Grammar Practice in Context - David Bolton, Noel Goodey 1997

31 Have got/Have: I’ve got S.200. She’s having a bath

Quick reference

• Have got and have mean the same. But in informal English we normally use have got rather than have when we talk about:

Possessions: I’ve got a motorbike. Relatives: She’s got two brothers.

Personal characteristics: He’s got blue eyes. Illnesses: I’ve got a cold.

• In American English we rarely use have got in questions or negatives.

We haven’t got a video. (British English) We don’t have a video. (American English)

• Note the short answers Yes, I have/No, they haven't, etc.

Has she got a flat? - Yes, she has.

• In the past simple we use had/didn’t have. We can use had got/hadn't got, but they’re less common. When I was 20, I had long hair, but I didn ’t have a moustache.

• Note that we don’t include got in these forms:

Future: When the baby is born, they’ll have four children.

Present perfect: I’ve had this cold for a week. Infinitive: He might have malaria.

• We use have for actions or activities. She’s having a swim. They had an argument.

We’ve had a long walk. How often do you have a bath?

• Note that we don’t use contractions with have when it’s describing an action.

They have two holidays a year. (not They’ve two holidays.)

1 Complete the sentences with forms of have got where possible or, where not possible, with forms of have.

This year Tom Carter (1) ... a job with a company called Club 18-30 which specialises in holidays for young people between the ages ol 18 and 30.

’I (2) ... an interview in London last May. I (3) ... any qualifications but they offered me the job. I (4) ... a week’s training in London and then they sent me out here to Torremolinos. Now I (5) ... a room in a small flat above a restaurant. It (6) ... a bed and a chair but it (7) ... any other furniture. It’s a good thing I (8) ... many clothes. I (9) ... my 18-30 uniform (a T-shirt with the company logo on it) and some jeans but that’s about all.

My friends at home think I (10) ... a four-month holiday but it’s not like that at all. It’s hard work. I (11) ... only ... two days off since I started work here. I get up at about 9.

I (12) ... much sleep, five or six hours at the most. Then I (13) ... a shower and a shave. For breaklast I just (14) ... a cup of coffee and a bread roll. I (15) ... lunch -1 (16) ... time! In the afternoon I sometimes (17) ... a short siesta.

My job is to make sure our customers (18) ... a good time. I (19) ... a lot of friends here. Most of them are people like me who (20) ... jobs with holiday companies.

I (21) ... a girlfriend back home in Manchester so I (22) ... any serious relationships since I’ve been here.

Last week I (23) ... food poisoning and I remembered too late that I (24) ... any insurance. The medicine cost me half a week’s wages! I (25) ... six more weeks’ work

here and then I go back to England. I hope I (26) ... some money in my pocket!’

2 Read this dialogue. Decide which answer, A, B, or C best fits each space.

Doctor: What’s the problem?

Patient: I (1) ... a lot of headaches recently.

Doctor: (2) ... a headache at the moment?

Patient: Yes I (3) ...

Doctor: When was the last time you (4) ... one?

Patient: On Monday.

Doctor: (5) ... any particular problems at the moment?

Patient: Well, (6) ... plenty of problems but I (7) ... any particular ones.

Doctor: (8) ... any children?

Patient: Yes, (9) ... three.

Doctor: (10) ... a husband?

Patient: Yes, (11) ...

Doctor: (12) ... a job?

Patient: (13) No, he ...

Doctor: How much sleep (14) ...?

Patient: About seven hours a night normally, but lately I (15) ... less than that.

Doctor: (16) ... a holiday recently?

Patient: No, we (17) ... enough money for holidays!

Doctor: So you (18) ... a holiday this year.

Patient: No, I’m afraid we can’t afford one.

Doctor: I see. Well, (19) ... lots of patients like you. I think these pills might help.

3 Describe yourself or a person you know well, using four sentences with have got and four with have. Check your answers with a teacher.

Example: I've got blue eyes and long, blond hair. I've got three brothers, bid I haven't got any sisters. I haven't got a driver's licence, so I'm having driving lessons at the moment. When I pass my driving test, I'm going to have a party.