Not a teacher:
According to many opinions, "each have" is only more formal than "each has", so supposedly both are correct. However, and according to the same opinions, if it precedes the compound subject, the singular should be used, as in:
"Each boy and girl has reasons to be unhappy."
Can anyone one throw more light on this issue?
NOT A TEACHER
(1) I have checked my books and wish to report my findings to you.
(2) The use of "have" or "has" does NOT involve formality or
informality.
(3)
RULE 1
If the word "each" comes
before a compound subject, use the
singular.
(a) A book's example: Each boy and each girl
is to work independently.
(b) Your excellent example: Each boy and [each] girl
has reasons to be unhappy.
(4)
RULE 2
If the word "each" comes
after a
plural subject, use the plural verb
(mentally ignore the word "each").
(a) A book's example:The athletes each are seeking more than
$50,000 .... (What's the subject? Answer: athlete
s. Therefore:
are.)
(B) A book's example: The conservative and the liberal each have
voiced his opinion. (What's the subject? Answer: The conservative and
the liberal. Therefore:
have.)
NOTES:
(a) That book does admit that some people would use "has" in the
sentence above. I strongly recommend that you do NOT. Just follow
Rule 2.
(b) That sentence comes from a 1972 book. Many people in the
year 2011 do not like the use of "
his opinion." They say you should
say "his or her" or "their" opinion. Of course, I guess that you could
just say "
an opinion." And -- of course -- it is OK to say "his" if both are
men; it is OK to say "her" if both are women!!!
Respectfully yours,
James
P.S. Thanks for your question. I learned a lot.
SOURCES:
Professors John C. Hodges and Mary E. Whitman,
Harbrace College
Handbook (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1972).
Mr. Bryan A. Garner,
A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998)