Have and have got

A. Have and have got (= possess, own etc.)

    We often use have got rather than have alone. So you can say:

    * We've got a new car. or We have a new car.

    * Ann has got two sisters. or Ann has two sisters.

      We use have got or have for illnesses, pains etc.:

    * I've got a headache. or I have a headache.

      In questions and negative sentences there are three possible forms:

      Have you got any money?  I haven't got any money.

      Do you have any money?  I don't have any money.

      Have you any money? (less usual)  I haven't any money. (less usual)

      Has she got a car?  She hasn't got a car.

     Does she have a car?  She doesn't have a car.

     Has she a car? (less usual)  She hasn't a car. (less usual)

     When have means 'possess' etc., you cannot use continuous forms (is having/are having

     etc.):

   * I have/I've got a headache. (not 'I'm having')

     For the past we use had (usually without 'got'):

   * Ann had long fair hair when she was a child. (not 'Ann had got')

 

     In past questions and negative sentences we normally use did/didn't:

   * Did they have a car when they were living in London?

   * I didn't have a watch, so I didn't know the time.

   * Ann had long fair hair, didn't she?

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

    Have (but not 'have got') is also used for many actions and experiences. For example:

    have breakfast/dinner/a cup of coffee/a cigarette etc.

 

    have a bath/a shower/a swim/a rest/a party/a holiday/a nice time etc.

    have an accident/an experience/a dream etc.

    have a look (at something)/a chat (with somebody)

 

    have a baby (= give birth to a baby)

    have difficulty/trouble/fun

    * Goodbye! I hope you have a nice time.

    * Mary had a baby recently.

  'Have got' is not possible in these expressions. Compare:

  * I usually have a sandwich for my lunch. (have = 'eat' - not 'have got') but

  * I've got some sandwiches. Would you like one?

  In these expressions, have is like other verbs. You can use continuous forms (is having are

  having etc.) where suitable:

  * I had a postcard from Fred this morning. He's on holiday. He says he's having a wonderful

    time. (not 'he has a wonderful time')

 

  * The phone rang while we were having dinner. (not 'while we had')

     In questions and negative sentences we normally use do/does/did:

  * I don't usually have a big breakfast. (not 'I usually haven't')

  * What time does Ann have lunch? (not 'has Ann lunch')

  * Did you have any difficulty finding somewhere to live?

EXERCISES

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

       (couldn't).

  1. I can't make a phone call. (any change)

      I haven't got any change.

  2. I couldn't read the notice. (my glasses)

   

      I didn't have my glasses.

  3. I can't climb up 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. They can't get into the house. (a key)

  8. I couldn't take any photographs. (a camera)

17.2 Complete these 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 bicycle when you were a child?

  4. '--- the time, please?' 'Yes, it's ten past seven.'

  5. When you did the exam, --- time to answer all the questions?

  6. I need a stamp for this letter. --- one?

  7. 'It started to rain while I was walking home.' 'Did it? --- an umbrella?

'

17.3 In this exercise you have to write sentences about yourself. Choose four of the following

        things (or you can choose something else):

       a car  a bicycle  a moped  a guitar  a computer  a camera  a driving licence  a job  a dog/a

       cat (or another animal)

       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.

       now  ten years ago (or five if you're too young)

  1. I've got a car.  I didn't have a car.

  2. ---  ---

  3. ---  ---

  4. ---  ---

17.4 Complete these sentences. Use an expression from the list and put the verb into the

        correct form where necessary.

        have lunch  have a swim  have a nice time  have a chat  have a cigarette  have a rest

        have a good flight  have a baby  have a shower  have a party  have a look

  1. I don't eat much during the day. I never _have lunch._

 

  2. David likes to keep fit, so he --- every day.

  3. We --- last Saturday. It was great - we invited lots of people.

  4. Excuse me, can I --- at your newspaper, please?

  5. 'Where's Jim?' 'He --- in his room. He's very tired.'

  6. I met Ann in the supermarket yesterday. We stopped and ---.

  7. I haven't seen you since you came back from holiday ---?

  8. Suzanne --- a few weeks ago. It's her second child.

  9. I don't usually smoke but I was feeling very nervous, so I ---.

  10. The phone rang but I couldn't answer it because I ---.

  11. You meet Tom at the airport. He has just arrived. You say:

       Hello, Tom. ---?

Present continuous and present simple

(I am doing and I do)

A. Study the explanations and compare the examples:

      Present continuous (I am doing)

                      Use the continuous for something that is happening at or around the time of      
       speaking.

