Have you ever stopped while writing a sentence and wondered whether it should be “who has” or “who have”?
You are not alone. The confusion happens because who can refer to one person, several people, or an unspecified person.
The correct choice depends mainly on the subject that who represents and, in some sentences, on the structure of the question.
The good news is that the rule is much simpler than it first appears. You do not normally choose has or have based on the word who alone. Instead, look at the person or people that who refers to.
This guide explains who has or who have in questions, relative clauses, formal writing, everyday speech, and common expressions.
You will also see exactly when each form is correct, why common alternatives are wrong, and how to choose the right one quickly.
Quick Answer
Use “who has” when who refers to one person:
The student who has the highest score will receive the award.
Use “who have” when who refers to more than one person:
The students who have the highest scores will receive the awards.
However, who have can also appear in questions such as “Who have you invited?” Here, you is the subject of have invited, so this is a different grammatical structure.
Simple rule: One person → who has. More than one person → who have.
Who Has or Who Have: At a Glance
| Feature | Who has | Who have |
|---|---|---|
| Basic use | Refers to one person | Refers to multiple people |
| Verb form | Singular has | Plural have |
| Example | The woman who has the key | The women who have the keys |
| Main grammar rule | Singular subject | Plural subject |
| Common context | One person, singular noun | Several people, plural noun |
| Question example | Who has my phone? | Who have you invited? |
| Formal writing | Correct | Correct when agreement requires it |
| Everyday English | Very common | Very common |
| Common mistake | Using have for a singular antecedent | Using has for a plural antecedent |
| Easy memory | One → has | More than one → have |
Quick tip: Replace who with the noun it refers to. If the noun is singular, use has. If it is plural, use have.
Why Do People Confuse “Who Has” and “Who Have”?
The word who is unusual because it does not clearly show whether it refers to one person or several people.
Compare these sentences:
- The man who has a red car lives nearby.
- The men who have red cars live nearby.
The difference becomes obvious when who is replaced with the noun:
- The man has a red car.
- The men have red cars.
The same agreement applies when who replaces the noun.
The difficulty increases when who appears in a question:
Who has the answer?
Who have you invited?
Both sentences are grammatical, but they do not have the same structure.
In the first sentence, who is the subject of has.
In the second sentence, you is the subject of have invited, while who is the object.
That distinction is one of the most important points to understand.
Who Has: When to Use It
Who has is generally used when who refers to one person or when who functions as a singular subject in a question.
1. “Who Has” With One Person
Use who has when the relative pronoun who refers to a singular person.
The employee who has the most experience will lead the project.
The word who refers to the employee.
Because employee is singular, the verb is has.
Another example:
I spoke to the woman who has the blue notebook.
The underlying idea is:
The woman has the blue notebook.
Therefore:
The woman who has the blue notebook.
2. “Who Has” in Questions
You also commonly use who has when asking which person possesses something or performs an action.
Who has my keys?
Who has the answer?
Who has finished the assignment?
Who has permission to enter?
In these examples, who is the subject.
You are essentially asking:
- Which person has my keys?
- Which person has the answer?
- Which person has finished?
- Which person has permission?
Because the identity of the person is unknown, the question uses who.
3. “Who Has” With Singular Relative Clauses
Consider:
She is the only student who has completed the entire course.
Here, who refers to student, which is singular.
So:
student → has
not:
student → have
This pattern occurs frequently in professional, academic, and everyday English.
More examples
- He is the person who has the information.
- Maria is the employee who has the most experience.
- I know someone who has a similar problem.
- The applicant who has the strongest qualifications will be selected.
- She is the teacher who has helped me the most.
Who Have: When to Use It
Use who have when who refers to two or more people.
1. “Who Have” With a Plural Noun
Consider:
The students who have completed the test may leave.
Here, who refers to students.
Because students is plural, use have.
The underlying sentence is:
The students have completed the test.
Therefore:
The students who have completed the test may leave.
2. Plural People + “Who Have”
Examples include:
The workers who have finished early can go home.
The guests who have arrived should take their seats.
People who have experience in marketing are encouraged to apply.
