Grammar · Verb & Sentence Basics
Have and Have Got
Two ways to say the same thing. Learn have, has, have got and has got with the film Chicken Run.
Grammar › Verb & Sentence Basics › Have and Have Got
The rule in one sentenceHave and have got mean the same thing: you own it, or it is yours. Use has for he, she and it.
About the film
Chicken Run is a film from 2000. Ginger is a clever hen. She has a plan. Mrs Tweedy is the farmer’s wife. She’s got a pie machine! Rocky is a rooster from America. He’s got big wings.
What do “have” and “have got” do?
Both say that something is yours. You can say have. You can say have got. The meaning is the same.
Look at Ginger. Both sentences say the same thing:
The word changes with the person. I, you, we and they take have. He, she and it take has. This is true for both:
People say the short form of have got. Learn it:
Mrs Tweedy has a pie machine. Mrs Tweedy’s got a pie machine.
Two sentences, one idea. The chickens are not happy about that machine!
Visual guide
👉 Swipe through Teacher Teddy’s 6-slide illustrated guide to this rule
How to make it
Have / has
Ginger has a plan.
Rocky doesn’t have a plan.
don’t have / doesn’t haveDo the chickens have a plan?
Do / Does + person + have + …Have got / has got
Ginger’s got a plan.
Rocky hasn’t got a plan.
haven’t got / hasn’t gotHave the chickens got a plan?
Have / Has + person + got + …When to use each one
Have — good everywhere
Have got — good when you talk
Words that help: remember this
There are no special words to look for. Just remember three things:
Have and have got → the same meaning
Have → questions and “no” need do / does
Have got → no do / does
Common mistakes
❌ Ginger have got a plan.
✅ Ginger has got a plan.
Ginger is “she”. He, she and it → has.
❌ Do you have got a plan?
✅ Have you got a plan?
Do not use “do” with “got”. Say Have you got or Do you have.
❌ Rocky don’t have a plan.
✅ Rocky doesn’t have a plan.
Rocky is “he”. He, she and it → doesn’t.
❌ The chickens has got a flying machine.
✅ The chickens have got a flying machine.
“The chickens” is more than one. More than one → have.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
Before now, use “had” only. There is no “had got” for the past. Say had on its own.
✅ Before Rocky came, the chickens had no way out. ❌ the chickens had got no way out
Practice: choose the right words
Eight questions. Choose one answer. You get the answer, and why.
1. Ginger ___ a plan.
Ginger is “she” → has.
2. The chickens ___ got a flying machine.
The chickens are more than one → have got.
3. Rocky ___ big wings.
Rocky is “he” → he’s got.
4. ___ the chickens have a plan?
A question with “have” (no got) needs do / does → Do.
5. ___ Mrs Tweedy got a pie machine?
A question with “got” does not use do / does → Has.
6. Rocky ___ a plan.
Rocky is “he” → doesn’t have.
7. The farm ___ a big fence.
The farm is “it” → has (or has got).
8. I ___ an idea!
I → have got, short form I’ve got.
Your turn
Choose one word that is true for you. Then listen to your sentence.
Every word here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
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