“Having” and “having had” can look almost identical, but they perform different grammatical jobs in a sentence. Both forms come from the verb have, yet the addition of had changes the relationship between an earlier action or experience and another event. This can make phrases such as “having dinner” and “having had dinner” confusing, especially for English learners.
Understanding the difference becomes much easier when you focus on time and sequence. “Having” usually refers to an action, experience, possession, or situation in progress or connected to the surrounding sentence. “Having had” is a perfect participle, showing that one experience or action was completed before another action or event. In this guide, we will explain the meaning, grammar, sentence structure, common mistakes, and practical examples of “having” vs. “having had” so you can use both naturally and confidently.
Quick Answer
“Having” generally describes an action, experience, possession, or situation, while “having had” emphasizes that something happened or was completed before another event. For example, “Having lunch, I called him” differs from “Having had lunch, I called him.”
Why People Confuse It
The confusion comes from the fact that both expressions begin with having.
The important difference is what follows it:
- Having + noun: describes an activity, experience, or possession.
- Having + past participle: can form a perfect participle construction.
- Having had + noun: indicates that someone experienced or completed something before another action.
Consider these examples:
- Having dinner, I watched television.
- Having had dinner, I went for a walk.
In the first sentence, “having dinner” presents the activity. In the second, “having had dinner” tells us that dinner was already finished before the walk.
First Word: Having
Having is the present participle form of have. It can appear in several grammatical structures.
1. Having + noun
It can describe an activity or experience:
I am having lunch.
She is having a good time.
2. Having + object
It can refer to possession or a situation:
Having enough money makes travel easier.
3. Having + past participle
“Having” can also begin a perfect participle construction:
Having finished the work, Sarah went home.
Here, “having finished” means Sarah completed the work before she went home.
What does “having” mean?
Depending on context, “having” can mean:
- experiencing something
- participating in something
- eating or drinking
- possessing something
- going through a situation
- forming part of a participle construction
Second Word: Having Had
Having had consists of:
having + had
The first having is the participle form of have, while had is the past participle of have.
It is commonly used as a perfect participle construction.
For example:
Having had breakfast, I left for work.
This means:
- I had breakfast.
- Breakfast was completed.
- I left for work.
The construction makes the sequence clear.
More examples
- Having had enough rest, she felt energetic.
- Having had several meetings, he was tired.
- Having had dinner, they returned to the hotel.
- Having had previous experience, she knew what to do.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Having | Having Had |
|---|---|---|
| Basic form | Having | Having + had |
| Main idea | An action, experience, or situation | A completed earlier experience/action |
| Time relationship | Current, ongoing, or general depending on context | Usually earlier than another event |
| Grammar | Present participle / gerund | Perfect participle |
| Example | Having dinner, I talked to Tom. | Having had dinner, I talked to Tom. |
| Emphasizes completion? | Not necessarily | Yes, usually |
| Common use | Activities and situations | Earlier completed actions or experiences |
When to Use Each
Use “Having” When the Action Is Being Described
Use having when you are talking about an activity, experience, or situation without specifically emphasizing that it happened before another event.
We are having dinner.
She is having a difficult day.
Having a car is convenient.
Use “Having Had” for an Earlier Completed Experience
Use having had when you want to establish that something was already experienced or completed before another action.
Having had breakfast, I went to work.
The breakfast happened first.
Having had enough sleep, she felt ready for the exam.
Sleeping happened before feeling ready.
A useful test
Ask yourself:
“Do I need to show that the experience was already completed before the next event?”
- If no, “having” may be enough.
- If yes, “having had” may be appropriate.
Examples of Having vs Having Had
1. Dinner
Having dinner, I watched the news.
This focuses on the activity of eating dinner.
Having had dinner, I went to bed.
This shows dinner was already finished.
2. Breakfast
Having breakfast is important.
This describes the general activity.
Having had breakfast, I wasn’t hungry.
Breakfast happened earlier.
3. A difficult experience
Having difficult experiences can teach valuable lessons.
This refers generally to experiences.
Having had difficult experiences, she understood the situation.
Her previous experiences happened before the later understanding.
4. A conversation
Having a conversation can solve misunderstandings.
This describes the activity generally.
Having had a conversation with him, I understood his concerns.
The conversation occurred before the understanding.
5. Enough sleep
Having enough sleep is important for concentration.
This describes a general condition.
Having had enough sleep, I felt ready for the day.
The sleep occurred before the later feeling.
6. Previous experience
Having experience in the field is useful.
This refers to possession of experience.
Having had experience in the field, she knew how to handle the problem.
Her previous experience influenced what happened afterward.
7. A meal
Having lunch, he answered the phone.
