Jill's got a pretty bad headache.
Have as an Auxiliary Verb
When have is an auxiliary verb, it is helping a full verb to make a Present Perfect sentence.
I have never been on top of a mountain.
Has she tried the new menu?
- Yes, she has.
- No, she hasn't.
They've been playing soccer all day.
Why haven't you eaten breakfast yet?
Have as a Full Verb
We commonly use have as a full verb to describe possession, obligation, relationships, illnesses, etc.. We do not use continuous forms for these meanings:
- I have two brothers. (relationship)
- I am having two brothers.
- Does she have a new car? (possession)
- Is she having a new car?
- They don't have a lot of money. (possession)
- They aren't having a lot of money.
- Do you have a headache? (illness)
- Are you having a headache?
- He has to go soon. (obligation)
- He is having to go soon.
- She doesn't have a stomachache. (illness)
- She isn't having a stomachache.
Have Got
For these meanings, we can also use have got instead of have.
- I have two brothers.
- I've got two brothers.
- Does she have a new car?
- Has she got a new car?
- They don't have a lot of money.
- They haven't got a lot of money.
- Do you have a headache?
- Have you got a headache?
- He has to go soon.
- He's got to go soon.
- She doesn't have a stomachache.
- She hasn't got a stomachache.
Have got is only used to describe the present. For the past, use had (had got) and for the future, use will have or be going to have:
- I will have my wallet tomorrow.
- I had to go home early yesterday.
- She had long hair when she was a child.
- We didn't have colour TV sixty years ago.
- When my throat itches, it usually means I'm going to have a sore throat soon.
Dynamic / Action Meanings of Have
Have, not have got, can be used to describe actions with the following nouns:
- a bath, a shower, a swim, a massage
- breakfast, lunch, dinner, an apple, a snack, a break, a cigarette
- a party, a meeting, a wonderful time
- a dream, a conversation, a fight
- a baby
- surgery
For these meanings, it is possible to use continuous tenses:
I'm having a great time!
We were having a party when you called.
She is having a baby in June.
It sounds like someone is having a fight outside.
Exercise
Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.