The teachers who have agreed will attend the meeting.
Students who have questions should raise their hands.
In each case, who represents a plural noun.
The simplest test
Remove the relative clause and identify the noun:
The workers have finished.
Therefore:
The workers who have finished…
The same rule works every time.
The Most Important Difference: “Who” Is Not Always the Subject
This is where many explanations of who has or who have become confusing.
Look at these two sentences:
Who has invited you?
Who have you invited?
They look almost identical, but their grammar is different.
“Who Has Invited You?”
Here, who is the subject.
Someone has invited you.
The unknown person is the one performing the action.
So:
Who has invited you?
“Who Have You Invited?”
Here, you is the subject.
You have invited someone.
The unknown person is the object.
So:
Who have you invited?
The verb have agrees with you, not with who.
This is why it would be incorrect to conclude that “who have” is always plural.
Important: In “Who have you invited?”, have is plural because its subject is you, not because who refers to multiple people.
This distinction is essential for understanding questions correctly.
Who Has vs. Who Have: The Core Grammar Rule
The easiest way to understand the difference is to identify the subject and then check whether it is singular or plural.
Singular
One person → has
The woman has a car.
Relative clause:
The woman who has a car…
Plural
More than one person → have
The women have cars.
Relative clause:
The women who have cars…
Question with “who” as subject
Who has the car?
Question with “who” as object
Who have you asked?
The final example contains have, but the subject is you.
A Simple Substitution Test
When you are unsure whether to write who has or who have, replace who with the noun it represents.
Example 1
The student who ___ completed the assignment…
Replace who with the student:
The student has completed the assignment.
Therefore:
The student who has completed the assignment…
Example 2
The students who ___ completed the assignment…
Replace who with the students:
The students have completed the assignment.
Therefore:
The students who have completed the assignment…
This test works especially well with relative clauses.
“Who Has” and “Who Have” in Questions
Questions deserve special attention because they can follow different grammatical patterns.
Pattern 1: Who + has
When who is the subject, use the appropriate form of the verb.
Who has the tickets?
Who has called me?
Who has taken my pen?
Who has been here before?
These questions ask which person performed an action or possesses something.
Pattern 2: Who + have + subject
When who is the object, the verb agrees with the actual subject.
Who have you called?
Who have they invited?
Who have we selected?
Who have you spoken to?
In these sentences:
- you have called someone
- they have invited someone
- we have selected someone
- you have spoken to someone
Therefore, have belongs to the subject, not who.
Compare the structures
| Sentence | Subject | Object | Correct form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who has called you? | who | you | has |
| Who have you called? | you | who | have |
| Who has the documents? | who | — | has |
| Who have they contacted? | they | who | have |
This small table explains a large percentage of the confusion surrounding these expressions.
“Who Has” in Relative Clauses
A relative clause gives additional information about a person.
For example:
I know the man who has the keys.
The clause who has the keys describes the man.
Because man is singular, use has.
Other examples:
- She is the woman who has the final decision.
- We hired an engineer who has ten years of experience.
- I found the student who has your book.
- He knows a doctor who has worked overseas.
- They contacted the person who has access to the account.
“Who Have” in Relative Clauses
Use who have when the antecedent is plural.
I spoke with the employees who have worked here for years.
Here, who refers to employees.
Employees → plural → have.
More examples:
- The students who have passed the exam can leave.
- People who have strong communication skills often perform well.
- The applicants who have submitted their forms will receive an email.
- The customers who have paid will receive confirmation.
- The researchers who have studied the issue reached similar conclusions.
What About “People Who Has”?
This is a common mistake.
❌ People who has experience should apply.
The problem is that people is plural.
The correct sentence is:
✅ People who have experience should apply.
Compare:
A person who has experience should apply.
People who have experience should apply.
The noun determines the agreement.
What About “Someone Who Have”?
This mistake works in the opposite direction.
❌ Someone who have experience should apply.
Someone is grammatically singular.
Therefore:
✅ Someone who has experience should apply.
The same applies to:
- anyone who has
- everyone who has
- nobody who has
- somebody who has
- each person who has
For example:
Everyone who has completed the form should wait outside.
