The verb have got

Verb tenses

1. The verb have got: How is it used?

The verb have got is used to indicate:

What we own or possess:
IMG UNIT 5-13
I have got a dog.
The suffering of an illness
IMG UNIT 5-14
I have got the flu.
Our family and relationships
IMG UNIT 5-15
I have got a brother.

2. Structure of the verb have got

  • Affirmative form

    In affirmative sentences the verb is placed after the subject and then a complement. In this case, we can use both have and have got.

    Subject to Have / Have got Examples
    I have
    have got
    've got
    I have (got) the tickets.
    You You have (got) the tickets.
    He has
    has got
    's got
    He has (got) the tickets.
    She She has (got) the tickets.
    It It has (got) the tickets.
    We have
    have got
    've got
    We have (got) the tickets.
    You You have (got) the tickets.
    They They have (got) the tickets.
    In British English it is more common to use have got.
    As we can see, there is no contracted form for the have form.
  • Negative form

    In negative sentences, not is placed between have and got.

    Subject Have not got Examples
    I have not got
    haven't got
    I haven't got the tickets.
    You You haven't got the tickets.
    He
    has not got
    hasn't got
    He hasn't got the tickets.
    She She hasn't got the tickets.
    It It hasn't got the tickets.
    We have not got
    haven't got
    We haven't got the tickets.
    You You haven't got the tickets.
    They They haven't got the tickets.
    The contracted forms haven't got and hasn't got are more commonly used. The negative form of have without the got would be don't have or doesn't have.
  • Interrogative form

    In interrogative sentences we put have or has first, followed by the subject, then the got and finally the complements.

    To have Subject Got Examples
    Have I got...? Have I got the tickets?
    you Have you got the tickets?
    Has he got...? Has he got the tickets?
    she Has she got the tickets?
    it Has it got the tickets?
    Have we got...? Have we got the tickets?
    you Have you got the tickets?
    they Have they got the tickets?
    There is no contracted form for interrogative sentences. The interrogative form of the verb have alone would be: Do or Does, then the subject, then have and finally the complements.

    In short answers, we put yes or no, followed by the subject (a pronoun) and have or has. We don't put the got.
    In the case of have alone, the answer will follow the same pattern but, instead of have, we'll put do or does.

    Adverb Subject To have
    Yes, I have
    you
    he has
    she
    it
    we have
    you
    they
    IMG UNIT 5-1
    Have you got the money? Yes, I have.
    Adverb Subject To have 
    No, I haven't
    you
    he hasn't
    she
    it
    we haven't
    you
    they
    IMG UNIT 5-2
    Has she got a pencil? No, she hasn't

4. Aspects to be taken into account

  • The verb have can go with certain words to form a collocation, so is meaning will vary.
    IMG UNIT 5-9
    Have a shower.
    IMG UNIT 5-10
    Have breakfast.
    IMG UNIT 5-11
    Have a good time.
    IMG UNIT 5-12
    Have a rest.

Remember!

The verb have got is used to indicate possessions, our family and relationships or to express we are suffering from an illness.
  Structure Examples
AFFIRMATIVE Subject + have (got) / has (got) + complement They have got a new car.
NEGATIVE Subject + haven't got / hasn't got + complement He hasn't got a brother.
INTERROGATIVE Have / Has + Subject + got + complement? Have you got my mobile? No, I haven't.