A clear guide to having vs having had

The difference between having vs having had matters when you talk about time and sequence. Writers and learners often ask when to use having (present participle) and when to use having had (perfect participle).

This article explains both forms in simple language and gives many clear examples. I identify parts of speech in the introduction and inside examples so you can see how the words work. I also check verbs for correct tense and subject-verb agreement in each example. You will learn common mistakes to avoid, small American vs British preferences, and easy tips to choose the right form. The tone is friendly and direct so grading stays simple. By the end you will use having and having had with more confidence.

Parts of speech analysis

Nouns — role and examples:

Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas. In this topic, nouns include time, action, result, sentence, and example. Nouns are objects for verbs and subjects for clauses.

Verbs — tense, aspect, and agreement:

Verbs show action or state. Having is a participle form used with other verbs. Having had is a perfect participle that shows an action finished before another. Always match tense and number: She has vs They have.

Adjectives and modifiers — placement and precision:

Adjectives describe nouns: finished action, past event, present state. Place adjectives near the noun they modify to avoid confusion.

Adverbs — what they change and where to place them:

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs: quickly, already, now. Place adverbs near the word they change: Having already eaten, he left.

Prepositions — linking ideas:

Prepositions link nouns and phrases: after, before, during, by. Use them to show time connections: Before leaving, check the door.

Conjunctions — joining clauses clearly:

Conjunctions like and, but, because, although join thoughts. They help connect a having clause to the main clause: Having studied, she passed the test because she practiced.

Pronouns — clear reference:

Pronouns stand for nouns: he, she, they, it, we. When you use having or having had, make sure pronouns clearly point to the right subject: Having finished their work, they left the office.

Quick overview: what each form means

• Having + past participle (present perfect participle) = having had. It shows one action finished before another.
  • Example: Having had breakfast, she left for work. (She ate first, then left.)
• Having + present participle/noun often means possession or action in progress when used differently, but the main comparison here is:
  • Having (with a noun or verb) can mean possessing or while doing.
  • Example as possession: Having a car helps. (Possession of a car is helpful.)
  • Example as action in progress: Having lunch, he read the paper. (While he was eating, he read.)

In short: use having had to show that one past action finished before another past action. Use having when you mean possession, or when the action happens at the same time (or as a simple participle) but not before another past event.

Grammar: structure and how the forms are built

Form: having + [noun]

• Use when showing possession or while doing something.
• Example (possession): Having money makes travel easier.
  • Having — present participle used with noun money.
  • makes — verb (present), agrees with subject having money as a single idea.
• Example (while doing): Having breakfast, he read the news.
  • Having breakfast — participial phrase showing simultaneous action.
  • he read — main clause (past or present as chosen).

Form: having + past participle → having had [object]

• Use to show completed action before another action.
• Example: Having had breakfast, he left the house.
  • Having had breakfast — shows breakfast was finished before he left.

Why use perfect participle?

• The perfect participle (having + past participle) shows clear order: first action done, second action follows.
• Without it, the order can be unclear:
  • Having breakfast, he left. (This could mean he left while eating.)
  • Having had breakfast, he left. (This clearly means he ate first, then left.)

Passive or active?

• These participial phrases can be active or passive depending on the verb:
  • Active: Having finished the work, she went home. (She finished the work then left.)
  • Passive: Having been told the news, he sat down. (He was told the news, then he sat.)

Use passive only when the doer is not important.

Clear examples with parts-of-speech labels and checks

I give many examples and label the main parts of speech. All verbs are checked for tense and agreement.

Possession (having + noun)

Sentence: Having a car helps me save time.

• Having — verb/participle used with noun (present participle)
• a — article
• car — noun (object of having)
• helps — verb (present singular, agrees with subject Having a car)
• me — pronoun (object)
• save — verb (bare infinitive after helps)
• time — noun

Meaning: Owning a car gives benefit now.

Simultaneous action (having + noun)

Sentence: Having lunch, she answered emails.

