VERB TO HAVE

The verb have is one of the two most frequently used in English. Examples: Present simple: I have a problem. He has a problem. Past simple tense: I had a problem. He had a problem. Future simple: I will have a problem. He will have a problem.   

It can be used in three different functions in the sentence, as a main verb, as an auxiliary verb or as a modal verb.

As a main verb we can use have:

-          To indicate possession. Ex. We have a red car.

-          To talk about families and relationships. Ex. She has an older brother.

-          To describe people. Ex. He has blonde hair.

-          To talk about illnesses and to say that we are not feeling well. Ex. I have a headache. 

As a main verb, have (when the subject is I, you, we or they) and has (when the subject is he, she or it) are not normally abbreviated in the positive form. Affirmative examples: They have twenty minutes to do homework. She has a blue notebook.

To make a negative sentence we use don't (do not) between the subject and the verb. Example: They don’t have any pets. When the subject is he, she or it, we use doesn't (does not). Example: He doesn’t have any siblings. Notice that we use have instead of has because the auxiliary does indicates already we are talking about third singular person. 

We use the formula Do or Does + Subject + have + object to make questions. We use Do (when the subject is I, you, we or they) or Does (when the subject is he, she or it) at the beginning of the question. Examples: Do you have any pets? Yes, I do. No, I don’t. Does she have any siblings? Yes, she does. No, she doesn’t. Notice that we use have instead of has because the auxiliary does indicates already we are talking about third singular person.

We use do and does with question words like when, where, why, which or how. Examples: Where do you have your shoes? When does Mary have the test? But questions with who often don't use do or does. Examples: Who has my phone number? Who of them have a computer? If a question word such as who, when, where, why, which or how is used in the question, you cannot use short answers to respond. Example: Where does she have her shoes? She has her shoes under the table. 

Have is also used when talking about some actions and certain expressions.

Possession: I have a shower in my bathroom; I don't have a bath. With these meanings (possession, etc.) you cannot use continuous from. If we say “I’ve got a shower”, we are also saying that we own a shower or that there is a shower in the house.

Action: I have a shower every day. I don’t have a shower every day. You can use the continuous forms. I'm having a shower now. She is not having lunch at the moment.   

The verb “to have” in affirmative past sentences becomes “had” for all subjects. Examples:    

Affirmative: She had long hair when she was a child. I had two pets when I was a child. I had a bath yesterday night.  We had a baby two years ago.  

For the negative and interrogative form we use the auxiliary “did” for all subjects. Notice that when we use “did” as an auxiliary the past form of the verb “had” backs to the present form “have” because the auxiliary indicates already we are talk about the past, even for the third singular person we use “did” and “have” instead of “has”. Examples:

Negative: I didn’t (did not) have time to complete the test. She didn’t have money enough to pay the food.  He didn’t have a bath yesterday, he had a shower.  

Interrogative: Did you have time enough to do the test? Did she have money to pay the bill? Yes, I did. No, she didn’t. Did he have fun yesterday? Yes, he did. No, he didn’t.

We use did with question words like when, where, why, which or how. Examples: Where did you have dinner yesterday? We had dinner in a new restaurant. Where did she have the meeting? She had the meeting at the office. But questions with who often don't use did. Examples: Who had my keys? Jacob had your keys. Who of them had time to complete the test? Kevin and Paul had time to complete the test.

If a question word such as who, when, where, why, which or how is used in the question, you cannot use short answers to respond. Example: Where did you were having lunch for the special occasion? We were having lunch in one of the best restaurants of the city. 

As an auxiliary verb:

The verb “to have” is used as an auxiliary to help other verbs to create the perfect tense. Affirmative: Subject + Auxiliary Verb Have or Has + Past Participle Example: I have read a lot of books. He has never been to America. They have already eaten.  As an auxiliary, have, has and had are frequently contracted to the forms 've, 's and 'd, when this is possible.

The standard negative forms of the auxiliaries have, has and had are haven't (have not), hasn't (has not) and hadn't (had not). Example: She hasn’t finished her homework yet.   

Questions: Auxiliary Verb Have or Has + Subject + Past Participle. Examples: Have you ever seen the Northern lights? Yes, I have. No, I haven’t. Hasn't the rain stopped yet? Has she ever been in London? Yes, she has. No, she hasn’t. Where have you been last summer? I have been in Vietnam. What have you been working on lately?

As a modal verb:

We use have to/ has to expresses a strong responsibility, obligation or necessity. This form, of course, must be followed by another verb "We have to do something". This modal has all normal tenses, including continuous forms; these are not common, but need to be used in some cases.

      Affirmative examples: I have to clean my house. She has to go to the doctor. We had to clean the whole house yesterday after the party. If we don’t clean today, we will have to clean tomorrow.
Negative examples: You don’t have to go to work tomorrow. She doesn’t have to do the test. He didn’t have to repeat the exam. You will not have to repeat the exam.
Interrogative examples: Do you have to repeat the test? No, I don’t. Yes, I do. Does she have to repeat the exam? Yes, she does. No, she doesn’t. Who has to repeat the exam? John has to repeat it. Where do you have to go tomorrow? I have to go to hospital. When does she have to repeat the test? She has to repeat the test on Friday.

Can you write some sentences using the verb to have in all its forms and tenses? Don’t forget negative and interrogative sentences too.