B2Auxiliary verbs

Have: auxiliary or main verb

Distinguish lexical have, perfect auxiliary have, have got, causative have and have to so that questions, negatives and tense forms are built correctly.

Overview

What this grammar does

Distinguish lexical have, perfect auxiliary have, have got, causative have and have to so that questions, negatives and tense forms are built correctly.

Form and rules

How it works

Perfect auxiliary have is followed by a past participle and forms questions/negatives without do: Have you finished?

Lexical have meaning possess/experience can use do-support in many modern varieties: Do you have a car? I don't have time.

Have got expresses possession/relationships in common British usage and forms questions with have: Have you got...?

Have to expresses obligation and normally uses do-support: Do you have to leave? She doesn't have to work.

Causative have uses have + object + past participle: We're having the roof repaired.

A closer look

Meaning and use

Have to expresses obligation and normally uses do-support: Do you have to leave? She doesn't have to work.

Causative have uses have + object + past participle: We're having the roof repaired.

Examples

See the pattern in complete sentences

I've finished the report.

Do you have enough time?

Have you got any brothers?

Does she have to travel often?

We're having the office repainted.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

Do have you finished the report?

Have you finished the report?

Perfect auxiliary have moves before the subject directly.

Are you have a spare charger?

Do you have a spare charger?

Lexical have meaning possess commonly uses do-support in this pattern.

Ready to practise?

The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.

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