Have vs Have got

[Serzige]

Ok guys, here I go...
I tend to say a lot of things with the expression "have got". For instance, "I've got a lot of work to do". I know you can say the same thing using "have" (I have a lot of work to do).I want you to tell me if there is such a big difference in using them (I mean, when it is suitable?). Plus, I'd like to know if there is a way to say things with "have got" in a negative sense, like " I don't've got a lot of work to do". For sure there is an explanation but I don't what it is...

So, help me out guys. Thanks!
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Sergio M.
"Life is too short to grieve in sorrow"

[Yankee]

Hi Serzige

You can use 'have' and 'have got' interchangeably (to refer to something you possess).

The negative form of 'have/has got' is 'have/has not got':

"He hasn't got any money."
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Amy
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ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Alan]

Hi Serzige,

To me the use of 'have' and 'have got' varies slightly. I think this is because 'have' is so widely used with many different meanings that the use of 'have got' defines more clearly the sense of possession/ownership. In a conversation for example A is offering help to B:

A Do you want to borrow my electric screwdriver to help you do it more quickly?

B No thanks, I've got one myself.

If you used 'I have one myself', this would sound very formal.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Communicating with you?

[Serzige]

Thanks,
But in such a case like "I've got one myself", how would you change it in a negative way? Could it be "I dont've got one" or I haven't got one"?

thanks for your time!
_________________
Sergio M.
"Life is too short to grieve in sorrow"

[Yankee]

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Standard English (BE and AmE):

"I've got one myself" --> I haven't got one myself."

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Extremely informal (slang!) usage in AmE:

"I got one myself" --> "I don't got one myself" -OR- "I ain't got one myself".
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_________________
Amy
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ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Huevos]

[Yankee]

Hi Huevos

Yes, that's basically how I see it. The contracted part of "have got" is often completely omitted in conversational AmE, leaving only the word "got" with a meaning equivalent to "own" or "possess". However, I'd also say that "I don't have" would still be far more commonly used than "I don't got".
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_________________
Amy
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ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English