In this chapter
In Chapter 3 you used be to say who people are. Now you will learn to say what people have: a car, two brothers, blue eyes, a cold. In British English the most common way to do this in speaking is have got.
Have got is easy because it works like be: there are two forms ( have got and has got ), negatives use not , and questions start with have or has. By the end of this chapter you will be able to describe your family, your home and your things.
Learning objectives
By the end of this chapter
- I can use have got and has got with the right subject.
- I can talk about my family, my things and how people look.
- I can make negatives with haven't got and hasn't got.
- I can ask questions with have got and give short answers.
Have got and has got
Use have got with I, you, we and they. Use has got with he, she and it. In speaking, people almost always use the short forms.
The pattern
Subject + have / has got + noun
| Full form | Short form |
|---|---|
| I have got | I've got |
| you have got | you've got |
| he / she / it has got | he's / she's / it's got |
| we have got | we've got |
| they have got | they've got |
-
I ( subject ) have got ( verb ) a brother. ( object )
Often shortened to I've got a brother.
-
She ( subject ) has got ( verb ) blue eyes. ( object )
has got with he, she and it.
-
The house ( subject ) has got ( verb ) three bedrooms. ( object )
Things can have got things too.
-
We've got a new car.
we've got = we have got.
Quick checkShe ___ a new phone.
What we use have got for
Use have got for possessions (things you own), family, appearance (how people look), illnesses and the parts of a place or thing.
| We talk about… | Example |
|---|---|
| possessions | I've got a bike. |
| family | He's got two sisters. |
| appearance | She's got long hair. |
| illness | I've got a cold. |
| parts of a place | Our flat has got a big kitchen. |
-
My cat ( subject ) has got ( verb ) green eyes. ( object )
Appearance.
-
He's got two sisters.
Family.
-
I've got a headache.
Illness.
Quick checkPut the words in order.
Negatives: haven't got and hasn't got
Put not between have / has and got. In speaking we use the short forms haven't got and hasn't got .
The pattern
Subject + haven't / hasn't + got + noun
| Full form | Short form |
|---|---|
| I / you / we / they have not got | haven't got |
| he / she / it has not got | hasn't got |
-
I ( subject ) have ( verb ) not ( not ) got ( verb ) a car. ( object )
not goes between have and got.
-
He ( subject ) has ( verb ) not ( not ) got ( verb ) a job. ( object )
-
She hasn't got any brothers.
any with plural nouns in negatives.
-
They haven't got time.
haven't = have not.
Quick checkHe ___ got a car. He walks to work.
Questions and short answers
In a question, have or has comes before the subject, and got comes after it.
The pattern
Have / Has + subject + got + noun?
-
Have ( helper verb ) you ( subject ) got ( verb ) a pen? ( object )
-
Has ( helper verb ) she ( subject ) got ( verb ) a car? ( object )
-
Have they got any children?
any in questions with plural nouns.
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Have you got a pen? | Yes, I have. | No, I haven't. |
| Has he got a bike? | Yes, he has. | No, he hasn't. |
| Have they got children? | Yes, they have. | No, they haven't. |
Quick check“Have you got a pen?” — “Yes, I ___.”
Errors to avoid
These are the mistakes learners make most often with this grammar. Read the wrong sentence, then the right one, and notice the change.
-
Incorrect: I have got 20 years old.
Correct: I am 20 years old.
Use the verb be for age, not have got.
-
Incorrect: She have got a dog.
Correct: She has got a dog.
Use has got for he, she and it.
-
Incorrect: I haven't got no money.
Correct: I haven't got any money.
Use any in negatives — English uses only one negative word.
-
Incorrect: Yes, I have got.
Correct: Yes, I have.
Short answers don't use got.
Hear it in use
Listen to the whole conversation first. Then play one line at a time and say it after the speaker. The words in colour are this chapter’s grammar.
Conversation
Ready for the trip?
Ella and Noah are going camping for the weekend. They check their bags.
- Ella
OK, the train is at nine. Have you got your ticket?
- Noah
Yes, I have. It's on my phone.
A short answer — no got.
- Ella
Good. I've got the tent and two sleeping bags.
- Noah
Have we got any food?
- Ella
I've got some sandwiches, but we haven't got any water.
any in negatives: haven't got any water.
- Noah
No problem. My brother has got a big bottle. I can bring it.
- Ella
Great. Oh no — I haven't got my phone charger!
- Noah
Don't worry. I've got two.
- Ella
Perfect. Has your brother got a car? The station is far.
- Noah
No, he hasn't. But he's got a bike!
he's got = he has got.
What to remember
- 1 Use have got with I, you, we and they, and has got with he, she and it.
- 2 Short forms: I've got, he's got, they've got. In he's got, 's means has.
- 3 Use it for things you own, family, appearance and illness: She's got blue eyes. I've got a cold.
- 4 Negative: haven't got / hasn't got. Question: Have you got…? Has she got…?
- 5 Short answers have no got: Yes, I have. No, she hasn't.
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | have got / 've got | haven't got | Have you got…? |
| he / she / it | has got / 's got | hasn't got | Has she got…? |
Test yourself
Knowledge check
22 questions on Have got
One question at a time, with an explanation after every answer. Score 18 or more (80%) and the chapter is marked complete.