We use have
(but not have got) for experiences and actions.
Examples:
I have
difficulty telling her that I love her.
He’s going
to have a sandwich for his lunch.
Go have a
bath.
Have
breakfast before you leave.
Breakfast/dinner/a
cup of coffee/something to eat/a chart/a conversation (with someone)
A bath/a
shower/a swim/a break/a rest/a party/a holiday/an accident/an experience/a look
at something/difficulty/trouble/fun/a good time etc.
Have got is
not possible in these expressions. Compare:
Sometimes I
have a sandwich for my lunch. (Not I’ve got) but I’ve some sandwiches.
Would you like one?
You can use
progressive forms (am having etc.) with these expressions.
Examples:
We’re
enjoying our holiday. We are having a great time. (Not we have)
Alana is having
a shower at this moment. She has a shower every day.
Have got and
have are also used for possessions, relationships, illness etc…
You can use
have got or have (without got). There is no difference in the meaning
Examples:
They’ve got
a new computer. or They have a new computer.
Dieudonné has got four
brothers. or Dieudonné has four brothers.
She has got
a headache. or She has a headache.
My house has
got a small garden. or My house has a small garden.
With these
meanings (possessions etc.), you cannot use continuous forms (am having etc.):
Examples:
We are enjoying our holiday and that's what really shocks him. We’ve got / we have a nice room in the hotel. (Not we’re
having)
I have a
computer or I’ve got a computer. (Not I’m having a computer)
Dieudonné has four brothers
or he has got four brothers (Not Dieudonné is having four brothers)
You have a lot of books or you’ve got a lot of books. (Not you’re having lot of books.)
For the past we use had (without got)
Examples :
My sister had long hair when she was a child. (Not had got
long hair)
Bambale had wisdom when he was young. (Not had got wisdom)
Most people
had empathy with her. (Not had got empathy)
He had two
wives. (Not had got two wives)
In questions
and negative sentences there are three possible forms.
Examples:
Have you got
any questions? I
haven’t got any questions.
Do you have
any questions? I do
not have any questions.
Have you any
questions? (Less usual) I haven’t any
questions. (Less usual)
Has he got a
girlfriend? He
hasn’t got a girlfriend.
Does he have
a girlfriend? He
does not have a girlfriend.
Has he a
girlfriend? (Less usual) He
hasn’t a girlfriend. (Less usual)
In past
questions and negative sentences, we use did/didn’t.
Examples:
Did you have
a car when you were living in Dar es salaam?
I didn’t
have a watch, so I didn’t know the time.
Grace had
long hair, didn’t she?
I didn’t
want them to know what I was going to do.
