Using “has got” and “have got” in English

“I have got a surprise for you.”

Understanding “have got” and “has got” involves recognizing their function in expressing possession, characteristics, or states. “Have got” and “has got” are useful for expressing possession and other related concepts in informal settings. Just remember to use the correct form with the appropriate pronoun. Here’s how we use them:

Basic usage

• “Have got” is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they.
• “Has got” is used with the pronouns he, she, and it.

Meaning

• Essentially, “have got” and “has got” are informal ways of saying “have” and “has,” primarily used to indicate:
  • Possession: “I’ve got a new car.” (I have a new car.)
  • Characteristics: “She’s got blue eyes.” (She has blue eyes.)
  • States: “We’ve got a problem.” (We have a problem.)

Key points about using them

• Informality: “Have got” and “has got” are more common in spoken English than in formal writing.
• Present Tense: These expressions are used in the present tense. To express possession in the past, use “had.”
• Contractions: It’s very common to use contractions:
  • “I’ve got”
  • “You’ve got”
  • “He’s got”
  • “She’s got”
  • “It’s got”
  • “We’ve got”
  • “They’ve got”
• Regional differences
  • While both forms are understood in most English-speaking regions, “have got” is more prevalent in British English.
  • In American English, the simpler “have” is often preferred.

Examples

• “I have got a headache.” (or “I’ve got a headache.”)
• “She has got a beautiful garden.” (or “She’s got a beautiful garden.”)
• “Have you got any questions?”
• “He hasn’t got any money.”

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