Has, Have, Haves, Have Nots

I sit in my loft with the haves and look out at the have-nots – the bottom of the bottom – and I have to rationalize it,… Am I pushing out the homeless?” –Thomas Reid

A news item in a leading newspaper attributing to Reuters the news agency under the title ‘Bishops still split on divorcees, gays’ reported: “Roman Catholic bishops debating family issues…on key issues such as how to minister to homosexuals and divorced couples.

Disagreements between conservatives and progressives has sometimes led to an atmosphere of conflict, increasing the risk that the meeting, known as a synod and due to end next Sunday, will end inconclusively.”In that news story, should there have been ‘has’ or ‘have’?

For a comprehensive meaning of the verbs ‘has’ and ‘have’ refer a standard dictionary, and their meanings are many, and play a critical role in sentence formations (grammar and syntax); and also from idioms and phrases.

Have is an irregular verb: have – had (past tense) – had (past participle). Have is used to form perfect tenses when used with past participles: I have completed my obligations of life. She has finished her duties for the day.

Have and has indicates possession of something to form the perfect tense, and the past tense of both have and has is ‘had’but they are used differently.

She has a lovely house when she had a job. Has to, have to, had to - are modal verbs indicating an obligation: You have to be there (for the interview). She has to be there (to sign the agreement). They had it (money).

The difference between has and have is: ‘Has’ is used in third person singular present tense of ‘have’ like with he, she, it: He has a good nature. India has diverse religions.

‘Have’ is used in the first person singular and with plural nouns: I’ve skills to find employment. Indians have the ability to adopt and adapt in new climes and countries.

‘Had’ is the third person singular past tense and past participle of ‘have’.Has is used in used to talk about the present and ‘had’ to talk about the past.

‘Have’ is used withpronouns like I, you, we, they (We have humanity. You have love. They have integrity) and with plural nouns (Geeks have invent programmes. Doctors have the power to heal).

Has-been is a noun. Has-been is a derogatory and informal reference to a person who is no longer famous, successful, popular, sought after but just formerly.

Haves and have-nots are those with wealth and without wealth respectively. Hasbian is a lesbian turned heterosexual.

By: Kovuuri G Reddy