The verb to hold · Conjugation
Present Perfect of hold
The answer: have / has held
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to hold is have / has held.
Example: I have already held the ladder.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have held | I've held |
| You | have held | You've held |
| He / She / It | has held | He's / She's / It's held |
| We | have held | We've held |
| You (pl.) | have held | You've held |
| They | have held | They've held |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have seen him yesterday ❌
Do not use the Present Perfect with a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago). Use the Past Simple: I saw him yesterday. With hold, use held with a finished time and have held without one.
2. I live here since 2020 ❌
Some situations started in the past and are still true now. For them, use the Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2020, I have known her for three years. Use since + a starting point (since Monday, since 2020). Use for + a length of time (for two weeks, for a long time).
3. He have held ❌
With he, she and it, use has, not have: he has held, my friend has held. The short form is he's held. Careful: here 's means has, not is.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate hold in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle held. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have held, she has held. Short forms: I've held, she's held.
What is the past participle of hold?+
The past participle of hold is held. You use it after have, has and had. It is the same as the Past Simple: held.
When do you use the Present Perfect of hold?+
Use it for a past action that is connected to now, with no exact time. Use it for experiences in your life: Have you ever held…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just held… Use it also for a situation that started in the past and continues: I have lived here since 2020.
What is the difference between I held and I have held?+
I held (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have held (Present Perfect) has no finished time, and the result is important now. Signal words: ever, never, already, just, yet.
How do you make the negative and the question of hold in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't held, she hasn't held. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you held…?, Has she held…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: hold Present Perfect
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/hold/present-perfect
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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More forms of the verb to hold are coming soon.