Not:
Everyone who have completed the form should wait outside.
Indefinite Pronouns: A Useful Special Case
Some words refer to groups conceptually but are grammatically singular.
These include:
- everyone
- everybody
- someone
- somebody
- anyone
- anybody
- no one
- nobody
- each
Therefore, use has:
Everyone who has registered will receive an email.
Anyone who has questions can contact us.
Someone who has experience may be able to help.
Each student who has completed the assignment may leave.
This is an important area where meaning and grammatical number can seem different.
What About “Those Who Have”?
The expression those who have is extremely common and correct.
Those is plural, so it takes have.
Those who have completed the work may leave.
Those who have questions should contact the instructor.
Those who have experience are encouraged to apply.
Compare it with:
The person who has completed the work may leave.
So:
the person → has
those → have
What About “One Who Has”?
One is singular, so use has.
Anyone can become one who has a positive influence.
More naturally:
He hopes to become someone who has a positive influence on others.
The key remains the same: determine the grammatical number of the antecedent.
What About “People Who Have” vs. “Person Who Has”?
This is probably the clearest pair to memorize.
Singular
A person who has a valid ticket may enter.
Plural
People who have valid tickets may enter.
Notice that the verb inside the relative clause changes:
person → has
people → have
This is subject–verb agreement.
Is “Who Have” Ever Used With One Person?
Usually, no, when who is the subject of the relative clause and clearly refers to one person.
For example:
❌ The man who have the keys…
✅ The man who has the keys…
However, who have can appear in a sentence where the subject of have is another word:
Who have you asked?
Here, you is the subject.
So it is better to remember:
Who + verb: determine whether who is singular or plural.
But:
Who + have + another subject: check the other subject.
Who Has or Who Have With “You”?
The pronoun you takes have, whether it refers to one person or several.
You have a choice.
You have several options.
Therefore:
Who have you contacted?
Who have you invited?
Who have you spoken with?
The number of people represented by who does not change the verb because who is the object in these constructions.
20+ Real-Life Examples of “Who Has” and “Who Have”
Everyday Conversation
- Who has my phone?
- Who has the car keys?
- Do you know the woman who has the red bag?
- I need someone who has experience with computers.
- The people who have already arrived are waiting outside.
School and Education
- Students who have finished the test may leave.
- The student who has the highest score will receive an award.
- Who has completed the homework?
- Who have you asked for help?
- Teachers who have experience with younger students may apply.
Business and Professional Writing
- Employees who have completed the training can access the system.
- The manager who has final approval is currently away.
- Applicants who have relevant qualifications should apply.
- Who has approved this document?
- Who have you contacted about the problem?
- Please contact the colleague who has access to the records.
- We will notify customers who have already registered.
- Do you know who has received the email?
- Can you tell me who have you contacted?
Better edited version: Can you tell me whom you have contacted? or, in ordinary modern English, who you have contacted?
Social Media and Informal Writing
- Tag anyone who has helped you.
- Shout-out to everyone who has supported this project.
- Thanks to all the people who have shared this post.
Academic Writing
- Researchers who have examined this question often reach similar conclusions.
- The scholar who has developed this theory argues that context matters.
- Participants who have completed the survey were included in the analysis.
Professional and Formal English
- Candidates who have relevant experience will be considered first.
- The director who has authority over the department approved the proposal.
- Individuals who have concerns should submit them in writing.
Common Mistakes With “Who Has or Who Have”
Mistake 1: Using “have” After a Singular Person
❌ The woman who have the documents is here.
Why is it wrong?
Woman is singular.
Correct:
✅ The woman who has the documents is here.
Mistake 2: Using “has” After a Plural Noun
❌ The employees who has completed training can leave.
Why is it wrong?
Employees is plural.
Correct:
✅ The employees who have completed training can leave.
Mistake 3: Forgetting That “Everyone” Is Singular
❌ Everyone who have registered will receive a message.
Correct:
✅ Everyone who has registered will receive a message.
Although everyone refers to many individuals, English grammar treats everyone as singular.
