Your English Drawer: 'Have got' or 'have'?

Here you have some explanation about the differences between using the 'have got' expression or just 'have'.

At the end, there are some liks from the source web, in case you need to practice!

Affirmative sentences

>have<	>have got<
I have a brother.	I have got a brother. I've got a brother.
You have a sister.	You have got a sister. You've got a sister.
He has a cat.	He has got a cat. He's got a cat.
She has a dog.	She has got a dog. She's got a dog.
It has Bluetooth.	It has got Bluetooth. It's got Bluetooth.
We have books.	We have got books. We've got books.
You have a nice room.	You have got a nice room. You've got a nice room.
They have pets.	They have got pets. They've got pets.

have got is often used in its contracted form even in written language.

Negative sentences

>have<	>have got<
I do not have a brother. I don't have a brother.	I have not got a brother. or I haven't got a brother. or I've not got a brother.
You do not have a sister. You don't have a sister.	You have not got a sister. or You haven't got a sister. or You've not got a sister.
He does not have a cat. He doesn't have a cat.	He has not got a cat. or He hasn't got a cat. or He's not got a cat.
She does not have a dog. She doesn't have a dog.	She has not got a dog. or She hasn't got a dog. or She's not got a dog.
It does not have Bluetooth. It doesn't have Bluetooth.	It has not got Bluetooth. or It hasn't got Bluetooth. or It's not got Bluetooth.
We do not have books. We don't have books.	We have not got books. or We haven't got books. or We've not got books.
You do not have a nice room. You don't have a nice room.	You have not got a nice room. or You haven't got a nice room. or You've not got a nice room.
They do not have pets. They don't have pets.	They have not got pets. or They haven't got pets. or They've not got pets.

Questions

>have<	>have got<
Do I have time?	Have I got time?
Do you have pets?	Have you got pets?
Does he have a computer?	Has he got a computer?
Does she have a mobile phone?	Has she got a mobile phone?
Does it have mudguards?	Has it got mudguards?
Do we have ketchup?	Have we got ketchup?
Do you have a yellow car?	Have you got a yellow car?
Do they have nice teachers?	Have they got nice teachers?

Negations in questions:

Don't you have a brother?

Haven't you got a brother?

Be careful!

1) The contracted forms 've or 's are only used with have got - not with have.

correct	incorrect
I've got a new mobile phone.	I've a new mobile phone.
He's got a new car.	He's a new car.

2) Do not use an auxiliary with have got - only with have. Be careful when using negations.

correct	incorrect
Have you got a garden?	Do you have got a garden?
Do you have a pet?	Have you a pet?
They haven't got a house.	They haven't a house.

3) >have< cannot always be substituted with >have got<. You can only substitute >have< with >have got< when you talk about possession and relationships.