Have and Have Got

Have and have got can normally be used without any difference in meaning. Thus, we can say that their meaning is the same but have got is more informal.

Look at these sentences:

I’ve got some money in my wallet.    or    I have some money in my wallet. (more formal)

Tom hasn’t got a dog     or    Tom doesn’t have a dog. (more formal)

• We normally use have (got) to talk about possession, relationships, illnesses, etc. In these contexts, it is not used in the continuous form:

They have a new house   or   They’ve got a new house. Not: They are having a new house

Have you got any brothers or sisters?     or      Do you have any brothers or sisters?

I’ve got a headache.    or    I have a headache.

• For the past we use had (without got)

We had a great time last night.

I had a red bicycle when I was little.

• In past interrogative and negative sentences we use did and did not:

Did you have a mobile phone when you  were little?

I didn’t have blond hair when I was younger. I’m dying it.

• We use have in numerous collocations:

Have breakfast/lunch/dinner

Have a shower/bath

Have a good/bad time

Have  a break/rest/nap/party, etc.

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