Foundation grammar · Unit 9 · A1

I have ... and I've got ...

Present

Use have or have got for possession, family, illness and appearance. Both mean the same. Negatives and questions work with got (I haven't got, have you got?) or with do (I don't have, do you have?).

Go to the exercises

A have or have got

You can say I have or I've got, he has or he's got. They mean the same.

have or have got
I / we / you / they have have got (I've got, we've got, you've got, they've got)
he / she / it has has got (he's got, she's got, it's got)

A woman is holding her jaw and looking miserable. "I've got toothache."

she's got = she has got. It is not she is got.

  • I've got green eyes. (or I have green eyes.)
  • Ryan has got three brothers. (or Ryan has three brothers.)
  • This flat has got two bedrooms.
  • Molly isn't very well. She's got a cold.
  • They love animals. They've got two rabbits, a tortoise and a parrot.

B I haven't got, have you got?

negative question short answers
I / we / you / they have not (haven't) got have I / we / you / they got? Yes, I have. No, I haven't.
he / she / it has not (hasn't) got has he / she / it got? Yes, she has. No, she hasn't.
  • I've got a bike but I haven't got a car.
  • Mr and Mrs Kaur haven't got any grandchildren.
  • It's a lovely cottage but it hasn't got a garden.
  • "Have you got a pen?" "No, I haven't."
  • "What have you got in that box?" "Old photos."
  • "Has Zara got a sister?" "Yes, she has."
  • What kind of dog has he got?

C I don't have, do you have?

In negatives and questions you can also use do/does with have. The meaning does not change.

  • They don't have any grandchildren. (= They haven't got any grandchildren.)
  • It's a lovely cottage but it doesn't have a garden. (= it hasn't got a garden)
  • Does Zara have a sister? (= Has Zara got a sister?)
  • How many cousins do you have? (= How many cousins have you got?)

Exercises

9.1 Write the short form (we've got, he hasn't got and so on).

  1. they have got = they've got

    they have got, they've got

  2. she has got =

  3. I have got =

  4. he has not got =

  5. it has got =

  6. we have not got =

9.2 Write questions.

  1. (you / a car?)

    Have you got a car?

    Have you got a car?

  2. (you / a dog?)

  3. (your sister / a job?)

  4. (Robbie / many cousins?)

  5. (you / any children?)

  6. (how much time / we?)

  7. (what / kind of phone / Tasha?)

9.3 Kyle has got a dog, a beard and two sisters. He has not got a car; he cycles everywhere. Write a sentence about Kyle, then a true sentence about yourself.

  1. (a dog) Kyle has got a dog. I have got a dog.

    Kyle has got a dog. I haven't got a dog.

  2. (a car) Kyle a car. I a car.

  3. (a beard) Kyle a beard. I a beard.

  4. (sisters) Kyle two sisters. I a sister.

9.4 Put in have got ('ve got), has got ('s got), haven't got or hasn't got.

  1. Owen hasn't got a watch. He looks at his phone for the time.

    Owen hasn't got a watch. He looks at his phone for the time.

  2. They love music. They've got hundreds of old records.

    They love music. They've got hundreds of old records.

  3. Ella is very worried. She an exam tomorrow.

  4. They don't watch much television. They a television, in fact.

  5. "Why are you holding your ear?" "I earache."

  6. "Where are my glasses?" "Don't ask me. I them."

  7. Matt wants to go to the match but he a ticket.

9.5 Complete the sentences. Use have/has got or haven't/hasn't got + one of these.

a colda garageeight legstwo wheelsa lot of homeworka mapmuch moneya sore throat

  1. I'm sneezing all the time. I've got a cold.

    I'm sneezing all the time. I've got a cold.

  2. It's a big house but it hasn't got a garage.

    It's a big house but it hasn't got a garage.

  3. A bicycle .

  4. Leah can't come out tonight. She .

  5. I can't sing in the choir today. I .

  6. We're lost, and we .

  7. A spider .

  8. Let's not buy the expensive one. We .

See also