"Has", "have": use of the verb

The verb to have is one of the most common in English. It can act as auxiliary, semantic or modal. Also with its help, many constructions and stable expressions are formed.

Education and use

In simple present tense, that is, in Present Simple (or Indefinite), there are two forms of the verb: has, have . The use of has is limited only to the third person singular. In other cases, the word remains unchanged. In Past Simple, the verb takes on the form had .

More details in the educational scheme will help to understand the table.

To have as a semantic verb

The meaning of this word as a semantic verb is "to have, to possess." Most often translated into Russian is “I have”, “he has”, and so on.

1. Affirmative offer. The word order in the affirmative sentence is standard: subject, predicate, and then definitions, additions, or circumstances.

• He has a highly readable book. - He has an exciting book.
• She has a large library. - She has a big library.
• He had a beautiful picture - still life. - He had a beautiful picture - a still life.
• She has a cozy house with fireplace. - She has a cozy house with a fireplace.

2. Interrogative. A question can be formed both with the help of the auxiliary verb to do in the past tense, and without it. In cases where the sentence is built without an auxiliary word, a semantic verb is put in front. If there is an auxiliary verb, the question begins with it.

• Has she a yarn for knitting? - Does she have yarn for knitting?
• Had she a mauve dress? “Did she have a mauve-colored dress?”
• Did he have an easel and oil colors? - He had oil paints and an easel?

The verb to do variant is more common.

3. Negation is formed using the particle not, and if there are uncountable nouns or plurals, the pronoun any also appears.

• I haven't a scetchbook (any scetchbooks). - I do not have a notebook (notebooks) for sketching.
• We hadn't any desire to go there. - We did not have a single desire to go there.

Negation can also be formed using the auxiliary verb to do in combination with the particle not. That is, do not (for the pronouns I, you, we, they) and does not for the third person (he, she, it). In a shortened version, a verb with a particle takes on this form: don't and doesn't have in the present tense and didn't in the past.

• I don't have any questions. - I do not have any questions.

Another way to form a negative sentence is with no .

• She has no sketchbook. - She does not have an album for drawing.
• He has no desire to swim. - He has no desire to swim.

Features of the use of "have got"

This is a colloquial variant, an analogue of the word to have as a semantic verb. That is, the concepts of "have" and "possess" can be conveyed through the have got or has got construct. This is the same as has, have . The use of this turnover has some features:

• Have got : the use of this form is only in the present tense.
• This turnover is used only when it comes to a one-time action. For multiple, regular, and recurring events, the main verb without "got" is used.
  
• Negative and interrogative forms are also different.
• As for the phrase has got, its use is similar to has: in combination with the pronouns he, she, it.

Comparative characteristics are presented in the table.

She hasn't got any skeetchbooks. - She has no drawing albums.

To have as an auxiliary verb

He acts as an auxiliary verb at all times in the Perfect and Perfect Continuous groups.

Perfect times indicate the result, not the fact of the action.

• She has opened the window. - She opened the window.
• He has not closed the window. - He did not close the window.
• Have they opened the window? “Did they open the window?”

Perfect Continuous times mean a process that lasted until a certain point or during a specified period of time.

An affirmative sentence in the present tense implies the use of have been + doing (smth).

• She has been waiting for them for an hour. “She has been waiting for them for an hour.”
• He has been playing the piano since 6 o'clock. - He plays the piano from six o'clock.
• How long has she been teaching English? “How long has she been teaching English?”

Have to like a modal verb

This modal verb is very common in English. The use of have to has some features.

The formation of structures is as follows: modal verb + infinitive + particle to.

Unlike the verb must , which transfers duty by virtue of an inner impulse to action, the construction with have to expresses the need due to some external circumstances. Usually translated into Russian with these words: must, had, forced, etc.

• She has to work a lot. “She has to work hard.”
• He had to get up at 5 o'clock. - He was supposed to get up at 5.
• She will have to study four languages. - She will have to learn 4 languages.

Also, this modal verb is widely used in the passive voice. Translated into Russian should be.

• The book has to be sent by post today. - The book should be mailed today.
• The landscape has to be painted tomorrow. - The landscape needs to be painted tomorrow.

The interrogative and negative forms are formed using to do .

• Do you have to do homework? - Do you have to do your homework?
• We don't have to write this book. - We should not write this book.

When negating the must and have to modal verbs, there is a significant difference:

1. "Do not have to" implies that this is undesirable; this is not necessary.
2. "Mustn't" conveys a categorical ban.

• You don't have to read this letter. “You don't have to read this letter.”
• You mustn't read this letter. “You are not allowed to read this letter.”

Verb constructions to have

There are many constructions in which a verb may lose its original meaning. Such turns are translated in a single concept.

1. The construction of to have combined with a noun and past participle. This turn implies that the action is not performed by the person in question, but by someone else for him or in his place.

• She has her hair done at that hairdresser's. - She does (she does) a hairstyle in that hairdresser.
• He'll has his portrait painted in the near future. - His portrait will be painted soon.
• He had his grand piano attuned the day before yesterday. “The piano was tuned in the day before yesterday.”

The interrogative and negative forms of this revolution are formed using the auxiliary verb to do.

• Do you have your violin attuned? - Have you tuned your violin?
• I don't have my musical instrument attuned. - My musical instrument is not tuned.

2. The construction of the verb in combination with a noun and infinitive. With this design, you can convey the intention to accomplish something.

• She has something to do. “She wants to do something.”
• He had an interesting story to tell you. “He wanted to tell you one interesting story.”

Question and negation are constructed without the auxiliary verb to do.

• Has she anything to tell us? “Does she want to tell us something?”
• He has not (hasn't) anything to tell. “He has nothing to tell.”

Stable phrases with verb

Stable expressions are phrases that are perceived as one. Such constructions are not translated literally, but convey a single meaning. The following are several topics in which there are many stable phrases with the verb has, have. The use of these revolutions is a common occurrence in the English language.

Food and drink

Communication and relationships between people

Daily activities

Relaxation and entertainment

The use of the have verb is very multifaceted. This is one of the few verbs that can act as full-meaning (that is, semantic), auxiliary or modal. In addition, in combination with some nouns forms stable expressions. In order to master this topic well, it is important to practice the use of the verbs has, have . The use of these words is simple and understandable, but it should be brought to automaticity so that you don’t have to think about it when talking in English.