Have vs. Has – Which is Correct?
Both “have” and “has” can be correct after “either of you,” depending on sentence structure and style. In questions, use “Does either of you have…?” After a standalone subject, traditional formal grammar favors “either of you has,” while “either of you have” is common in informal American usage and speech.
Have or Has: Which Is Correct?
The correct choice depends on the grammatical structure of the sentence. Have and has are forms of the same irregular verb, but they do not appear in exactly the same situations.
In a question using the auxiliary verb does, always use the base form have: Does either of you have a pen? The word does already carries the third-person singular marking, so the main verb remains have.
When “either of you” functions as the subject without an auxiliary, traditional formal grammar generally uses the singular verb has: Either of you has the authority to approve this request. However, either of you have is also common in conversational American English because you is plural in meaning and sounds closer to the verb.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the does test: if the sentence contains does, choose have, not has. For example, say Does either of you have the keys?, never Does either of you has the keys?
For formal statements without does, mentally replace “either of you” with either person. Because either person has is singular, either of you has is the traditional formal choice. In casual conversation, many speakers naturally use either of you have.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| have | Verb | Base form of the verb meaning possess, experience, or receive | Does either of you have a reservation? |
| has | Verb | Third-person singular present form of “have” | Either of you has enough experience for the role. |
How to Use Have
Have is the base form of the irregular verb to have. It is used with the subjects I, you, we, and they. It is also used after modal verbs and after the auxiliary verbs do and does. In the expression “either of you,” have is especially important in questions beginning with do or does.
The word is neutral in tone and appears in casual conversation, professional writing, academic prose, and formal speech. It can express possession, experience, obligation, relationships, or completed actions when used as an auxiliary verb.
Example 1: Does either of you have a copy of the contract?
Example 2: You have several options available.
Example 3: Either of you can have the remaining seat.
What Are the Different Forms of Have?
Have is an irregular verb. Its principal forms are have, had, and had. The present-tense third-person singular form is has, while the present participle is having.
- Base form: have
- Third-person singular present: has
- Past tense: had
- Past participle: had
- Present participle: having
Examples include I have a question, she has a question, they had a question, and we are having a discussion.
Etymology of the Word Have
Have comes from Old English habban, meaning “to possess” or “to hold.” It is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, including German haben and Dutch hebben. Over time, its meaning expanded beyond possession to include experiences, relationships, obligations, and auxiliary verb functions.
How to Use Has
Has is the third-person singular present-tense form of to have. It is used with singular nouns and third-person singular pronouns such as he, she, and it. In formal traditional grammar, either is treated as singular, so “either of you has” can be used when the phrase is the subject of a statement.
In modern American English, speakers often use has after “either of you” in formal or carefully edited writing, especially when emphasizing that either individual is considered separately. In direct questions, however, do not use has after does; use the base form have instead.
Example 1: Either of you has permission to enter the archive.
Example 2: She has the information we need.
Example 3: The department has a new policy.
What Are the Different Forms of Has?
Has does not have separate tense forms because it is one form of the verb have. It is used only for the present-tense third-person singular. Its past tense and past participle are both had, and its present participle is having.
- Present, third-person singular: has
- Past tense: had
- Past participle: had
- Present participle: having
For example, write He has a ticket, but Does he have a ticket? The auxiliary does requires the base form have.
Etymology of the Word Has
Has developed as the third-person singular form of have from the Old English verb habban. Its spelling and pronunciation changed during the development of Middle and Modern English, but it retained its role as the singular present form of the verb.
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and auxiliary verbs makes the difference between “either of you have” and “either of you has” much easier to identify.
- Subject-verb agreement: Verbs generally agree with their subjects in number and person. Traditional grammar treats either as singular, which explains the formal use of “either of you has.”
- Auxiliary verbs: Words such as do, does, and did help form questions and negatives. When an auxiliary carries the tense, the main verb returns to its base form: Does she have, not does she has.
- Proximity agreement: Speakers sometimes choose a verb based on the nearby noun or pronoun. Because “you” follows “either of,” many speakers use “either of you have” in informal conversation.
- Formal and informal usage: “Either of you has” is traditionally preferred in formal writing, while “either of you have” is widely heard and accepted in everyday speech when the meaning is clearly plural.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples reflect the kinds of constructions commonly found in fiction, journalism, film dialogue, and professional communication.
- Film dialogue: A character asking two colleagues for information would naturally say, “Does either of you have the address?”
- News reporting: A formal report might state, “Either of the candidates has enough support to reach the next round.”
- Contemporary fiction: Informal dialogue may use, “Do either of you have plans for tonight?” because the question uses the auxiliary do and therefore requires have.
- Historical or formal prose: A carefully edited narrative could say, “Either of you has the right to make the final decision.”
- Business communication: A manager might write, “Does either of you have access to the shared file?” This is the standard question structure.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. Consider whether an auxiliary verb is already carrying the tense.
- Does either of you ______ a spare charger?
- Either of you ______ permission to sign the form.
- Do either of you ______ experience with this software?
- Either of you ______ the authority to pause the project.
- Neither of you ______ to stay after the meeting.
Answer Key
- have — “Does” requires the base verb “have.”
- has — Traditional formal agreement treats “either” as singular.
- have — “Do” requires the base verb “have.”
- has — “Either” is treated as a singular subject in formal usage.
- has — “Neither” is traditionally singular in formal grammar.
Have Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Possess | To own or hold something |
| Own | To have legal or personal control of something |
| Experience | To undergo or encounter something |
| Receive | To get or be given something |
Has Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Possesses | Owns or holds something |
| Owns | Has legal or personal control of something |
| Experiences | Undergoes or encounters something |
| Receives | Gets or is given something |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is it “Does either of you have” or “Does either of you has”?
The correct form is “Does either of you have?” The auxiliary verb does takes the third-person singular marking, so the main verb must remain in its base form, have.
Question 2: Is “Either of you has” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Either of you has” is traditionally correct in formal English because either is treated as a singular pronoun. For example: Either of you has the authority to approve the request.
Question 3: Is “Either of you have” acceptable?
“Either of you have” is common in informal American speech and is understandable because the phrase refers to two people. In formal or carefully edited writing, “either of you has” is generally the safer choice unless an auxiliary such as do or does changes the construction.
Conclusion
Both have and has can be correct with “either of you.” Use have after do or does, as in Does either of you have a question? Use traditional singular agreement with has in formal statements, as in Either of you has permission. Pro tip: In professional writing, choosing the form that clearly follows standard subject-verb agreement can strengthen your credibility and prevent avoidable grammar objections.
