Have To vs Has To: Difference and Comparison

Grammar is of the essence these days. People misuse words inappropriately after getting manipulated by their minds.

Similar is the case with “have to” and “has to”, which undergo sentence misapplication. People use ‘have to’ instead of ‘has to’ and vice-versa.

Key Takeaways

1. “Have to” and “has to” are both used to express obligation or necessity, but “have to” is for the first and second person, while “has to” is for the third person singular.
2. “Have to” and “has to” can be used interchangeably in informal contexts, but in formal writing, “has to” is preferred.
3. “Have got to” is another “have to” form that is more common in British English and used in informal contexts.

Have To vs Has To

The difference between ‘have to’ and ‘has to’ is that the former is used in the case of plural nouns, whereas ‘has to’ is used with singular substantives. While ‘have to’ is applied with pronouns like I/You/We/They, etc., the latter is used amidst pronouns like He/She/It, etc.

‘Have to’ is a modal auxiliary verb, used in the present tense. Since it is a root verb, ‘have to’ is always accepted with plural nouns.

Here the term Plural Noun signifies more than one person/animal/thing in general. The verb’ have to’ comes into play when it comes to the 1st person or 2nd person.

‘Has to’ is another modal auxiliary verb used in the present tense but differs in numbers. It always acts when singular nouns come into action.

A singular noun implies one person/thing/animal. The verb ‘has to’ continually designates with the 3rd person. 

Comparison Table Between Have To and Has To

Parameters of comparison	Have To	Has To
Person	‘Have to’ is primarily used with 1st and 2nd person always.	It is used to indicate the 3rd person.
Linguistic Grammatical Number	It comes into action when plural nouns are used.	‘Has to’ is only when a singular noun is used in the sentence.
Pronouns used	Pronouns like You/We/They are used with this verb.	He/She/It is used with the ‘has to’ verb.
Example	She will have to finish those works before the final call.	She has to go to college tomorrow.
Affirmative Sentence	I have to go the bed early.	She has to wake up early tomorrow.

What is Have To?

Talk about plural nouns, and ‘have to’ comes into play. For example, My tasks have to be completed by tomorrow.

Here ‘have to’ is used as the subject is plural. One can’t use this verb with singular nouns as subjects.

When someone tries to explain certainty/obligation/necessity, ‘have to’ is utilized.

Talking about past and future tense, this verb behaves unevenly. For example, she must finish those works before the final call. This sentence states the necessity of the situation.

This modal auxiliary verb is used conversely in daily conversations. When expressing any strong obligation or duty, ‘have to’ is employed in the sentence.

Another example is: I have to work now. Here, it explains a duty that should be performed in due course of time.

It is also used in framing compulsion sentences. For example, You have to wait for us at the coffee shop.

It is visible that the verb ‘have to’ is used in the situation of compulsion. There are many ways to use ‘have to’ and frame sentences in the present tense.

What is Has To?

‘Has to’ is another modal auxiliary verb notably different from its former peer. For example, he has to take this exam at any cost.

Here, the subject is in the singular form. It also explains compulsion/obligation/necessity in a sentence.

The verb ‘has to’ can never be used with plural nouns.

It symbolizes the present tense in a sentence. Generally, it is used with pronouns like He/She/it, etc., in a sentence.

This verb always indicates around the 3rd person when a sentence is framed. One can not use it in terms of 1st and 2nd person in a sentence.

It is also used in the case of affirmative sentences. For example, she has to wake up in the morning.

Here the given sentence is based on an affirmation.

The verb ‘has to’ also explains everyday obligations. This modal auxiliary verb is used if the obligation comes from the 3rd person.

For example, Mrs Paul can’t see well, so she must wear glasses regularly. It is pretty clear that the verb ‘has to’ chases pronouns like he/she/it concerning the 3rd person and can be indeed used in numerous ways in a sentence.

Main Differences Between Have To and Has To

1. The verb ‘have to’ is used with plural nouns, whereas the auxiliary verb ‘has to’ revolves around a singular noun.
2. Pronouns like You/We/They indicate the verb ‘have to’ in a verdict. Similarly, pronouns with He/She/It indicate the verb ‘has to’ in a sentence.
3. The verb ‘have to’ is always used with 1st and 2nd person, whereas ‘has to’ always implies the 3rd person.
4. An example of the ‘have to’ verb is, You will have to give this job a kick start. A similar example of the verb ‘has to’ is she has to go to college tomorrow.
5. Regarding affirmative sentences, I have to go to bed early sounds like a great example of the verb ‘have to’, whereas She has to wake up early tomorrow defines the use of ‘has to’ properly.

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NY8oAAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=english+grammar+self+study&ots=78KXCPlE–&sig=E0sMYDCg53BxeqDbVu98Q-mmPKk
2. https://www.learngrammar.net