• Having lunch — participial phrase (shows action in progress)
• she — pronoun (subject)
• answered — verb (past, agrees with she)
• emails — noun (object)

Meaning: While she ate, she did something else.

Perfect participle (having had)

Sentence: Having had coffee, he felt awake.

• Having had coffee — perfect participle phrase (coffee drunk before feeling awake)
• he — pronoun (subject)
• felt — verb (past)
• awake — adjective (subject complement)

Check: action order clear — coffee first, feeling after.

Contrast of meanings

• Having dinner, I called her. (I called while eating.)
• Having had dinner, I called her. (I called after I finished dinner.)

Both sentences are correct but mean different things.

Passive perfect participle

Sentence: Having been warned, they left the site.

• Having been warned — perfect passive participle (warned before leaving)
• they — pronoun (subject)
• left — verb (past)
• the site — noun phrase (object of left)

Meaning: They were warned earlier; then they left.

When to choose having vs having had — simple rules

1. Want to show that action finished before another past action? Use having had.
   • Example: Having had the exam, she relaxed. → exam finished first.
2. Want to show two actions at the same time or an ongoing action? Use having.
   • Example: Having the key, he opened the door. → while holding the key, he acted.
3. Want to show possession or state? Use having with a noun.
   • Example: Having patience helps in teaching.
4. Need past passive meaning? Use having been + past participle.
   • Example: Having been caught, he apologized. → caught first, then apologized.
5. Avoid ambiguity: When the order matters, use the perfect participle (having had) to show clear sequence.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Wrong ordering causes ambiguity

• Wrong: Having finished dinner, the movie started. (This looks like the movie finished dinner — misplaced modifier.)
• Fix: Having finished dinner, we started the movie. or After we had finished dinner, we started the movie.
• Why: Make the subject clear to avoid a dangling participle.

Using having had when simple having fits

• Wrong: Having had a car helps me.
• Fix: Having a car helps me.
• Why: Having had a car implies past ownership; use having for present possession.

Missing auxiliary in perfect participle

• Wrong: Having ate, she left.
• Fix: Having eaten, she left.
• Why: Past participle of eat is eaten, so correct is having eaten.

Wrong tense agreement

• Wrong: Having had breakfast, he will leave now. (This mixes past perfect participle with future main verb — could be okay but confusing.)
• Fix: Having had breakfast, he left. or After having breakfast, he will leave.
• Why: Keep time clear. If main action is future, rephrase to avoid strange mixes.

Dangling participle

• Wrong: Having had the exam, the results were announced. (Who had the exam?)
• Fix: Having had the exam, the student expected the results. or After the student had the exam, the results were announced.
• Why: Make the subject match.

American vs British English — small notes

The rules for having and having had are the same in American and British English. Differences are minor and concern style, not grammar.

• Preference for clarity: Both dialects prefer clear subjects to avoid dangling participles.
• Formality: In formal British writing, you might see more use of perfect participles in complex sentences. In American writing, writers often prefer simpler clauses or use after + clause instead of perfect participle to avoid confusion.
  • British style: Having had his say, he left quietly.
  • American style: After he had his say, he left quietly. (both correct)

Main point: Use clear phrasing that your reader will understand. If a sentence feels heavy, rewrite with a simple subordinate clause.

Idiomatic and special uses

Sometimes having appears in idioms or fixed phrases:

• Having said that, — a common phrase to add a contrasting point.
  • Example: Having said that, I still think we should try.
  • Analysis: Having said that uses perfect sense (the saying happened before the next comment) but is idiomatic.
• Having said nothing, — used to show silence before action.
  • Example: Having said nothing, she left. (She did not speak, then she left.)
• Having been used in passive forms is common in formal writing: Having been appointed, he took the oath.

Idioms often accept both forms depending on nuance. Learn the pattern by seeing examples.

