The difference between “having” and “having had” comes down to timing and which verb tense you need. “Having” appears in present perfect continuous tense (I have been having) to show something started in the past and continues now, while “having had” is past perfect (I had had) to show one past action happened before another past action. For example, “I have been having headaches all week” means the headaches started earlier and continue today. “After having had breakfast, I went to work” means breakfast happened first, then work.
The choice depends on when the action happened and whether it connects to the present or stayed in the past. Both forms use “have” as a helping verb, but they create different time relationships in your sentence. Understanding these tenses helps you write clearly about when things happened.
What’s the Difference Between Having and Having Had?
These two forms work in different verb tenses and show different time relationships.
“Having” appears in present perfect continuous:
- Structure: have/has been having
- Shows: Action started in past, continues to present
- Example: “She has been having problems with her car lately.”
“Having had” appears in past perfect or perfect participle:
- Structure: had had OR having had (perfect participle)
- Shows: One past action before another past action
- Example: “He had had enough of the noise before he moved.”
The key difference is timing. Present perfect continuous with “having” connects the past to now. Past perfect with “having had” keeps everything in the past, showing which action came first.
How Does Each Tense Work?
Let’s break down the grammar mechanics for each form.
Present Perfect Continuous (Having)
Formula: Subject + have/has + been + having + object
Time frame: Action started in the past and continues to the present OR just finished
Examples:
- “I have been having second thoughts about the decision.”
- “They have been having meetings every Monday for months.”
- “We have been having technical difficulties all morning.”
This tense emphasizes duration and continuation. The action isn’t finished or just stopped very recently.
Past Perfect (Had Had)
Formula: Subject + had + had + object
Time frame: One past action happened before another past action
Examples:
- “I had had breakfast before she called.”
- “They had had three meetings before making the decision.”
- “We had had enough time to prepare before the test.”
This shows sequence in the past. The first “had” is the helping verb. The second “had” is the past participle of “have.”
Perfect Participle (Having Had)
Formula: Having + had + object, subject + main verb
Time frame: Shows one action completed before another
Examples:
- “Having had dinner, we went for a walk.”
- “Having had experience in sales, she got the job easily.”
- “Having had time to think, I changed my mind.”
This creates a time relationship without using “had had,” which can sound awkward.
Examples in Different Situations
Present Perfect Continuous With “Having”
This tense shows ongoing situations that started in the past and continue or just ended.
Work and Career:
- “I have been having weekly meetings with my boss since January.”
- “She has been having trouble finishing projects on time.”
- “They have been having success with the new marketing strategy.”
Health and Feelings:
- “He has been having back pain for three weeks.”
- “I have been having doubts about my career choice lately.”
- “We have been having fun at the beach all summer.”
Problems and Issues:
- “The computer has been having software errors since the update.”
- “They have been having financial difficulties this year.”
When editing business documents, I notice writers use this tense to discuss ongoing situations that affect current decisions. It shows the problem or pattern didn’t just happen once – it’s been continuing.
Past Perfect With “Had Had”
This shows one past event happened before another past event.
Narrative and Storytelling:
- “She had had a bad day before the argument started.”
- “They had had plenty of warning before the deadline.”
- “I had had my coffee before the meeting began.”
Cause and Effect:
- “He quit because he had had enough of the poor management.”
- “We left early since we had had a long week.”
- “They succeeded because they had had good preparation.”
Experience and Background:
- “She understood the problem because she had had similar experiences.”
- “He knew the city well since he had had family there for years.”
In academic writing, past perfect shows sequence clearly. It helps readers understand which event came first when describing historical events or research timelines.
Perfect Participle With “Having Had”
This form works well at the start of sentences to show sequence without awkward “had had” repetition.
Professional Writing:
- “Having had experience in management, she was promoted quickly.”
- “Having had time to review the proposal, we approve the changes.”
- “Having had success with online sales, the company expanded.”
Personal Narratives:
- “Having had a good night’s sleep, I felt ready for the exam.”
- “Having had breakfast together, we left for the airport.”
- “Having had several conversations, they finally agreed.”