Mistake 4: Assuming “Who Have” Must Always Refer to Multiple People
This is not correct.
Consider:
Who have you invited?
The people represented by who could be one person or several. The verb have agrees with you, which is the subject.
So do not use a simple “who = plural” rule.
Mistake 5: Changing the Verb Because the Object Is Plural
Consider:
Who has the documents?
The object, documents, is plural, but it does not control the verb.
The subject is who.
Therefore:
✅ Who has the documents?
Not:
❌ Who have the documents?
The plural noun documents does not make has become have.
Who Has vs. Who Have in Formal and Informal English
There is no major US-versus-UK difference in the basic rule.
Both American English and British English use subject–verb agreement.
American English
The people who have the information…
British English
The people who have the information…
The basic distinction remains the same.
What can vary is the style of a particular sentence, especially in formal writing and questions involving who and whom.
For example:
Who have you contacted?
is perfectly normal English.
A more formal version might be:
Whom have you contacted?
But whom is much less common in everyday speech, and many speakers use who in this position.
“Who Has” or “Who Have” With Collective Nouns
Collective nouns can sometimes create additional agreement questions.
Words such as:
- team
- family
- committee
- government
- company
- staff
can refer to a group as a unit.
In American English, singular agreement is often preferred when the group is treated as one unit:
The team that has won the championship…
British English can sometimes use plural agreement when the members are emphasized:
The team who have disagreed with the decision…
However, this is not a simple US/UK rule. The exact construction and intended meaning matter.
For ordinary learner writing, avoid trying to force a plural form simply because a collective noun represents several people.
“Who Has” With “One of the People”
This structure is especially useful.
She is one of the people who have completed the training.
Why have?
Because who refers to people, which is plural.
Compare:
She is the only one of the people who has completed the training.
Here, the intended antecedent of who is often understood as the only one, making has appropriate.
This is a more advanced agreement issue, and careful writers should consider exactly what the relative clause is intended to modify.
Compare
He is one of the employees who have received the bonus.
This means he belongs to a group of employees who received it.
But:
He is the only one of the employees who has received the bonus.
This identifies him as the single employee who received it.
The difference in meaning can affect the verb.
“Who Has” or “Who Have” With “There”?
Sentences beginning with there can also cause confusion.
Compare:
There is someone who has the key.
Here, someone is singular.
There are several people who have the key.
Here, people is plural.
The same agreement rule remains in place.
How to Choose the Correct Form in Three Seconds
Use this five-step method.
Step 1: Find what “who” refers to
Ask:
Who is who?
Is it:
- a person?
- a woman?
- a student?
- people?
- employees?
- everyone?
- someone?
- you?
Step 2: Determine the number
Is the antecedent singular or plural?
Step 3: Choose the verb
Singular → has
Plural → have
Step 4: Check whether “who” is actually the subject
If another noun or pronoun is the subject, make the verb agree with that subject.
Step 5: Read the sentence naturally
If it still sounds awkward, rewrite it.
Memory Tricks for “Who Has or Who Have”
Trick 1: One Has, Many Have
Remember:
One has. Many have.
Examples:
One person has a ticket.
Many people have tickets.
Therefore:
the person who has…
the people who have…
Trick 2: Replace “Who”
Whenever you see:
who ___
replace who with the noun it represents.
The girl who ___
becomes:
The girl has…
So:
The girl who has…
Likewise:
The girls who ___
becomes:
The girls have…
So:
The girls who have…
Trick 3: Find the Real Subject
In:
Who have you invited?
ask:
Who is doing the inviting?
Answer: you.
Therefore:
you have invited…
This prevents you from incorrectly changing have to has.
Quick Comparison Examples
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The man who have the key | The man who has the key | Man is singular |
| The men who has the keys | The men who have the keys | Men is plural |
| Everyone who have arrived | Everyone who has arrived | Everyone is singular |
| People who has experience | People who have experience | People is plural |
| Someone who have a ticket | Someone who has a ticket | Someone is singular |
| Those who has questions | Those who have questions | Those is plural |
| Who have the answer? | Who has the answer? | Who is the subject; singular answer expected |
| Who has you invited? | Who have you invited? | You is the subject |
Grammar Breakdown
Part of Speech
Who is a pronoun, most commonly an interrogative pronoun or relative pronoun.
