eaten
run run
write written

Examples:

  • I have been to Australia before.
  • She has done her homework already.
  • They have gone on vacation.
  • He has seen that movie three times.
  • We have eaten dinner.

Practice Exercises

Fill in the blank with “has” or “have” in the following sentences:

  1. I ______ already eaten breakfast today.
  2. ______ you finished your project yet?
  3. My sister ________ gone to the store.
  4. ________ they decided on a date for the party?
  5. He _______ written five novels so far.
  6. _________ she had enough rest last night?
  7. The kids _______ been playing outside all afternoon.
  8. The train ________ left the station already.
  9. I ________ never seen a blue moon before.
  10. The mail ________ come so early today!

Answers:

  1. have
  2. Have
  3. has
  4. Have
  5. has
  6. Has
  7. have
  8. has
  9. have
  10. has

Conclusion

To summarize the key points:

  • Use “has” for singular subjects and “have” for plural subjects.
  • “Has he come?” is idiomatically correct for completed actions.
  • “Have he come?” is less common but usable for future actions.
  • Pay close attention to the subject, context, intended time frame.
  • Match your verb tenses properly with the subject.
  • Practice using “has” and “have” in example sentences.

I hope these explanations, examples, and practice exercises help provide a thorough understanding of when to use “has” vs “have”. Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions!