Have Got and Has Got

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A135–45 minutes on your own60 minutes with a tutor

Have Got and Has Got

By the end: I can talk about possessions and family with have got.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Start here

Name something you have in your bag.

Read each explanation, say your answer aloud, then open the model and try again. You may write your answer if you prefer. Use invented personal details whenever you like.

Useful preparation: Be statements/questions; familiar possession words such as my and your.

Choose a play button when you are ready.

Learn 1

Say what you have

Use have got with I, you, we and they. Use has got with he, she and it. Short forms: I’ve got, you’ve got, we’ve got, they’ve got; he’s got, she’s got, it’s got. Here, she’s got means she has got.

I’ve got a blue bag.

She’s got two brothers.

Read the contraction in this sentence

She has got a bike.She’s got a bike.

Here she’s means she has because the sentence uses has got. Compare “She’s ready”: there she’s means she is.

The owner is the same in both sentences

Something presentI have got a phone.

I’ve = I have.

Something absentI haven’t got a pen.

Haven’t = have not. Keep got after haven’t.

Learn 2
Preserved lesson scene for I've got a blue bag. People and essential props isolated on white.
I’ve got a blue bag.I’ve got expresses possession; the blue bag belongs to the speaker.

Say what you do not have

Put not after have or has. Short forms: haven’t got and hasn’t got. Keep got after both. I haven’t got a car. He hasn’t got a sister.

We haven’t got a car.

He hasn’t got a sister.

Learn 3

Ask about possessions

Put have or has first: Have you got a pen? Has she got a bike? Short answers do not include got: Yes, I have. No, she hasn’t. I have a bike and Do you have a bike? are also correct English; keep the have got pattern together in this lesson.

Have you got a pen?

Has he got a brother?

Leave got out of the short answer

Question
Haveyougota bag?
Answer about yourselfNo, I haven’t.

Change you to I. Use haven’t, without got. The positive short answer is “Yes, I have.”

Guided practice

Try each answer first. Check it, or open a model and its explanation.

Try the form

Compare an answer and explanation

have

I takes have.

Compare an answer and explanation

has

She takes has.

Compare an answer and explanation

haven’t

We takes haven’t got.

Compare an answer and explanation

Has

He takes has.

Build or change a sentence

Compare an answer and explanation

They’ve got a dog.

They have becomes they’ve.

Compare an answer and explanation

Has she got a bike?

Put has before she.

Compare an answer and explanation

Yes, I have.

Change you to I; leave out got.

Compare an answer and explanation

He hasn’t got a car. / He has not got a car.

Put not after has.

Listen to a short conversation

Listen. Then open the words and read aloud. Try one part with a partner, or say both parts on your own.

Open the conversation transcript

A: Have you got a pen?

B: Yes, I have. I’ve got two pens.

A: Has your sister got a bag?

B: No, she hasn’t.

Listening checks

Read the question, play its recording, then choose an answer. You can open the transcript whenever you need it.

Listening 1

1. What does the speaker not have?
Read the transcript

I’ve got a phone and a book. I haven’t got a pen.

Listening 2

2. How many brothers has Mia got?
Read the transcript

Mia has got two brothers. She hasn’t got a sister.

Listening 3

3. Who has got a bike?
Read the transcript

Have you got a bike? No, I haven’t. Has your brother got one? Yes, he has.

Preserved lesson scene for She's got two brothers. People and essential props isolated on white.
She’s got two brothers.Has got describes family here. The sentence supplies the relationship.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. Aim for 7 out of 8, then correct anything you missed.

1. He ___ got a new phone.
2. They ___ got two children.
3. Choose the negative have got sentence.
4. ___ she got a dog?
5. Have you got a pen? Answer yes.
6. Has he got a bike? Answer no.
7. In She’s got a bag, She’s means ___.
8. Choose the correct have got question.
Answer key with explanations

  1. has He takes has got.

  2. have They takes have got.

  3. I haven’t got a car. Put not after have.

  4. Has Put has before she.

  5. Yes, I have. Use I have without got.

  6. No, he hasn’t. Use he hasn’t.

  7. She has Got follows has in this pattern.

  8. Have they got a car? Put have before they and keep got.

This quiz checks this lesson, not your overall English level.

Make it yours

Speak first, compare a model, then say a new version. These tasks are ungraded.

Speaking task 1

Describe three possessions. Add one thing you do not have. You may invent the details.

Compare a possible response

I’ve got a bag, a phone and a bike. I haven’t got a car.

Success check: Use have got and haven’t got.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Speaking task 2

Describe an invented family using he or she.

Compare a possible response

She’s got two brothers. She hasn’t got a sister.

Success check: Use has got and hasn’t got.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Speaking task 3

Ask a partner about three possessions. On your own, ask and answer.

Compare a possible response

Have you got a bike? Yes, I have. Have you got a car? No, I haven’t. Have you got a phone? Yes, I have.

Success check: Keep got in questions but not in short answers.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Recap

Listen and repeat. I’ve got a blue bag. We haven’t got a car. Have you got a pen?

I can talk about possessions and family with have got.

  • I can use the main pattern.
  • I can make one sentence of my own.
  • I know one thing to practise again.

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