they have not

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they have not" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a subject has not performed an action or does not possess something. Example: "They have not completed the project by the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

They have not lost.

The New York Times - Sports

They have not worked.

The Economist

They have not.

The New York Times - Sports

Which they have not.

The New York Times - Food

They have not lasted.

The New York Times

Yet they have not.

The New York Times

Indeed, they have not.

The New York Times - Sports

But they have not.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Maybe they haven't.

The New Yorker

Regretfully, they haven't.

The New York Times

They haven't".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they have not" when a formal tone is required, especially in academic or professional writing. In less formal contexts, "they haven't" is perfectly acceptable.

Common error

Ensure the verb tense following "they have not" aligns with the intended meaning. For example, use the past participle (e.g., "they have not finished") to indicate an uncompleted action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they have not" functions as a negated auxiliary verb phrase. It combines the pronoun 'they', the auxiliary verb 'have', and the negation 'not' to indicate the absence of a completed action or a current state. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

25%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they have not" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction to express negation or the absence of a completed action. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, showing its presence across diverse sources like news, academic papers, and general media. While adaptable for both formal and informal contexts, it is especially useful when a neutral or somewhat formal tone is required. Alternatives such as "they haven't" or "they did not" may be suitable depending on the specific context and desired level of formality. It's important to ensure the verb tense used after the phrase aligns with the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they didn't

A more concise and informal contraction of "they did not", implying a past absence of action.

they haven't

A contracted form of "they have not", suitable for less formal contexts.

they did not

A more explicit and formal way to say "they didn't", used to emphasize the absence of a past action.

it is not the case that they have

Emphasizes the falsity of a previous assumption or statement about their actions.

they are yet to

Indicates that an action is expected in the future but hasn't occurred yet.

they fail to

Highlights a consistent lack of performance or execution.

they are unable to

Focuses on the inability or lack of capacity to perform an action.

they can't

A contraction of "they cannot", expressing an inability or lack of permission.

they could not

Indicates past inability or lack of opportunity.

they are not

This phrase expresses something that they are not presently, used to describe someone's role or state.

FAQs

How can I use "they have not" in a sentence?

Use "they have not" to indicate that a group of people has not performed a specific action or achieved a certain state. For example, "They have not completed the project on time" or "They have not been informed about the changes".

What's a more informal way to say "they have not"?

You can use the contraction "they haven't" as a more informal alternative to "they have not". For example, instead of saying "They have not finished eating", you can say "They haven't finished eating".

What can I say instead of "they have not" to emphasize a failure?

To emphasize a failure, you could say "they "fail to"". For example, instead of saying "They have not met the requirements", you can say "They fail to meet the requirements".

How does "they have not" differ from "they did not"?

"They have not" implies a state that continues to the present, while "they did not" refers to a completed action in the past. For example, "They have not seen the movie" implies they still haven't, while "They did not see the movie" simply states they didn't see it at a specific time.