have

have is part of the Basic English 850.

Pronunciation

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•  Audio (UK)^{help, file}

Verb

Plain form have

Third person singular has

Simple past had

Past participle had

Present participle having

1. Someone has something if the thing is in their hands. The person is holding or gripping it.

   Do you have a spoon, or do you need me to give you one so you can eat the soup?

2. Someone has something if the thing is that person's thing: the person owns it; it belongs to the person.

   The rich family has a big house.

3. If you have you hold something in the mind.

   I have a doubt about him.

4. If you have you join something.

   We have lunch at 13:00.

5. You use have to say that you suffer from something or to tell the experience.

   I have a defective vision. (I don't see well.)

   He had a wonderful time with his friends.

Auxiliary verb

Plain form have

Third person singular has

Simple past had

Past participle none

Present participle none

Have is also an auxiliary verb. We use it:

• to form the perfect aspect

  I have closed the window. (Also: I've closed the window.)

  I had already eaten before. (Also: I'd already eaten before.)

• as have to instead of must (look entry have to):

• sometimes in present

I have to go.

• as a past tense of must

I had to do it.