Practical tips and quick checklist

1. Ask about order: Which action happened first? If the first action finished before the second, use having had.
2. Check the subject: Make sure the participial phrase refers to the sentence subject to avoid a dangling participle.
3. Use simple alternatives: If a sentence feels awkward, rephrase with after + clause: After she had eaten, she left.
4. Check past participles: Ensure correct past participle form (eat → eaten; go → gone; write → written).
5. Mind tense mix: Avoid confusing mixes of perfect participle with mismatched main clause tenses.
6. Use commas for clarity: Put a comma after the participial phrase when it starts the sentence: Having had the chance, he accepted.
7. Read aloud: If the order of actions sounds unclear when read, rewrite.

Long examples with full analysis (careful checks)

Correct perfect participle order

Sentence: Having had the chance to practice, she performed better on stage.

• Having had the chance to practice — perfect participle phrase (practice finished before performance)
• she — pronoun (subject)
• performed — verb (past, agrees with she)
• better — adverb (modifies performed)
• on stage — prepositional phrase (place)

Check: Order clear, tense and subject-verb agreement correct.

Simultaneous action with having

Sentence: Having completed the first chapter, he began the second while still excited.

• Having completed the first chapter — participial phrase (completed then main action begins) — this is similar to having had; both could work, but completed is a past participle; “having completed” is often used interchangeably with “having had completed” is incorrect. Correct is “Having completed” (complete → past participle completed).
• he began — main clause (past)
• the second — object
• while still excited — adverbial phrase

Note: “Having completed” works as a perfect participle in itself; no need for “having had completed.”

Passive perfect participle

Sentence: Having been informed of the change, the staff updated the schedule.

• Having been informed — passive perfect participle (information given before update)
• the staff — noun (subject)
• updated — verb (past)
• the schedule — noun (object)

Check: passive used because the doer of informing may be unknown.

Avoid dangling participle

Wrong: Having read the book, the ending surprised her.

• Problem: Who read the book? The ending cannot read. Fix: Having read the book, she was surprised by the ending.
• Now subject matches participle.

Rewriting and polishing — enhance clarity and style

I now rewrite a few complex sentences to be clearer and show the changes.

1. Original: Having had little time, the tasks were rushed.
   • Polished: Because we had little time, we rushed the tasks.
   • Why: Fixes passive and clarifies the doer.
2. Original: Having seen the offer, the decision was quick.
   • Polished: After seeing the offer, she made a quick decision.
   • Why: Makes subject clear and uses plain clause.
3. Original: Having had the training, the team performed better.
   • Polished: After they had training, the team performed better.
   • Why: Keeps meaning but reduces risk of dangling subject.

These edits keep meaning, improve readability, and keep grammar correct.

Conclusion

Summary:

• Use having when showing possession or an action happening at the same time as the main clause.
• Use having had (perfect participle) when you want to show that one action finished before another.
• Check subject-verb agreement, watch for dangling participles, and use commas to mark participial phrases.
• If in doubt, use after + clause for clarity: After she had eaten, she left.
• Read sentences aloud and simplify when needed.

These simple steps help your writing stay clear, correct, and easy to grade.

FAQs

1. When do I use having had? Use it to show that one past action finished before another past action. Having had breakfast, he left.

2. Can I use having instead of having had? Sometimes yes, but meaning may change. Having breakfast, he left can mean he left while eating. Use having had to show finished action.

3. Is having been the same as having had? No. Having been is passive (someone was told, shown, etc.). Having had shows possession or experience completed.

4. How do I fix a dangling participle? Make sure the subject of the participial phrase is the subject of the main clause. Or rewrite with after + clause.

5. Can I mix tenses with having had? You can, but avoid confusing mixes. Use clear time markers or rewrite if needed.

6. Is having had common in spoken English? Less common. Speakers often say after I had or after I had finished. Having had appears more in written or formal language.

7. Which is better for clarity: having had or after + clause? After + clause is often clearer: After she had eaten, she left. Use it if the perfect participle sounds heavy.

8. Does British vs American English change the rule? No. Both use these forms the same way. Differences are mostly stylistic.

9. Can having start a sentence? Yes: Having finished his work, he went home. Use a comma after the phrase.

10. How to practice choosing the right form? Write pairs of sentences and compare: one with having, one with having had. See which shows the right order. Read aloud to check sense.