Auxiliary Verbs: To have

The auxiliary verb "to have" is an important verb has many uses in English, e.g. it helps form English tenses.

Present Simple Past Simple
Singular Plural Singular Plural
I have
you
he has
she
it
we have
you
they
I had
you
we
you
they
we had
you
they

Negative sentences are formed by adding "not", and questions by using inversion.

Questions and negatives in the Present Simple and Past Simple are formed using "do", "does" and "did", for example:

  • Did you go to school today?
  • She doesn't know my name.

In British English to express possesion "have got" is also used:

  • Have you got a new car?

The verb "to have" is the most common auxiliary used for perfect tenses.

"Have to"

"have + to-infinitive" is used to express duty and obligation.

  • We have to tidy our rooms once a week.
  • She had to see a doctor after 2 weeks.

Read about other uses of to have

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