The two actions are presented as connected.
Having had lunch, he returned to the office.
Lunch was completed before he returned.
8. Problems
Having problems with the software can be frustrating.
This describes an ongoing situation.
Having had problems with the software before, I knew how to fix them.
Previous problems occurred before the later action.
9. A chance
Having a chance to travel is exciting.
This expresses an opportunity.
Having had a chance to visit the city, she recommended several places.
The visit happened before the recommendation.
10. A good time
Having a good time at the party, they stayed late.
The enjoyment is connected with the situation.
Having had a good time, they thanked the hosts and left.
The enjoyable experience was completed before leaving.
11. Enough practice
Having enough practice can improve your confidence.
This describes a general condition.
Having had enough practice, he performed confidently.
The practice happened before the performance.
12. Previous knowledge
Having knowledge of grammar can help you write clearly.
Having had previous knowledge of the subject, she understood the lecture quickly.
The second sentence specifically connects earlier knowledge with a later result.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Assuming “having had” is always wrong
Some learners think two forms of have together must be incorrect.
They are not.
Having had breakfast, I went to work.
This is grammatically correct.
Mistake 2: Using “having” when completion matters
Having dinner, I went for a walk.
This can be grammatical, but if you specifically mean that dinner was completed first, having had dinner makes the sequence clearer:
Having had dinner, I went for a walk.
Mistake 3: Confusing “having had” with “had”
These structures are not interchangeable in every sentence.
I had dinner before I left.
Having had dinner, I left.
The first is a normal finite-clause construction. The second is a participial construction.
Mistake 4: Creating a dangling modifier
The person doing the action in the introductory participial phrase should normally be the subject of the main clause.
Incorrect:
Having had dinner, the television was turned off.
The television did not have dinner.
Better:
Having had dinner, I turned off the television.
Memory Trick
Remember:
Having = the experience or activity
Having had = the experience has already happened
Think of the extra had as a signal pointing backward in time.
Having dinner → dinner as an activity
Having had dinner → dinner already completed
A simple formula is:
Having + activity = focus on the activity
Having had + experience = focus on what happened earlier
American vs British English
There is no major American-versus-British difference in the basic grammar of “having” and “having had.”
Both American and British English use these constructions to express activities, experiences, and earlier completed events.
For example, both varieties can use:
Having had breakfast, she left the house.
Differences between American and British English are more noticeable in vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, and some usage preferences than in this particular grammatical distinction.
Similar Words and Structures
Several related structures can also express sequence or earlier actions.
Had
I had finished my work before dinner.
This is a finite verb construction.
Having
Having finished my work, I went home.
This is a perfect participle construction because having is followed by a past participle.
Having had
Having had dinner, I went home.
Here, had is the past participle of have.
After having
After having dinner, I went home.
This explicitly uses after to show the sequence.
After having had
After having had dinner, I went home.
This is possible, although it can sound more formal or unnecessarily wordy in ordinary conversation. Often, after dinner or after eating dinner is more natural.
FAQs:
Is “having had” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Having had” is grammatically correct and commonly used when the writer wants to show that an earlier experience or action was completed before another event.
What is the difference between “having” and “having had”?
“Having” can describe an activity, experience, possession, or situation. “Having had” usually emphasizes an experience or action that occurred before another event.
Is “having had” a tense?
Not exactly. “Having had” is a perfect participle construction, rather than a standalone verb tense.
Can I say “having had dinner”?
Yes.
Having had dinner, we went home.
This means that dinner was completed before the group went home.
Is “having” always present tense?
No. “Having” is a present participle form, but its exact time meaning depends on the grammatical structure and context.
Can “having had” be replaced with “after”?
Often, yes.
Having had lunch, I returned to work.
can become:
After lunch, I returned to work.
The second version is often simpler.
Which is more natural: “having” or “having had”?
Neither is universally more natural. The correct choice depends on what you want to communicate. Use “having” for the relevant activity or situation and “having had” when the completed earlier experience matters.
Remember This
- Having = an activity, experience, possession, or situation.
- Having had = an earlier completed experience or action.
- Having had is grammatically correct.
- Use having had when the sequence of events matters.
- Always make sure the introductory participial phrase clearly refers to the subject of the main clause.
Conclusion
The difference between having vs having had becomes much clearer when you think about whether an experience is simply being described or whether it happened before something else. “Having” is flexible and can describe activities, situations, and experiences, while “having had” adds a sense of completion and earlier time.
Once you recognize having had as a perfect participle construction, sentences such as “Having had breakfast, I left for work” become much easier to understand. Pay attention to the timeline, check the subject of the participial phrase, and choose the structure that expresses your intended meaning naturally.
