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Unit 10
Have / Has (Present Simple)
Possession, routines, and daily expressions
Overview
The verbs have and has are among the most common verbs in English. We use them to talk about possession, relationships, routines, meals, illnesses, and daily activities.
In Present Simple, have is used with most subjects, and has is used only with he, she, it.
Examples: I have breakfast at 8 a.m. / She has two children. / We have a meeting every Monday.
Forms of Have / Has
⚠ Critical rule: After "doesn't" or "does", always use the BASE form "have" — never "has".
❌ Does he has a car? ✅ Does he have a car?
❌ She doesn't has time. ✅ She doesn't have time.
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / You / We / They | have | don't have | Do ... have...? |
| He / She / It | has | doesn't have | Does ... have...? |
Main Uses
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | I have a new phone. | Something belongs to someone |
| Relationships | He has two sisters. | People you're connected to |
| Habits / Routines | I have coffee every morning. | Part of daily life |
| Meals | We have dinner at 8 p.m. | Eat / drink |
| Illnesses | I have a headache. | Temporary physical condition |
| Activities | They have a break at work. | Regular activity |
| Experiences | We have fun at the weekends. | Things you do/feel |
Fixed Expressions with "Have"
"Have" often replaces other verbs in fixed expressions. Learn these as chunks:
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have breakfast/lunch/dinner | eat a meal | I have breakfast at 7. |
| have a shower / a bath | wash yourself | She has a shower every morning. |
| have a meeting / a class | attend something | We have a meeting at 10. |
| have a good time / fun | enjoy yourself | They have fun on Fridays. |
| have a cold / a headache | be ill | I have a headache today. |
| have a look / a try / a rest | quick action | Have a look at this photo! |
| have a break | pause from work | We have a break at 11. |
Have vs. Have Got (Quick Comparison)
Note: For routines and meals, use "have" — NOT "have got". → ✅ We have lunch at 1. ❌ We've got lunch at 1.
| Have / Has (American) | Have Got (British) | |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | I have a car. | I've got a car. |
| Negative | I don't have a car. | I haven't got a car. |
| Question | Do you have a car? | Have you got a car? |
| Style | Formal / American / written | Informal / British / spoken |
Short Answers
Short answers use the auxiliary "do/does" — not "have/has".
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Do you have a car? | Yes, I do. | No, I don't. |
| Does he have a pet? | Yes, he does. | No, he doesn't. |
| Do they have a meeting? | Yes, they do. | No, they don't. |
Meals and Fixed Phrases: No Article
- Meals take no article after have: have breakfast / lunch / dinner (not
have a breakfast) — unless there is an adjective: We had a big breakfast. - In British English we usually have a shower / a break / a look. American English often says take a shower / a break / a look. Both are correct.
Examples
Subject
Verb
Auxiliary
Object
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Hover over any word to see its role.
subjectIverbhaveobjectbreakfastadverbat 7 a.m.
↳ Routine — meal expression with "have"
subjectSheverbhasobjecttwo children
↳ Relationships — "has" with she
subjectHeverbdoesn't haveobjecttimeadverbtoday
↳ Negative — "doesn't" + base "have"
auxiliaryDosubjectyouverbhaveobjecta car?
↳ Question — "Do + you + have"
auxiliaryDoessubjectsheverbhaveobjecta dog?
↳ Question with "Does" + base "have"
Common Mistakes
He don't have a car.
→
He doesn't have a car.
He/she/it → "doesn't" (not "don't").
She have two children.
→
She has two children.
She/he/it takes "has" in affirmative sentences.
Do he has a car?
→
Does he have a car?
"He" → "Does" + base form "have" (not "has").
I doesn't have any time.
→
I don't have any time.
"I" takes "don't", not "doesn't".
She doesn't has money.
→
She doesn't have money.
After "doesn't", always use base "have" — never "has".
I have got lunch at 1.
→
I have lunch at 1.
For routines/meals, use just "have" (not "have got").
"Do you have a car?" — "Yes, I have."
→
"Do you have a car?" — "Yes, I do."
Short answers repeat the auxiliary "do/does".
I have a breakfast at 7.
→
I have breakfast at 7.
No article before meals after "have".
There is my car. (= I own a car)
→
I have a car.
Possession uses "have", not "there is".