have or having

[Geo777]

Hi, everybody

"Oh, hello. Can you help me? I have just bought a hi-fi system from you and I have / I'm having some problems starting it."

The verb have means do or possess in this sentence. If it means "do", I can use countinuous tense. Am I right?

have trouble, have a bath, have a drink etc. - do

have a new car, have a cold, have a good idea, have brown hair - possess.

Thank you
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Slow but sure.

[Mister Micawber]

Yes, you are right.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Shadabt]

Thanks for your help

[Geo777]

[quote="Mister Micawber"]Yes, you are right.[/quote


I'm having some problems (do). Can I use this structure in grammar test?

I'm asking because I took the English grammar exam yesterday and I wrote "I'm having some problems" in my test but my teacher said it was a mistake.

Thank you
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Slow but sure.

[Mister Micawber]

'I'm having some problems' = I'm having difficulties. Is that what you mean? I don't understand '(do)', which you have written after your sentence.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Geo777]

Yes, I mean "I'm having difficulties". The man is explaining to other person that he can't turn on a hi-fi system at the moment.

I've just written "do" because I know that verb "have" has two meanings "do" and "possess". If it means "possess" we can't use continuous tenses.
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Slow but sure.

[Mister Micawber]

Then, yes, you are right: 'I'm having problems with my hi-fi' is perfectly fine. 'Starting' is an odd word there, though-- we normally start engines, not appliances.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Geo777]

Thank you
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Slow but sure.

[Zinokabyl]

thank you