students has started

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "students has started" is not correct in written English.
It should be "students have started" to agree in number. Example: "The students have started their projects early this semester."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The John F. Kennedy University in California, which educates mainly mature students, has started to accept edX MOOC credits towards its degrees.But most universities still do not.

The Economist

The American Academy of Family Physicians, a national group that represents 94,000 family practitioners and medical students, has started offering courses for its members on how to use Botox, facial fillers, lasers and chemical peels.

The New York Times

Despite protests by student unions, and advice to the government from the Supreme Court to consider a postponement, a first batch of 10,000 students has started the compulsory course, conducted in army camps.Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the defence minister, says the armed forces have tripled in number under his brother, Mahinda, the president.

The Economist

According to the Daily Mirror, the branch, mere blocks from Cambridge University and its 19,000 students, has started making would-be customers blow into breathalyzers before they enter, and is refusing to admit anyone who registers a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit of 0.8percentt.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

"I suspect students have started using appliances again," said Ms. Raval, who recently graduated.

The New York Times

It took a generation, but the students have started to stick around.

The New York Times - Travel

But many students have started to fight back and demand change.

The Guardian

And he is glad to know that five of his former students have started businesses of their own.

The New York Times

The students have started a petition opposing the seal, but no official complaint has been filed with the university.

The Guardian

The study found that many students had started smoking as a way of coping with stress or controlling their weight.

The New York Times

Other students have started their own clothing project re-cycling old t-shirts into scarves, bracelets and dog toys.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure subject-verb agreement. With a plural subject like "students", use the plural form of the auxiliary verb, which is "have".

Common error

Avoid using "has" with plural subjects. "Has" is reserved for singular subjects (e.g., "the student has started"), while "have" is used for plural subjects (e.g., "the students have started").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "students has started" is intended to function as a verb phrase indicating the commencement of an action by a group of students. However, this phrase is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the auxiliary verb "has" does not agree with the plural subject "students".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

29%

Science

59%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "students has started" is grammatically incorrect due to a subject-verb agreement issue. The plural subject "students" requires the plural auxiliary verb "have", making the correct phrase "students have started". Ludwig AI confirms this, and provides several examples of proper usage. Alternative verbs like "begun", "commenced", or "initiated" can also be used depending on the context. It's essential to maintain subject-verb agreement to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness in writing. Always use "have" with plural subjects.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

students have started

Corrects the grammatical error in the original phrase by using the plural form "have" to agree with "students".

students began

Replaces "started" with the synonym "began", maintaining a similar meaning and correcting the grammar.

students commenced

Substitutes "started" with the more formal term "commenced", implying a formal initiation or beginning.

students initiated

Replaces "started" with "initiated", suggesting that the students were the driving force behind the beginning.

students have initiated

Combines "have" for grammatical correctness with the verb "initiated", indicating the start of something.

students are starting

Uses the present continuous tense to describe an action that is currently in progress or about to happen.

the student has started

Changes the subject to singular, requiring the singular form "has" while keeping the meaning of beginning an action.

student started

Omission of the auxiliary verb. "The student started" implies a past action.

students have been starting

Uses the present perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that began in the past and continues to the present.

students are commencing

Uses "commencing" instead of "starting" or "began".

FAQs

How do I correct the phrase "students has started"?

The correct phrase is "students have started". The verb must agree with the plural subject.

What is the difference between "the student has started" and "students have started"?

"The student has started" refers to a single student, while "students have started" refers to multiple students. It's all about subject-verb agreement.

Is "students have begun" a good alternative to "students have started"?

Yes, "students have begun" is a suitable alternative. It uses a different verb with a similar meaning. Other alternatives include "students commenced" or "students initiated".

Can I use "students are starting" instead of "students have started"?

Yes, "students are starting" is a valid alternative. It uses the present continuous tense and implies that the action is currently in progress. The context dictates which one is the most appropriate to use.