Has and have are forms of the verb to have.
Has
Has is the third-person singular present form:
- he has
- she has
- it has
- someone has
- everyone has
Have
Have is used with:
- I have
- you have
- we have
- they have
- people have
It is also used as the base form after modal verbs and certain constructions:
Who might have the answer?
Who could have done this?
The presence of who does not automatically determine the verb form.
What About “Who Has Been” and “Who Have Been”?
The same agreement rule applies to the present perfect.
Singular
The student who has been absent…
Plural
The students who have been absent…
In questions:
Who has been using my computer?
Here, who is the subject.
But:
Who have you been talking to?
Here, you is the subject.
Again, the structure matters.
What About “Who Has” and “Who Have” in Perfect Tenses?
The same pattern continues:
Singular
The employee who has completed the training…
Plural
The employees who have completed the training…
Question
Who has completed the report?
Object question
Who have you asked to complete the report?
The auxiliary verb agrees with the grammatical subject.
Can “Who Has” and “Who Have” Be Interchangeable?
Usually, no.
They are not interchangeable when the choice reflects subject–verb agreement.
Compare:
The student who has the book…
and:
The students who have the books…
Changing the verb changes the grammatical relationship.
However, in some questions, both forms can appear in different structures:
Who has called?
Who have you called?
These are not interchangeable. They ask different questions.
The first asks for the person who performed the action.
The second asks for the person or people who received the action.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is “who has” grammatically correct?
Yes. Who has is grammatically correct when who is singular or when it refers to one person.
Who has my wallet?
The woman who has my wallet is outside.
2. Is “who have” grammatically correct?
Yes. Who have is correct when who represents a plural subject.
The people who have arrived can sit down.
It is also correct when another subject controls the verb:
Who have you invited?
3. Which is correct: “people who has” or “people who have”?
People who have is correct.
People who have experience are welcome to apply.
People is plural, so the verb is have.
4. Which is correct: “someone who has” or “someone who have”?
Someone who has is correct.
Someone who has experience should lead the project.
Someone is grammatically singular.
5. Is “Who have you invited?” correct?
Yes.
In this sentence, you is the subject:
You have invited whom?
In ordinary modern English, Who have you invited? is completely normal.
6. Is “Who has you invited?” correct?
No, not in standard English.
The subject is you, so the auxiliary is have:
Who have you invited?
In formal English, you can also say:
Whom have you invited?
7. Should I say “who has” or “who have” after “everyone”?
Use who has.
Everyone who has registered will receive a confirmation email.
Everyone is grammatically singular.
8. Should I say “who has” or “who have” after “those”?
Use who have.
Those who have completed the course will receive certificates.
Those is plural.
9. Is “the people who has” ever correct?
Not when who refers to people.
Standard English requires:
The people who have…
Not:
The people who has…
Final Verdict
The correct choice depends on what “who” refers to and what role “who” plays in the sentence.
Use who has when:
- who refers to one person.
- who is a singular subject.
- The antecedent is singular.
- The antecedent is an indefinite pronoun such as someone, everyone, or anyone.
Examples:
The person who has the key…
Someone who has experience…
Who has the answer?
Use who have when:
- who refers to multiple people.
- The antecedent is plural.
- The antecedent is people, those, students, employees, etc.
- Another subject requires have, as in Who have you invited?
Examples:
The people who have the information…
Those who have finished…
Who have you invited?
Best rule to remember: one person → who has; multiple people → who have. But when who is the object of a question, identify the actual subject before choosing the verb.
Once you learn to identify the subject rather than simply looking at the word who, the choice becomes much easier.
Who has and who have are both correct forms; the grammar of the sentence determines which one belongs there.
Evan Bennett is a language enthusiast who writes simple, clear guides about word meanings, slang, phrases, and everyday expressions.
He helps readers understand modern language quickly with easy explanations and useful examples.