This construction sounds more formal and sophisticated. Writers use it to vary sentence structure and avoid repeating “had.”
Informal Conversations
In casual speech, people often simplify these tenses.
Instead of: “I have been having problems with my phone.”
People say: “I’ve been having problems with my phone.”
Instead of: “Having had dinner, we left.”
People say: “After dinner, we left.”
The grammar rules stay the same, but informal speech uses contractions and simpler constructions. Both are correct for their contexts.
When Should You Use Each One?
Use “have/has been having” (present perfect continuous) when:
- The action started in the past and continues now
- You want to emphasize duration or repetition
- The action just recently stopped
- Talking about ongoing problems or situations
- The timeframe connects to the present
Use “had had” (past perfect) when:
- Everything happened in the past
- You need to show which past action came first
- Describing background events in stories
- One past event caused another past event
- The timeframe is completely finished
Use “having had” (perfect participle) when:
- Starting a sentence with a completed action
- Showing sequence more formally
- Avoiding awkward “had had” in the middle of sentences
- Writing professional or academic documents
- You want variety in sentence structure
Across professional writing, the choice depends on your timeline. Ask yourself: Does this connect to now? Use present perfect continuous. Is everything in the past? Use past perfect.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Example | Why It’s Wrong | Correction |
| Mixing tenses randomly | “I have been having a cold yesterday” | Present perfect continuous doesn’t work with finished past time | “I had a cold yesterday” |
| Using “had had” when not needed | “I had had breakfast this morning” | Don’t use past perfect unless showing sequence | “I had breakfast this morning” |
| Wrong helping verb | “I am having had problems” | Can’t mix “am” with “had” | “I have been having problems” OR “I had problems” |
| Missing “been” | “I have having issues” | Present perfect continuous needs “been” | “I have been having issues” |
| Confusing time frames | “I had had fun tomorrow” | Past perfect can’t describe future | “I will have fun tomorrow” |
The biggest mistake is using past perfect when you don’t need to show sequence. Don’t say “I had had lunch” if there’s no other past event to compare it to. Just say “I had lunch” or “I ate lunch.”
When reviewing business reports, I often see writers add extra “had” unnecessarily. Use past perfect only when you need to show which past action came first.
Memory Tricks
For present perfect continuous (having): Think “STILL GOING or JUST STOPPED.” If the situation continues to now or just ended, use “have/has been having.”
For past perfect (had had): Think “WHICH FIRST?” If you’re showing which past event happened before another past event, use “had had.”
For perfect participle (having had): Think “FINISHED THEN NEXT.” If one action finished before the next one started, use “having had” at the sentence start.
The “been” test: If you can add “been” after have/has, you’re using present perfect continuous. “I have been having” works. “I had been having” means past perfect continuous (different tense).
Timeline check: Draw a simple timeline. If the action reaches today, use present perfect. If everything stays in the past, use past perfect.
Conclusion
“Having” appears in present perfect continuous (have/has been having) for actions connecting past to present. “Having had” appears in past perfect or perfect participle to show one past action before another. Choose based on your timeline – does it connect to now or stay in the past? The grammar difference matters for clear communication about when things happened.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Having” is used in present perfect continuous tense for ongoing actions. “Having had” is past perfect or perfect participle showing one past action before another past action.
Use “had had” when showing one past event happened before another past event. Example: “I had had breakfast before she arrived.”
Yes, “have been having” is correct present perfect continuous tense. Use it for actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
Yes, “having had” works at the start of sentences as a perfect participle. Example: “Having had time to think, I decided to accept.”
“Had had” sounds awkward but is grammatically correct for past perfect tense. You can avoid it by using perfect participle (“having had”) or simple past tense when sequence isn’t important.
“Have been having” is present perfect continuous tense. It shows an action that started in the past and continues to the present or just recently stopped.
Use “I have had” (present perfect) when the past action connects to now. Use “I had” (simple past) for completed past actions with no connection to present.
Yes, “having had” is correct as a perfect participle. It shows one action completed before another without using “had had.”
“Had” is simple past tense. “Had had” is past perfect tense showing one past action before another past action.
