Has Since vs. Have Since – Which is Correct?
Use “has since” with a singular subject and “have since” with a plural subject or I/you. Both forms are correct. They usually describe an action or situation that began earlier and remains relevant, or a later development after a past event. The subject, not the word “since,” determines the choice.
Has Since or Have Since – Which is Correct?
“Has since” and “have since” are both correct. The correct choice depends on the subject of the sentence. Use has since with a singular third-person subject such as he, she, it, or a singular noun. Use have since with I, you, we, they, or a plural noun.
In these expressions, since often means “from a particular time until now” or “after that time.” For example, “The company has since expanded” refers to one company, while “The companies have since expanded” refers to multiple companies.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Ignore since temporarily and test the sentence with only the helping verb. If you would say it has, use has since. If you would say they have, use have since. The same subject-verb agreement rule applies before and after since.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| has since | Verb phrase with a singular subject | An action or change involving one person, thing, or organization after an earlier time | The museum has since reopened. |
| have since | Verb phrase with a plural subject or I/you | An action or change involving multiple subjects, I, or you after an earlier time | The museums have since reopened. |
How to Use Has Since
Use has since when the subject is singular and third person. Common subjects include he, she, it, and singular nouns such as the project, the author, or the business.
Has since is frequently followed by a past participle, such as changed, moved, grown, closed, or become. It can also come before a verb phrase, as in “The organization has since begun a new program.” The expression is especially common in formal writing, journalism, biographies, reports, and academic prose.
Example 1: The restaurant has since changed its menu.
Example 2: She moved abroad in 2020 and has since built a successful career there.
Example 3: The policy has since been revised to address public concerns.
What are the different forms of Has Since?
Has is the third-person singular present form of the irregular verb have. The expression has since is used with singular subjects in perfect constructions. Related forms include had since for past perfect contexts and will have since for future perfect contexts.
- Present perfect: The team has since improved.
- Past perfect: The team had since improved before the next review.
- Future perfect: The team will have since improved by the end of the year.
Do not use has since with a plural subject or with I and you. For example, “The employees has since returned” is incorrect; the correct sentence is “The employees have since returned.”
Etymology of the Words in Has Since
Has comes from the Old English verb habban, meaning “to possess” or “to hold.” Over time, have developed important auxiliary functions, including the formation of perfect verb tenses. Since comes from Middle English and originally expressed the idea of “from then” or “from that time.” The modern phrase combines these elements to describe a later or continuing result.
How to Use Have Since
Use have since with plural subjects and with the pronouns I and you. Typical plural subjects include they, we, the students, the companies, and several researchers.
Like has since, have since commonly introduces a present-perfect verb phrase. It can describe something that happened after a previously mentioned event or something that began in the past and continues to matter in the present.
Example 1: The researchers have since published their findings.
Example 2: We have since learned more about the causes of the problem.
Example 3: The two companies have since reached an agreement.
What are the different forms of Have Since?
Have is the base and plural present form of the irregular verb have. In have since, it agrees with plural subjects and with I and you. The related forms are had since in the past perfect and will have since in the future perfect.
- Present perfect: The players have since recovered.
- Past perfect: The players had since recovered before the match began.
- Future perfect: The players will have since recovered by the next game.
Use have since after compound subjects connected by and, even when each individual noun is singular. For example, “The director and producer have since apologized” is correct because the subject contains two people.
Etymology of the Words in Have Since
Have descends from Old English habban and has retained both its meaning of possession and its grammatical role as an auxiliary verb. Since developed from expressions meaning “from then” or “from that time.” Together, the words form a flexible expression used to connect an earlier reference point with a later result or continuing condition.
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and the different meanings of since makes it easier to choose between has since and have since.
- Subject-verb agreement: A singular subject generally takes has, while a plural subject takes have. The words between the subject and verb do not change this rule.
- Present perfect tense: The pattern has or have + past participle connects a past action with the present. Examples include “has since changed” and “have since improved.”
- Since as a time marker: As a preposition or conjunction, since identifies a starting point or an earlier event, as in “since Monday” or “since the announcement.”
- Since as a sentence connector: Since can also mean “because,” although this meaning is less common in the fixed expressions discussed here. For example, “Since the road was closed, we took another route.”
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples reflect common uses of these forms in biographies, news reports, novels, and documentary-style writing.
- Biography: “The inventor has since devoted her career to affordable medical technology.” The singular subject the inventor requires has.
- News reporting: “The agency has since issued updated safety guidance.” The singular noun agency takes has since.
- Literary narration: “They have since understood why the old house was abandoned.” The pronoun they requires have.
- Film or television coverage: “The actors have since reunited for a new production.” The plural subject actors takes have since.
- Historical writing: “The discovery has since changed how historians interpret the event.” The singular subject discovery requires has.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct expression, has since or have since, to complete each sentence.
- The organization ______ expanded its services nationwide.
- The scientists ______ repeated the experiment several times.
- She ______ become a respected advocate for education.
- We ______ discovered several advantages to the new system.
- The original buildings ______ been carefully restored.
Answer Key
- has since — “The organization” is singular.
- have since — “The scientists” is plural.
- has since — “She” is a singular third-person pronoun.
- have since — “We” takes have.
- have since — “The original buildings” is plural.
Has Since Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| has subsequently | Has happened or developed later than a previously mentioned event. |
| has afterward | Has occurred at a later time; less common and more formal than has since. |
| has in the meantime | Has occurred during the interval between two points in time. |
| has from then on | Has continued or occurred starting at a specified earlier time. |
Have Since Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| have subsequently | Have happened or developed after a previously mentioned event. |
| have afterward | Have occurred later; this wording is formal and less natural in everyday speech. |
| have in the meantime | Have occurred during the intervening period. |
| have from then on | Have continued or occurred from a stated point in the past. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “has since” grammatically correct?
Yes. Use “has since” with a singular third-person subject, such as “The company has since expanded” or “She has since returned.”
Question 2: Is “have since” grammatically correct?
Yes. Use “have since” with plural subjects and with I, you, we, and they. For example, “They have since moved” is correct.
Question 3: Should I say “the team has since” or “the team have since”?
In standard American English, use “the team has since” because team is usually treated as a singular collective noun. Therefore, write “The team has since won three awards.”
Question 4: Does “since” always refer to time in these expressions?
Usually, yes. In “has since changed” or “have since improved,” since refers to a time or earlier event. In other contexts, since can mean “because,” but that meaning does not determine whether you use has or have.
Conclusion
Has since and have since are both correct, but they agree with different subjects. Choose has since for singular third-person subjects and have since for plural subjects or I/you. Pro Tip: checking subject-verb agreement carefully helps your writing sound polished and protects your professional credibility.