  The action is not finished.

  I am doing (now)

  * The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

  * Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?

  * Let's go out. It isn't raining now.

  * 'Don't disturb me. I'm busy.' 'Why? What are you doing?'

  * I'm going to bed now. Goodnight!

  * Maria is in Britain at the moment. She's learning English.

Use the continuous for a temporary situation:

  * I'm living with some friends until I find a flat.

  * 'You're working hard today.' 'Yes, I've got a lot to do.'
  See Unit I for more information.

Present simple (I do)

  Use the simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.
  I do

  * Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.

  * Excuse me, do you speak English?

  * It doesn't rain very much in summer.

  * What do you usually do at weekends?

  * What do you do? (= What's your job?)

  * I always go to bed before midnight.

  * Most people learn to swim when they are children.

Use the simple for a permanent situation:

  * My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives.

  * John isn't lazy. He works very hard most of the time.

  See Unit 2 for more information.

B. I always do and I'm always doing

  Usually we say 'I always do something' (= I do it every time):

  * I always go to work by car. (not 'I'm always going')

  You can also say 'I'm always doing something', but this has a different meaning. For example:

  I've lost my key again. I'm always losing things.

  'I'm always losing things' does not mean that I lose things every time. It means that I lose things too often, more often than normal.

  'You're always ~ing' means that you do something very often, more often than the speaker thinks is normal or reasonable.

  * You're always watching television. You should do something more active.

  * John is never satisfied. He's always complaining.

    EXERCISES

3.1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong.

1. Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.  RIGHT

2. The water boils. Can you turn it off?  WRONG: is boilling

3. Look! That man tries to open the door of your car.  --- wrong, is trying

4. Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?  --- wrong, are they talking

5. The moon goes round the earth.  ---right

6.  I must go now. It gets late.  --- wrong, is getting

7.  I usually go to work by car.  --- right

8. 'Hurry up! It's time to leave.' 'OK, I come.'  --- wrong, am coming

9. I hear you've got a new job. How do you get on?  --- wrong, are you getting on

3.2 Put the verb in the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

1. Let's go out. It isn't raining (not/rain) now.

2. Julia is very good at languages. She speaks (speak) four languages very well. 

3. Hurry up! Everybody --- (wait) for you. – is waiting 

4. '--- (you/listen) to the radio?' 'No, you can turn it off.' – Are you listening 

5. '--- (you/listen) to the radio every day?' 'No, just occasionally.' – Do you listen

6. The River Nile --- (flow) into the Mediterranean. - flows

7. Look at the river. It --- (flow) very fast today - much faster than usual. – is flowing

8. We usually --- (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we --- (not/grow) any. 
     –grow, are not growing

 9. 'How is your English?' 'Not bad. It --- (improve) slowly.' Is improving

10. Ron is in London at the moment. He --- (stay) at the Park Hotel. He --- (always/stay)
         there when he's in London. – is staying, always stays
 
11. Can we stop walking soon? I --- (start) to feel tired. – am starting

12. 'Can you drive?' 'I --- (learn). My father --- (teach) me.' – am learning, is teaching

13. Normally I --- (finish) work at 5.00, but this week I --- (work) until 6.00 to earn a bit
        more money. – finish, am working

14. My parents --- (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have never lived
        anywhere else. Where --- (your parents/live)? Live, do your parents live


15. Sonia --- (look) for a place to live. She --- (stay) with her sister until she finds  some 

    where.

    - is looking , is staying

16. 'What --- (your father/do)?' 'He's an architect but he --- (not/work) at the moment.'

    - does your father do, is not working

17. (at a party) Usually I --- (enjoy) parties but I --- (not/enjoy) this one very much.

    - enjoy, am not enjoying

18. The train is never late. It --- (always/leave) on time.

     Always leaves

19. Jim is very untidy. He --- (always/leave) his things all over the place.

     - is always leaving

  3.3 Finish B's sentences. Use always ~ing (see Section B).

  1.  A: I'm afraid I've lost my key again.
       B: Not again! You're always losing your key.

  2.  A: The car has broken down again.

    B: That car is useless! It ---

             Is always breaking down

  3. A: Look! You've made the same mistake again.

   B: Oh no, not again! I ---

             Am always making the same mistake

  4. A: Oh, I've left the lights on again.
      B: Typical! You --- 

               are always leaving the lights on