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What is Have got in English? The usage and practice exercises

"Have" is used with the meaning of "to possess or own something." Most English learners are familiar with this knowledge. However, when it comes to the structure Have got in English, is there any difference? Are Have got and "Have" similar or different? In this article, PREP will help you answer these questions. Let's find out!

I. What is Have got in English?

What is "Have"? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "Have" is primarily used as a verb in English, meaning: to possess or own something.

For example:

Bob has a beautiful home.
Tom has plenty of money but no happiness.

Have got also carries a similar meaning to the verb "Have," expressing the possession of the subject towards an object/event/characteristic, etc.

For example:

Jennie has got a new backpack.
Jerry has got a good suggestion.

II. The usage of Have got in English

Let's explore how to use Have got in English together with PREP right below!

The usage of Have got in English	Formula	Example
Affirmative form	S+ have/has got + O. In which: Have: Plural subjects, We, You, They. Has: Singular subject, He, She, It.	They have got two dogs.
Negative form	S + have/has + not + got + O. In which: Have: Plural subject, We, You, They. Has: Singular subject, He, She, It. Note: The abbreviation of Have got Have not got → Haven’t got Has not got → Hasn’t got	We have not got any money left.
Interrogative form	Yes/No question: Have/Has + S + got + Objects? Wh-questions: When/Where/Why/How… + have/has + S + got + Objects?	Have you got a pencil? Why has he got so many books?

III. Differentiate Have and Have got in English

At first glance, Have got and "Have" may seem to have the same meaning, so they should have similar usage, right? However, let's differentiate the Have got structure from "Have" in the following aspects together with PREP.

Criteria	Have got	Have
Formality levels	Have got is originated from British English and is commonly used in spoken language. It is a shortened form of "have gotten" in modern times.	"Have" is usually used in everyday situations or in situations requiring formality and politeness.
Abbreviation	Have got is often abbreviated as "'ve got" in sentences.	"Have" is rarely used in abbreviated form.
Tense	Have got is only used in the present simple tense. Have got is more commonly used in affirmative sentences than in negative or interrogative sentences. Note: In British English, the question form with the structure "have + S + got + O" is quite common.	"Have" can be used in various contexts and in any tense. Sentences can be in affirmative, negative, or interrogative form.
Meaning	Have got is used to indicate possession of objects/phenomena or certain types of illnesses in English. We cannot use Have got to describe an action. Incorrect: I have got lunch at ABC restaurant.	"Have" can be used to express some actions of the subject. For example: I have lunch at ABC restaurant.

IV. Some notes on Have got in English

Have got in English is a replacement for "have" or "has" to express ownership or the presence of an object. Here are some important notes when using this structure:

Do not use "do/does" in questions and negatives. Examples:
- Affirmative: I have got a cat.
- Negative: I have not (haven’t) got a cat.
Have got can be used as a replacement for "have" or "has" in common cases to express ownership or the presence of an object. Examples:
- She has got a new car. ➞ She has a new car.
- I have got a headache. ➞ I have a headache.
Avoid using "got" in unnecessary contexts. In some cases, "got" can be omitted to make the sentence more concise. Example: I‘ve got a lot of work to do. ➞ Instead “I’ve got a lot of work to do”, you can say “I have a lot of work to do.”

V. Exercises on Have got/Has got with detailed answers

Reinforce the theoretical part of Have got in English with the following practice exercises!

1. Exercise

Exercise 1: Give the correct form of the verbs in parentheses

She (have) got a beautiful singing voice.
They (have) got three children, all of whom are in college.
I (have) got a new laptop for my birthday.
He (have) got a lot of experience in software development.
We (have) got tickets to the concert next week.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

She _______ a new car.
- has got
- have got
- ‘ve got
He _______ a passport
- doesn’t have
- has not got
- don’t have
______ you ______ an umbrella? It’s raining outside.
- Have – got
- Has – got
- Had … got
When ______ she ________ new shoes?
- does – have got
- has – got
- have – got
______________ a swimming pool in their house?
- Has they got
- Have they got
- they got

2. Answer key

Exercise 1:

has
have
have
has
have

Exercise 2:

Hopefully, the knowledge about Have got in English shared by PREP here has helped you grasp what Have got is, how to use it, and how to differentiate between Have got and "Has got." Keep following PREP regularly to stay updated with useful information!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.