Have vs Have got

Have vs Have got

A flipped classroom activity

When we are talking about possession, relationships, illnesses and characteristics of people or things we can use either have or have got. The have got forms are more common in an informal style.

Have got has the same meaning as have and both are used as present tenses. Note that have got is NOT the present perfect of get.

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​Have vs Have got

To make questions and negative sentences

with have we normally use the auxiliary verb do.

To make questions and negative sentences

with have got we use the auxiliary verb have.

 

Have vs Have got

Study these further examples and note that in informal speech we often switch from one form to the other:

 

- How many branches does your company have?
- It has two. - How many sisters do you have?
- I’ve got three (sisters).
- Do you all have your own bedrooms?
- Susan’s got her own bedroom, but neither Dana nor I have. We have to share.

(Note in this last example that have to is used as an alternative to must because the need to share is imposed on the sisters.)

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​Examples

- Have you got a new car, Dawood?
- Yes I have. I bought it last week.
- Has it got air conditioning?
- No it hasn’t. But it’s got a CD player.
- Do you have many CDs?
- I’ve got hundreds.

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​More examples

- Have you got a sore throat as well as a runny nose?
- No, I haven’t.
- But you’ve got a high temperature, haven’t you?
- Yes, I have.

 

- Does this music school have enough pianos?
- No, it doesn’t.
- But you have enough opportunities to practise, don’t you?
- No, we don’t.

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​Short answers & Questions tags

Note that we normally use the have got form of have only in the present tense. For future reference different forms of have are used. Compare the following:

 

- Have you got tickets for the match on Saturday?
- No, I haven’t. Not yet.
- Will you have them by tomorrow?
- I hope so. - Have you got any time to help me with my maths homework?
- Not now I haven’t. Sorry.
- Are you going to have any time at the weekend, do you think?
- Yes, I’ll probably have some time then.

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Future forms of 'have'

Similarly, for past tenses we use different forms of have, not have got. Compare the following:

 

- Have you still got a bad headache?
- Yes, I have.
- How long have you had it?
- I’ve had it on and off since yesterday.
- Did you have it at the concert last night?
- Yes, I did. I couldn’t concentrate on the music properly.

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Past tenses with 'have'

Multiple Choice

I can't open the door. I _______ a key. (-)

• have

• haven't got

• has

• hasn´t got

Multiple Choice

We’ve got a holiday in Maldives every year

• CORRECT

• WRONG

Multiple Choice

We’ve got a holiday in Mexico every year

• CORRECT

• WRONG

Multiple Choice

The sisters _______ great teachers.

• have got

• has got

• haven´t

• haven´t got

Multiple Choice

Paul’s got a sister in Scotland.

• CORRECT

• WRONG

Multiple Choice

Joe and Philip ______ a sister.

• have got

• has got

• haven´t got

• hasn´t got

Multiple Choice

____ she ____ a mobile phone?

• Does/ have

• Have / have

• Has/ got

• Got/ has

Multiple Choice

1.Does your brother have long hair or short hair?

2.Has your brother got long hair or short hair?

Which of the sentences above are correct?

• number 1

• Both

• number 2

Multiple Choice

You _________ a nice room.(-)

• has got

• have

• has not got

• have not got

Multiple Choice

Do you normally have got a big breakfast?

• wrong :(

• correct :)

Multiple Choice

some friends of ours ____ a nasty car accident last night.

• have had

• had got

• had

• has got

Multiple Choice

she cannot call her husband because she _____ a mobile.

• does not have

• has not

• has not get

• have not

Multiple Choice

I haven't got lunch every day.

• correct

• wrong

Multiple Choice

______ a good time at your nephew's wedding?

• Had you

• Did you have

• Have you

• Have you got

Multiple Choice

Are you coming out with us? _____ to work late?

• Has you got

• Have you get

• Have you

• Do you have

Multiple Choice

Has your classmate got an English dictionary?

• correct

• wrong

Multiple Choice

We ____ our TV repaired last week, but it still doesn't work.

• had

• have

• had got

• have got

Multiple Select

My grandparents ________ a nice house with a big garden

• has got

• have got

• 's got

• have

Multiple Choice

Our mortgage is very high because ______ an enormous house.

• we're having

• we have got

• we has

• we had

Multiple Choice

The manager ________ seen the news yet, because the papers haven't been delivered.

• hadn't

• will have

• won´t have

• will has

Multiple Select

She is tired but she __________ a headache.

• have got

• hasn't got

• isn't got

• doesn't have

• has got

Multiple Choice

Who has got a collection of other celebrities' hair?

Multiple Choice

Identical twins ____________ the same fingerprints.

• have got

• doesn't have

• are

• don't have

• hasn't got

Multiple Choice

______ your friends ______ any interesting hobbies?

• Does / have

• Have / got

• Do / have got

• Has / got

Multiple Choice

My mother usually________ a rest after dinner.

• has

• have

• has got

• have got