A clear guide to having vs having had If you have ever typed a sentence and paused wondering whether to write having or having had you are not alone. These two forms look almost identical, yet they carry very different meanings. Choosing the wrong one can confuse your reader or make your writing feel off. This guide breaks down everything you need to know: what each form means, how each is built grammatically, when to use which, and how to avoid the most common mistakes.
Quick Overview: What Each Form Means
A clear guide to having vs having had Before diving into grammar details, here is the short answer:
- Having = present participle of have; describes a current state, an ongoing action, or something happening at the same time as the main verb.
- Having had = perfect participle; describes an action that was already completed before the main action took place.
One-line rule: Use having when two actions overlap in time. Use having had when one action finished before the other began.
Parts of Speech Analysis
| Form | Grammatical Name | Base Verb | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| having | Present participle / Gerund | have | Describes simultaneous or ongoing states; can act as a noun (gerund) |
| having had | Perfect participle | have + had | Describes a completed prior action; introduces a participial clause |
How Each Form Is Built
A clear guide to having vs having had Having is simply the -ing form of the verb have:
have → having
Having had combines the present participle having with the past participle had:
having + had (past participle of have) → having had
This mirrors the perfect participle pattern used for all verbs:
having + past participle → having walked, having eaten, having had
The “extra” had is not redundant. It signals that the action belongs to a layer of time that ended before the next event.
Grammar: Structure and How the Forms Are Built
“Having” as a Present Participle
A clear guide to having vs having had When having acts as a participial phrase opener, it shows that both actions happen at roughly the same time or that the having clause describes a simultaneous condition:
Having a strong Wi-Fi connection, she worked from the café easily. (Possessing a connection → working = same time frame)
“Having” as a Gerund (Noun Role)
The Having can also function as a gerund that is, a verb acting as a noun:
Having good communication skills is essential for leadership. (Subject of the sentence; acts as a noun)
Having Had” as a Perfect Participle
The Having had always introduces a perfect participial clause. It signals that a prior completed action caused or enabled what comes next:
Having had three interviews already, she felt calm before the fourth. (Interviews finished → then calmness followed)
Clear Examples with Parts-of-Speech Labels
“Having” Examples
| Sentence | Role of Having |
|---|---|
| Having a dog keeps you active. | Gerund (subject) |
| Having the map, they navigated without difficulty. | Present participle (simultaneous possession) |
| She smiled, having the confidence she needed. | Present participle (concurrent state) |
“Having Had” Examples
| Sentence | Role of Having Had |
|---|---|
| Having had breakfast, he skipped the café stop. | Perfect participle (completed prior action) |
| Having had years of experience, she led the team effortlessly. | Perfect participle (completed prior experience) |
| Having had little sleep, he struggled through the morning meeting. | Perfect participle (past state affecting later event) |
When to Choose Having vs Having Had — Simple Rules
A clear guide to having vs having had Use this decision tree every time you are unsure:
- Are the two actions happening at the same time? → Use having.
- Did the first action fully finish before the second one started? → Use having had.
- Is the phrase acting as a noun (subject or object)? → Use having (gerund).
- Are you writing about a past experience that directly influenced a later event? → Use having had.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Situation | Correct Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Two actions at the same time | having | Having her notes open, she answered quickly. |
| First action done before second | having had | Having had her notes open earlier, she remembered the details. |
| Noun function (subject) | having | Having patience is a virtue. |
| Past experience enabling later success | having had | Having had formal training, he handled the crisis well. |
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistake 1: Using having when the action clearly ended first
❌ Having breakfast, she left for the airport three hours later.
✅ Having had breakfast, she left for the airport three hours later.
Why: Breakfast was completely finished before she left. The perfect participle having had signals that prior completion.
Mistake 2: Using having had for a simultaneous state
❌ Having had a pen in her hand, she signed the form immediately.
✅ Having a pen in her hand, she signed the form immediately.
Why: She was holding the pen while signing not before. The action is simultaneous, so the present participle having is correct.
Mistake 3: Dangling participial phrase
❌ Having had the report, the meeting was productive.
✅ Having had the report in advance, the team found the meeting productive.
Why: Participial phrases must share their subject with the main clause. “The meeting” cannot have had the report the team did.
Mistake 4: Adding had unnecessarily
❌ Having had completed the task, she relaxed.
✅ Having completed the task, she relaxed.
Why: Having had is used only with have as the main verb. For other verbs, simply use having + past participle without had.
American vs British English — Small Notes
There is no significant structural difference in how American and British English use having vs having had. Both varieties follow the same grammatical rules.
