Intermediate English Grammar Step by Step

1. Have (got) means "possess, own". Got can be omitted in a formal style. The simple present of the verb have (got) is conjugated as follows:
   I have got
   you have got
   he has got
   she has got
   it has got
   we have got
   you have got
   they have got

   Now let's have a look at the contracted forms:
   I've got1
   you've got
   he's got
   she's got
   it's got
   we've got
   you've got
   they've got

a  She __________ a big house.
b  They __________ a mansion.
c  I __________ a cold.
d  We __________ a lot of homework to do.
e  You __________ my approval.

2. In the negative, we place not between have/has and got:
   I have not got2
   you have not got
   he has not got
   she has not got
   it has not got
   we have not got
   you have not got
   they have got

   There are also contracted forms:
   I haven't got3
   you haven't got
   he hasn't got
   she hasn't got
   it hasn't got
   we haven't got
   you haven't got
   they haven't got

   If we drop got4, we have two options:
   I have not/I do not5 have6
   you haven't/you don't have
   he hasn't/he doesn't have
   she hasn't/she doesn't have
   it hasn't/it doesn't have
   we haven't/we don't have
   you haven't/you don't have
   they haven't/they don't have

a  We __________ (not) all the material needed.
b  He __________ (not) enough patience to teach anybody.
c  She __________ (not) all the qualities of leadership.
d  They __________ (not) our support.
e  It __________ (not) four sides.

3. The interrogative is as follows:
   have I got?
   have you got?
   has he got?
   has she got?
   has it got?
   have we got?
   have you got?
   have they got?

   However, if we leave got out, we have another option:
   do I have?
   do you have?
   does he have?
   does she have?
   does it have?
   do we have?
   do you have?
   do they have?

a  __________ (you) everything on you?
b  __________ (he) all the courage required to go on with the plan?
c  __________ (they) three children?
d  __________ (I) enough of this?
e  __________ (it) wings?

4. In the simple past7 got is omitted, and did is used in the negative and the interrogative.

   Affirmative
   Negative
   Interrogative

   I had
   I did not have8/I didn't have
   did I have9?

   you had
   you did not have/you didn't have
   did you have?

   he had
   he did not have/he didn't have
   did he have?

   she had
   she did not have/she didn't have
   did she have?

   it had
   it did not have/it didn't have
   did it have?

   we had
   we did not have/we didn't have
   did we have?

   you had
   you did not have/you didn't have
   did you have?

   they had
   they did not have/they didn't have
   did they have?

a  They __________ a parrot, but it died last month.
b  We __________ (not) time to do it.
c  __________ (you) their address?
d  Mr Parker __________ (not) that model.
e  We __________ (not) central heating last year.

5. If have does not mean "possess", got is not used, and we form the negative and the interrogative with do/does in the simple present, and did in the simple past.
   They have a nap every afternoon.
   She has coffee and biscuits for breakfast from time to time.
   He doesn't have a shower at night.
   Do you have dinner at eight o'clock?
   I had breakfast early this morning.
   He didn't have a haircut yesterday.
   Did you have a nice trip?

a  We __________ (not) a long walk yesterday.
b  I __________ a holiday once a year.
c  They __________ a car accident last night.
d  __________ (he) a good time in Andalusia last month?
e  __________ (you) an argument with your husband last night?

6. Revision exercise.10
a  I __________ a row with my wife yesterday evening.
b  Ingrid __________ a pekinese. She loves it very much.
c  We __________ (not) much time to finish our work. We must hurry.
d  He __________ a budgie long ago.
e  __________ (you) a hose? I need one to water the plants.
f  "__________ (you) a swim in the lake very often?"
   "Yes, every day. I like swimming a lot."
g  Last night he __________ toothache.
h  She usually __________ a sandwich for lunch.
i  We __________ (not) anything for supper last night. We __________ nothing in the fridge.
j  I __________ a date with the girl of my dreams this afternoon, so I'm impatient for the moment to arrive.
k  "__________ (you) any brothers or sisters?"
   "Yes, I __________ two brothers and a sister."
l  They __________ a quarrel yesterday.
m  "__________ (it) a beak?"
   "No, it __________ (not)."
   "Has __________ (it) wings?"
   "Yes, it __________11"
   "I give up! What is it?"
n  My son __________ a fight yesterday evening.
o  She __________ (not) any housework to do this afternoon, so she can go with you to the opera.
p  "__________ (you) a light?"
   "No, I __________ (not). I don't smoke."
q  __________ (he) a bath last night?
r  You __________ (not) enough eggs to make such a big omelette.
s  We __________ a cottage by the river. We love going there to spend the weekend.
t  My two daughters __________ an examination tomorrow, so they're at home studying.
u  We __________ a record by Elvis Presley, but it broke.
v  She __________ (not) a TV set. She doesn't like watching TV.
w  __________ (you) a dictionary? I must do some translation this afternoon?
x  "How much butter __________ (we)?"
   "I think we __________ enough."
y  "How many apricots __________ (she)?"
   "She __________ plenty, so don't buy any"
z  She __________ a look at it, but didn't find any mistake.

____________________
1  Got is kept here to reinforce the contracted forms, and to avoid confusion:
   It's got a window. (It has a window.)
   It's a window (It is a window.)
2  In a more formal style, got may also be left out.
3  Got may be left out unless you use the following contracted form: I've not got.
4  Use do when have expresses obligation or habit:
   Do you have to work today? (obligation)
   No, I do not have to work today because it is Sunday. (obligation)
   He does not usually have money. He is very poor. (a habit)
   See also Unit 4.
5  Do not contracts to don't, and does not, to doesn't.
6  In the United States of America, they use the forms with do or does, which is gaining ground in the United Kingdom.
7  As a matter of fact, got is only used in the simple present.
   He has (got) a motorcyle. (simple present)
   She has had that motorbike for over twenty years now. (present perfect)
   He will never have the courage to do it. (future perfect)

   When have is an auxiliary verb, it does not take got or do/does/did:
   I have found the key.
   He has not driven a car for years.
   Had you ever been there?
8  Had not (or hadn't) is possible, but less usual than the alternative with did.
9  Had I?, etc., is possible, but less usual.
10  Click here for additional exercises.
11  Got is not used in short answers, and contractions are not possible in the affirmative:
   Have you got the key?
   Yes, I have./No, I haven't.
   Do you have the key?
   Yes, I do./No, I don't.