3. The verb to have is used in a number of
different ways in English. Here are the main
uses of the verb to have for reference, self-study
and in-class use.
4. To Have - Main Verb
To have is used as a main verb to indicate
possession of objects, characteristics,
relationships or other qualities.
Examples :
• He has three books by Hemingway.
Jane has a sister in France.
Frank has a lot of free time these days.
5. Have Got
Have got is also used, especially in British
English, to indicate possession of objects,
characteristics, relationships or other qualities.
Examples:
He's got some friends in Wales.
He's got red hair and freckles.
Alice has got three cousins.
6. To Have - Main Verb
To have is also used as a main verb to express a number of actions
including:
Have a bath, wash, shower, etc.
Have breakfast, lunch, dinner
Have fun
Have time available
Have questions
Have a party
Have a walk, hike, ride, etc.
Have a discussion, fight, argument etc.
Examples :
Erica is having a bath at the moment.
We're going to have a party next week.
She usually has breakfast at seven o'clock.
7. To Have - Auxiliary Verb
• Have is also used as an auxiliary verb in the perfect
tenses. Remember that the auxiliary verb takes the
conjugation in English, so the verb have will change
depending on the tense. Here is a quick review of the
tenses that use have as an auxiliary verb:
• Present Perfect : He has been to Georgia twice.
• Present Perfect Continuous : They have been waiting for
over an hour.
• Past Perfect : He had already eaten when she arrived.
• Past Perfect Continuous : Jane had been working for two
hours when he telephoned.
• Future Perfect : They will have been gone for four hours
by two o'clock.
• Future Perfect Continuous : Max will have been playing
the piano for two hours by the time he finishes.
8. To Have To Do - Modal Form
• To have to do something expresses the idea that an
action or routine is required of someone. We use to
have to do something to speak about our
responsibilities in life. This form can have the same
meaning as 'must', but is generally preferred when
speaking about responsibilities. 'Must' is generally
used to speak about strong personal obligation (For
example: I must talk to Peter. It's important!) Will
have to do something is used to speak about future
obligations, and had to do something is used to
speak about past obligations. The negative
form don't / didn't have to do something refers to an
action which is not required of someone, but
possible nonetheless. 'Mustn't', on the other hand,
refers to something that is prohibited.
9. Present Examples :
Doug has to get up early every day.
They have to work hard on Saturdays.
She doesn't have to go to work on Saturdays. (It's
possible, but not necessary)
Past Examples :
They had to leave early to catch the flight.
Jennifer had to explain the situation to Peter.
I didn't have to go to the meeting in Dallas. (I could
have gone, but it wasn't necessary)
Future Examples :
He will have to get up early tomorrow.
Janice will have to decide whether she wants to marry
him or not.
They won't have to purchase any additional materials.
(They can, but it's not required.)
10. To Have Something Happen / Happening – Experiences
- Have + object(s) + base form of verb / -ing form -
This form is used to speak about experiences
that have happened, or experience in general.
Examples :
We have people visit us all the time.
Sherry had her children playing in the garden.
11. To Have Something Done - Arrangements
- Have + object(s) + past participle -
This form is used to speak about something
that you arrange to have done for you. This
form is also known as the causative 'have'
because it expresses something which
someone else causes to happen.
Examples :
She had them delivered to her home.
We had Jack promoted to director.
13. The Verb TO BE
Acts as a linking verb, joining the sentences subject
with a subject complement or complement. A linking
verb provides no action to a sentence.
14. Forms
The verb to be has the most forms in English (8 forms):
Base form Present Participle Past Participle
be being been
Present Simple Tense Past Simple Tense
I am
He, She, It is
We, You, They are
I, He, She, It was
We, You, They were
15. Meaning
As a main verb in a sentence, to be is a stative
verb serving as a copula (a verb linking the
subject with it’s complement). As every sentence
in English must have a verb, to be is used in many
cases where there is no action described in the
sentence.
16. Examples :
I am Dan Smith. She is a doctor. We are from Spain.
[Existence, identity]
He was with his sister in Madrid while we were at home.
[Location]
I will be 32 in December.
[Age]
This dress is size 9. Her last apartment was very small.
[Size]
The sky is blue, and so is my favorite color.
[Color]
We are from Italy.
[Origin]
How are you today ? I ’m fine, thanks.
[Mood]
My new teacher is very nice.
The results of our research are very promising.
17. Uses
As an auxiliary verb, to be is used to create progressive verb forms and passive
constructions.
• The general formula for progressive forms is:
Auxiliary verb + Main verb
Be + Present Participle (Ving)
Example :
Donna is reading her new book.
[ is reading is in the Present Progressive Tense]
Her Parents have been working in book publishing for years.
[ have been publishing is in the Present Progressive Tense]
Ron may be traveling in India next month.
[ may be traveling is a modal progressive form]
18. • The general formula for passive forms is:
Auxiliary verb + Main verb
Be + Past Participle
Example :
English is spoken around the world.
[ is spoken is in the Present Simple Passive]
While the new airport was being built, my parents decided to move.
[ Was being built is in the Past Progressive Passive]
This story could have been written differently.
[ could have been written is in a modal perfect passive form]
19. In Negative Sentences
When a sentence in either the Present Simple
or Past Simple tenses has to be as a main verb,
then no auxiliary verb is needed for negation.
The word not is simply added after the verb. In
other words, the verbs to be and to do do not
appear in one verb phrase together.
20. Examples :
Positive sentence – She is from Spain.
Negative sentence – She is not from
Spain.
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb
needed]
Positive sentence – She works in Madrid.
Negative Sentence – She doesn’t work in
Madrid.
[ to be is not he main verb, auxiliary verb
needed]
21. In Questions
When a sentence in either the Present Simple or
Past Simple tenses has to be as a main verb, then
no auxiliary verb is needed for forming questions.
The be verb form is inverted before the subject. In
other words, the verbs to be and to do do not
appear in one verb phrase together.
22. Example :
Positive sentence – She is from Spain.
Yes/No question – Is she from Spain ?
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She works in Madrid.
Yes/No question – Does she work in Madrid ?
[ to be is not he main verb, auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She is from Spain.
Wh question – Where is she from ?
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She works in Madrid.
Wh question – Where does she work in ?
[ to be is not he main verb, auxiliary verb needed]
Positive sentence – She is my friend from Spain.
Wh Subject question – Who is she ?
[ to be is the main verb, no auxiliary verb needed in a Wh subject question]
Positive sentence – My Spanish friend works in Madrid.
Wh Subject question – Who works in Madrid ?
[ to be is not he main verb, no auxiliary verb needed in a Wh subject question]
23. With time expressions
Frequency adverbs appear after the verb to
be and not before, as with other verbs.
She is usually on time and always works very
well.
[ usually appears after is, always appears
before works]