Unit 17. Have got and have.

Unit 17; Part A

Have got and have (= for possession, relationships, illnesses etc.)

You can use have got or have (without got). There is no difference in meaning:
•    They've got a new car.    or   They have a new car.
•    Lisa's got two brothers. or   Lisa has two brothers.
•    I've got a headache.    or   I have a headache.
•    Our house has got a small garden.    or   Our house has a small garden.
•    He's got a few problems.    or    He has a few problems.

With these meanings (possession etc.), you cannot use continuous forms (am having etc.):
•    We're enjoying our holiday. We've got / We have a nice room in the hotel. (not We're having)

For the past we use had (without got):
• Lisa had long hair when she was a child. (not Lisa had got)

Unit 17; Part B

In questions and negative sentences there are three possible forms:

Have you got any questions?
Do you have any questions?
Have you any questions? (less usual)
Has she got a car?
Does she have a car?
Has she a car? (less usual)

I haven't got any questions.
I don't have any questions.
I haven't any questions, (less usual)
She hasn't got a car.
She doesn't have a car.
She hasn't a car. (less usual)

In past questions and negative sentences, we use did/didn't:
• Did you have a car when you were living in London?
• I didn't have a watch, so I didn't know the time.
• Lisa had long hair, didn't she?

Unit 17; Part C

Have breakfast / have a bath / have a good time etc.

We also use have (but not have got) for many actions and experiences. For example:

have

breakfast / dinner / a cup of coffee / something to eat etc.
a bath / a shower / a swim / a break / a rest / a party / a holiday
an accident / an experience / a dream
a look (at something)
a chat / a conversation / a discussion (with somebody)
difficulty / trouble / fun / a good time etc.
a baby (= give birth to a baby)

Have got is not possible in the expressions in the box. Compare:
   •    Sometimes I have (= eat) a sandwich for my lunch. (not I've got)
but   I've got / I have some sandwiches. Would you like one?

You can use continuous forms (am having etc.) with the expressions in the box:
   •    We're enjoying our holiday. We're having a great time. (not We have)
   •    Mike is having a shower at the moment. He has a shower every day.

In questions and negative sentences we use do/does/did:
   •    I don't usually have a big breakfast. (not I usually haven't)
   •    What time does Jenny have lunch? (not has Jenny lunch)
   •    Did you have difficulty finding a place to live?

Exercises

1 Write negative sentences with have.

Write negative sentences with have. Some are present (can't) and some are past (couldn't).

1    I can't get into the house. (a key)     I haven't got a кеу.
2    I couldn't read the letter. (my glasses) I didn't have my glasses.
3    I can't get onto the roof. (a ladder) I __________________________
4    We couldn't visit the museum. (enough time) We __________________________
5    He couldn't find his way to our house. (a map) __________________________
6    She can't pay her bills. (any money) __________________________
7    I can't go swimming today. (enough energy) __________________________
8    They couldn't take any photographs. (a camera) __________________________

2 Complete the questions with have.

Complete the questions with have. Some are present and some are past.

1    Excuse me, have you got a pen I could borrow?
2    Why are you holding your face like that? _______________ a toothache?
3    _______________ a lot of toys when you were a child?
4    A: _______________ the time, please?
      B: Yes, it's ten past seven.
5    I need a stamp for this letter. _______________ one?
6    When you worked in your last job, _______________ your own office?
7    A: It started to rain very heavily while I was out.
      B: _______________ an umbrella?

3 Write sentences about yourself.

Write sentences about yourself. Have you got these things now? Did you have them ten years ago?
Write two sentences each time using I've got /I haven't got and I had/I didn't have. (You can also write about your family: We've got ... /We had ... etc.).

now
1    (a car)   I've got a car.
2    (a bike) I _______________________
3    (a mobile phone) _______________________
4    (a dog) _______________________
5    (a guitar) _______________________
6    (long hair) _______________________
7    (a driving licence) _______________________

ten years ago
I didn't have a car.
I ______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

4 Complete the sentences.

Complete the sentences. Use an expression from the list and put the verb into the correct form where necessary.

have a baby have a break have a chat have difficulty have a good flight
have a look ~~have lunch~~ have a party have a nice time have a shower

1    I don't eat much during the day. I never     have lunch    .
2    David starts work at 8 o'clock and _____________ at 10.30.
3    We _____________ last week. It was great - we invited lots of people.
4    Excuse me, can I _____________ at your newspaper, please?
5    Jim is away on holiday at the moment. I hope he _____________.
6    I met Ann in the supermarket yesterday. We stopped and _____________.
7    A: _____________ finding the book you wanted?
      B: No, I found it OK.
8    Suzanne _____________ a few weeks ago. It's her second child.
9    A: Why didn't you answer the phone?
      B: I _____________.
10   Yon meet your friend Sally at the airport. She has just arrived. You say:
      Hi. Sally. How are you? _____________?

Unit 16 Unit 17 Unit 18