B2- HAVE; AUXILIARY AND MAIN VERB
Explicación
HAVE — Main Verb vs Auxiliary Verb
Grammar Guide · B2
📌 What is the Difference?
Have can function in two different ways in English. The structure changes depending on how it is used.
Main Verb
Expresses possession, obligation, experiences, and actions. Uses do/does/did in questions and negatives.
Auxiliary Verb
Forms perfect tenses and other grammatical structures. No "do" needed — contractions possible (I've, she's, they'd).
HAVE as a Main Verb
1️⃣ Possession
Subject + have / has + object
- I have two brothers.
- She has a new car.
- Do you have money?
- He doesn't have a passport.
- We had a small house.
⚠ Important
Stative verb → NOT used in continuous form.❌ I am having a car.
✔ I have a car.
2️⃣ Obligation — HAVE TO
Subject + have / has to + base verb
- I have to wake up early.
- She has to follow the rules.
- Do we have to finish today?
- They don't have to pay now.
- He didn't have to explain.
💡 Note
"Don't have to" = no necessity (NOT prohibition).
3️⃣ Causative Form
Subject + have + object + past participle
- I have my hair cut every month.
- She had her house painted.
- We are having the roof repaired.
- He had his phone stolen.
- They had their car damaged.
💡 Note
Dynamic verb → can be continuous.Informal: use get (e.g. I got my hair cut).
4️⃣ Experiences & Actions
have + noun (take / give / experience)
- I had a sandwich.
- She is having a shower.
- They are having a meeting.
- We are having problems.
- Did you have a good time?
💡 Meanings
Take → have breakfast, have a showerGive → have a party
Experience → have problems
HAVE as an Auxiliary Verb
💡 Key Rules — Auxiliary Have
- No "do" needed for questions or negatives.
- Contractions are possible: I've, she's, they'd, haven't, hadn't…
- Used to form all perfect tenses and modal perfects.
📗 Perfect Tenses
Present Perfect — have/has + past participle
- I have finished.
- She has traveled.
- Have you seen it?
- They haven't arrived.
Past Perfect — had + past participle
- She had left before we arrived.
- We hadn't met before.
Future Perfect — will have + past participle
- I will have completed it by Friday.
- She will have finished by then.
📘 Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been studying for hours.
- She has been working all day.
Past Perfect Continuous
- They had been waiting for an hour.
Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been working here for 10 years.
📙 Have Got — Possession
Subject + have / has got + object
- I've got two sisters.
- She hasn't got a car.
- Have you got any questions?
⚠ Note
Only used in the present. Mainly British English.
📗 Have Got To — Obligation
Subject + have / has got to + base verb
- I've got to leave now.
- She's got to call her doctor.
- Have you got to work tomorrow?
💡 Note
Similar meaning to must. Used for strong obligation in spoken English.
✨ Perfect Infinitive
to have + past participle
- I'm happy to have met you.
- She seems to have forgotten.
- He claims to have seen it.
✨ Modal Perfect
modal + have + past participle
- She must have left.
- You can't have done that.
- They might have misunderstood.
- I should have studied more.
Summary Table
| Use | Auxiliary? | Needs "do"? | Contractions? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possession (have a car) | No | Yes | No |
| Obligation (have to) | No | Yes | No |
| Causative (have it done) | No | Yes | No |
| Experiences (have lunch) | No | Yes | No |
| Perfect Tenses | Yes | No | Yes |
| Have got (possession) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Modal Perfect | Yes | No | Yes |
Ejercicio 1
Instrucción: Choose the correct form of have to complete each sentence. Pay attention to whether it works as a main verb or an auxiliary verb.
Main Verb
possession · obligation (have to) · causative · experiences → uses do/does/did
Auxiliary Verb
perfect tenses · have got · modal perfect → no "do" needed
1
When they were younger, they ______ a dog.
2
She ______ already finished her homework.
3
______ you ever been to Canada?
4
We ______ to wear uniforms at work.
5
He ______ his car repaired last week.
6
I'm sorry, I ______ time to talk right now.
7
They ______ been waiting for over an hour.
8
She ______ got two sisters.
9
We ______ to leave early tomorrow morning.
10
You must ______ made a mistake.
Ejercicio 2
Instrucción: Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Pay attention to the context — it tells you whether have is acting as a main verb or an auxiliary verb.
Main Verb
possession · have to · causative · experiences → uses do/does/did
Auxiliary Verb
perfect tenses · have got · modal perfect · perfect infinitive → no "do"
1
She can't talk right now because she ______ a meeting.
2
They are believed ______ the country last night.
3
I didn't go to the party because I ______ too much work to do.
4
He must ______ forgotten about the appointment.
5
We ______ already finished the project when the manager arrived.
6
She ______ wear a uniform at her new job.
7
I'm exhausted. I ______ been working all day.
8
He ______ his phone stolen while he was on vacation.
9
______ you got any idea what time it is?
10
By next year, they will ______ completed the new bridge.