have they

USAGE SUMMARY

"have they" is a correct and usable form in written English.
You can use it when asking a question or making a statement about something that someone has done or experienced. Example: "Have they gone to the store yet?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Have they disappeared?

The New York Times

How have they fared?

The New York Times

Why have they failed?

The Economist

Have they caused resentment?

The Economist

What have they yielded?

The New Yorker

Have they finished?

Independent

Have they worked?

The New York Times

And have they?

The New York Times

What have they gained?

Independent

Have they ruined art?

The New York Times

Have they died out?

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have they" to inquire about completed actions or experiences in the present perfect tense. This indicates a connection between the past and present.

Common error

Avoid using "have they" when referring to a specific point in the past. Use the simple past tense instead (e.g., "Did they go?").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have they" serves as an auxiliary verb construction used to form questions in the present perfect tense. Ludwig shows that this usage is widespread across various contexts, aligning with standard English grammatical rules.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have they" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase to form questions in the present perfect tense. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction serves to inquire about actions or experiences completed by a group with relevance to the present moment. Predominantly found in news, media, and formal business contexts, it maintains a neutral register suitable for various communication scenarios. Remember to use "have they" when the timing of an action is unspecified but relevant to the present, and to choose simple past formulations (e.g., "did they") for actions that occurred at a specific time in the past.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

what have they done

Adds "what...done", seeking information about specific actions completed.

what did they do

Similar to the previous option but focuses on past action in simple past instead of present perfect.

did they

Replaces "have" with "did", shifting the focus to a completed action in the past.

how have they

Adds "how", seeking information about the method or manner in which something was done.

do they have

Inverts the structure to emphasize possession or availability.

are they

Changes the verb to "are", focusing on a state of being rather than an action completed.

were they

Shifts the focus to a past state of being.

is it that they

Emphasizes the reason or cause behind their actions.

can they

Focuses on the ability or possibility of them doing something.

will they

Shifts the focus to a future action or state.

FAQs

How to use "have they" in a sentence?

"Have they" is used to form questions in the present perfect tense, indicating an action completed at an unspecified time in the past that has relevance to the present. For example, "Have they finished the project yet?"

What can I say instead of "have they"?

Depending on the context, you could use "did they" for a simple past tense question, or "are they" if you're inquiring about their current state.

Which is correct, "have they" or "did they"?

Both are correct, but they're used in different contexts. "Have they" implies a present perfect tense, while "did they" is used for simple past actions with a definite timeframe.

What's the difference between "have they" and "had they"?

"Have they" refers to the present perfect, asking about actions completed before now. "Had they" refers to the past perfect, asking about actions completed before a specific point in the past.