To Have - Present Tense in English

Overview

The verb "to have" is one of the most versatile and frequently used verbs in English. In the present tense, it has two forms: have and has. You use it to talk about possession, relationships, physical features, illnesses, meals, and experiences. It also serves as a helper verb for perfect tenses.

At the A1 (Beginner) level, you need to know "to have" for everyday conversations about what you own, who is in your family, and what your life is like. It is also your gateway to more advanced grammar structures later on.

One interesting feature of English is the expression "have got," which is very common in British English and means the same as "have" for possession. American English tends to prefer plain "have."

How It Works

Affirmative forms

Subject	Standard	Contraction	"Have got" (British)
I	have	I've	I've got
you	have	you've	you've got
he/she/it	has	he's / she's	he's got / she's got
we	have	we've	we've got
they	have	they've	they've got

Negative forms

Subject	Standard	Contraction
I/you/we/they	do not have	don't have
he/she/it	does not have	doesn't have

With "have got": I haven't got, she hasn't got

Question forms

Standard	"Have got"
Do you have a car?	Have you got a car?
Does she have a sister?	Has she got a sister?

Common uses

• Possession: I have a car. She has a new phone.
• Relationships: He has two brothers.
• Physical features: She has blue eyes. He has short hair.
• Illnesses: I have a headache. She has a cold.
• Meals: We have breakfast at 8.
• Obligation (have to): I have to work today.

Examples in Context

English	Note
I have a brother.	Possession / relationships
She has blue eyes.	Physical description -- "has" for he/she/it
They**'ve got** a new car.	British "have got" with contraction
He has to work today.	Obligation -- "have to"
Do you have any questions?	Question with "do"
We don't have much time.	Negative with "don't"
Has she got a pen?	British question form
I have breakfast at 7.	Meals
He has a cold.	Illness
They have three children.	Family

Common Mistakes

Using "have" with he/she/it

• Wrong: She have a dog.
• Right: She has a dog.
• Why: Third person singular (he, she, it) always uses "has," not "have."

Double marking in questions

• Wrong: Does she has a car?
• Right: Does she have a car?
• Why: When you use "does" as a helper, the main verb returns to its base form "have." The -s is already carried by "does."

Double marking in negatives

• Wrong: He doesn't has any money.
• Right: He doesn't have any money.
• Why: Same rule as questions -- "doesn't" already carries the third-person marking, so the main verb stays as "have."

Mixing "have got" forms with "do"

• Wrong: Do you have got a pen?
• Right: Have you got a pen? OR Do you have a pen?
• Why: "Have got" forms its own questions and negatives without "do." Choose one system or the other, but do not mix them.

Usage Notes

The distinction between "have" and "have got" is mostly a matter of regional preference. British English uses "have got" frequently in spoken language, while American English prefers "do you have." Both are correct everywhere.

Note that "have got" is only used for possession and states, not for actions. You cannot say "I've got breakfast every day" -- use "I have breakfast every day" instead.

The contraction "he's" can mean either "he is" or "he has." Context makes the meaning clear: "He's tall" (he is) vs. "He's got a car" (he has).

In formal writing, full forms are preferred: "The company has many employees" rather than "The company's got many employees."

Practice Tips

• Describe people around you: Practice using "has" and "have" to describe family members and friends. "My sister has long hair. My parents have a big house. I have two cats."
• Practice the question forms: Ask yourself questions using both systems. "Do I have my keys? Have I got my phone?" This builds flexibility.
• Focus on the he/she/it rule: Every time you want to say "have" with he, she, or it, pause and switch to "has." This is the most common error and needs active practice.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Subject Pronouns -- you need to know subject pronouns to choose between "have" and "has"
• Next steps: Present Perfect Simple -- "have/has" as a helper verb for talking about past experiences and results