have: main verb or auxiliary verb

HAVEMain verb or auxiliary verb?

Let’s revise!

■Have, as one of the most used verbs in English, has got many uses. Let’s remember them…

1. Possession: We have a large extended family.

2. ….

Uses of have1. Possession: We have a large extended family.2. For actions and experiences: have lunch, have a great time, have a

chat, have a drink, etc.3. Obligation: You have to keep quiet in the library.4. To talk about services you pay someone for doing (have + object +

past participle): I had my hair cut this morning.5. Possession, with have got (informal): I’ve got tons of work to do.6. In negative sentences as a fixed expression: haven’t. I haven’t a

clue.7. For specific obligation have got. I’ve got to go now, but I’ll see you

later.8. To form perfect tenses (present and past perfect, future perfect,

etc.): I’d never tried sushi before.

Revising the basics

What is a main verb? Main verbs have meaning on

their own. They stand alone, sometimes

helped by auxiliaries.

My family has three members.He should study if he really wants to pass that test.

What is an auxiliary verb?■ They accompany the main verb,

and help it to make questions, negative sentences and add meaning like in continuous tenses.

He is studying really hard.Do you think there’s any chance he’ll pass that test?■ So they do not have meaning on

their own.

Revising the basics

Have as a main verb Do we use auxiliaries? Do we use contracted

forms ‘ve / ‘s / ‘d?

Have as an auxiliary verb How do we make questions? And negatives? Can we use contracted

forms ‘ve / ‘s / ‘d?

Revising the basics

Have as a main verb Do we use auxiliaries?

YES Do we use contracted

forms ‘ve / ‘s / ‘d? NO

Have as an auxiliary verb Do we use auxiliaries? NO How do we make questions?

By inverting the order of have and the subject.

And negatives?By adding the particle not.

Can we use contracted forms ‘ve / ‘s / ‘d? YES

Uses of have1. Possession: We have a large extended family.2. For actions and experiences: have lunch, have a great time, have a

chat, have a drink, etc.3. Obligation: You have to keep quiet in the library.4. To talk about services you pay someone for doing (have + object +

past participle): I had my hair cut this morning.5. Possession, with have got (informal): I’ve got tons of work to do.6. In negative sentences as a fixed expression: haven’t. I haven’t a

clue.7. For specific obligation have got. I’ve got to go now, but I’ll see you

later.8. To form perfect tenses (present and past perfect, future perfect,

etc.): I’d never tried sushi before.

Find out when have is a main verb, and when it is an auxiliary verb.

Have as a main verb

1. We use have as a main verb for possession.■ have with this meaning is a stative (non-action) verb and is not

used in continuous tenses.

We have a large extended family.We are having large extended family.

■ have is also a stative verb when used to talk about relationships or illnesses

She has a really bad cold at the moment.She is having a really bad cold at the moment.

When have is a main verb, we use auxiliary verbs, e.g. be or do, to make questions and negatives. We don’t usually contract have when it is a main verb.

Have as a main verb

2. We use have + object as a main verb for actions and experiences, e.g. have a bath, a drink, a chat, a problem, etc.

He doesn’t have lunch at home.I’m having problems with my Wi-Fi.

Have with this meaning is a dynamic (action) verb and can be used in continuous tenses.

Right or wrong?

1. I was having a bad headache, so I had to go home.

2. Rachel and Adam are having such a great time together.

3. They have so many pets at home now it looks like a zoo.

4. We’re having a drink at the bar near work. Do you want to come?

■ We use have to as a main verb to express obligation, especially obligation imposed by others, and rules and regulations.

Do we really have to spend Christmas with your parents again?

You have to switch your phones before you come in for the exam.

Have as a main verb

■ We use have as a main verb + object + past participle to say that you ask or pay another person to do something for you.

We’re going to have the kitchen repainted next week.

I don’t know much about computers, so I’ll have to have my laptop fixed.

Have as a main verb

When have is an auxiliary verb, we make questions by inverting have and the subject, and negatives with haven’t / hasn’t. have as an auxiliary verb is often contracted to ’ve / ’s; had is contracted to ’d.

Have as an auxiliary verb1. We often use have got for possession. The meaning

is exactly the same as have.

How many children have you got? I’ve got three, two boys and a girl.

They haven’t got much money.

■ have here is an auxiliary verb.■ have got has a present meaning. We normally use

had for the past, not had got.■ have got is very common in informal English.

Have as an auxiliary verbDo you have got lots of work to

do?Have you got lots of work to do?

We had the best time last weekend!

We had got the best time last weekend!

Right or wrong?

When have is an auxiliary verb, we make questions by inverting have and the subject, and negatives with haven’t / hasn’t. have as an auxiliary verb is often contracted to ’ve / ’s; had is contracted to ’d.

Have as an auxiliary verb

2. In negative sentences, we occasionally leave out got, especially in fixed expressions like

I haven’t time. I haven’t a clue.

I haven’t the time to go to the bank.


3. We use have got to to express obligation, especially in informal English. Have got to is normally used for a specific obligation rather than a general or repeated obligation. Compare:

I’ve got to make a quick phone call. (= specific)

I have to wear a suit to work. (= general)


4. We use have as an auxiliary verb to form the present perfect simple and continuous.

They’ve been married for 15 years.

How long has Anna been going out with James?

5. We also use have for other perfect forms, e.g. the future perfect, the perfect infinitive, the past perfect, etc.

She’ll have finished lunch in a few minutes so you can phone her then.

I want to have started a family by the time I’m 30.

If I hadn’t taken a taxi, I wouldn’t have arrived in time.

have: main verb or auxiliary verb

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