One minor stylistic note: British English tends to use the perfect participle form (having had) slightly more in formal written prose and legal documents. American English can occasionally replace participial constructions with simple subordinate clauses (after she had eaten), particularly in casual writing. However, both forms are fully accepted and correct in both dialects.
Idiomatic and Special Uses
Some common idiomatic uses of having worth knowing:
- Having said that a discourse marker meaning “despite what I just said”: Having said that, the project still has potential.
- Having been perfect passive participle: Having been warned, he took extra precautions.
- Not having any of it informal idiom meaning to refuse or reject: She was not having any of it.
Having had appears in formal and literary registers more often than in casual speech. It is common in:
- Academic writing: Having had access to primary sources, the researcher drew strong conclusions.
- Legal language: Having had prior notice, all parties proceeded with consent.
- Narrative fiction: Having had a difficult childhood, the character viewed trust with suspicion.
Practical Tips and Quick Checklist
Before you finalize your sentence, run through this checklist:
- [ ] Does the first action overlap with the second? → having
- [ ] Does the first action precede and enable the second? → having had
- [ ] Is the -ing phrase functioning as a noun? → having (gerund)
- [ ] Does both the participial phrase and the main clause share the same subject?
- [ ] Have you avoided doubling had with other verbs? (having completed ✅ not having had completed ❌)
Long Examples with Full Analysis
Example 1
Having had several challenging projects under her belt, Maya approached the new assignment with quiet confidence.
Analysis:
- Having had = perfect participle clause (prior completed experience)
- several challenging projects = noun phrase (object of having had)
- under her belt = idiomatic prepositional phrase (modifier)
- Maya = subject of main clause (correctly matches the participial phrase subject)
- approached = past tense main verb
- with quiet confidence = prepositional phrase (manner adverbial)
- Time logic: Projects came first → confidence followed. ✅ Having had is correct.
Example 2
Having the freedom to choose her own schedule, she became far more productive.
Analysis:
- Having = present participle (simultaneous possession/state)
- the freedom to choose her own schedule = noun phrase (object of having)
- she = subject of main clause (matches participial phrase) ✅
- became = past tense main verb
- far more productive = adjective phrase (subject complement)
- Time logic: She had the freedom while becoming productive concurrent. ✅ Having is correct.
Rewriting and Polishing — Enhance Clarity and Style
Sometimes a participial phrase can be rewritten as a subordinate clause for variety or clarity. Here are examples of both approaches:
| Participial Phrase | Subordinate Clause Version |
|---|---|
| Having had the training, she succeeded. | Because she had already received the training, she succeeded. |
| Having a good plan, they avoided confusion. | Since they had a good plan, they avoided confusion. |
| Having had little rest, he made errors. | As he had had little rest, he made errors. |
The participial form is more concise and elegant ideal for formal writing, literary prose, and academic essays. The subordinate clause form is clearer and more reader-friendly in conversational or journalistic contexts.
Style tip: Use having had sparingly in conversational writing. It can feel heavy if overused. Reserve it for moments where sequence and causation genuinely matter.
Conclusion
The difference between having and having had comes down to one key question: did the action finish before the next one began? If yes, use the perfect participle having had. If the actions overlap or run simultaneously, use the present participle having. Once you train yourself to think in time layers current vs completed the choice becomes second nature. Both forms are grammatically correct and valuable tools; the secret is simply placing them at the right point on the timeline.
FAQs
Is “having had” grammatically correct?
Yes, having had is perfectly correct it is the perfect participle of have and is used to show that one action was completed before another began.
Can I use “having had” in everyday speech?
It is more common in formal or written English; in casual speech, speakers often prefer simpler alternatives like “after I had” or “since I had.”
What is the difference between “having” and “have had”?
Having is a participle or gerund, while have had is a present perfect tense verb “I have had three coffees today” uses a finite verb form, not a participial construction.
Is “having had” formal?
Yes, it leans toward formal and literary registers, though it is grammatically correct in any context.
Can “having” function as a noun?
Yes — when used as a gerund, having functions as a noun, as in Having patience is a virtue (subject of the sentence).
What is the perfect participle in English?
The perfect participle is formed with having + past participle (e.g., having eaten, having had, having written) and expresses a completed action that precedes the main clause action.
Does “having had” change in American vs British English?
No — both varieties use having had in exactly the same grammatical way; only minor stylistic frequency differences exist.
How do I avoid a dangling participle with “having had”?
Make sure the subject of your participial phrase (having had) is the same as the subject of your main clause, and that both are clearly stated.
