Do the following sentences sound right?

Question

I need to know whether the following sentences sound OK in spoken American English and Brititsh English.

What do I look like? (What is a possible answer to this question? Can we use the same response to answer the question How do I look?)

I have a problem memorizing words. (Shouldn't we just say either I have trouble memoring words or I have a problem with vocabulary instead of the awkward have a problem + V-ing syntax?)

No. I haven't got two sisters. I just have one. (Can we use haven't got for for more than one object? Or we only use it for one, i.e. I haven't got a pen.)

Have you got to avoid dairy products? (Can we use have got to in the interrogative case? Or it's better to use Do you have to?)

Thanks.

Mr Wordy · Accepted Answer

This is my BrE perspective:

lagatawWhat do I look like? (What is a possible answer to this question? Can we use the same response to answer the question How do I look?)

If you want an opinion on whether your dress suits you, whether your hair is OK, etc., then it's more usual to ask "How do I look?"

-- "How do I look?"

-- "You look lovely, dear" / "That skirt is a bit tight" / "You might have bothered to shave!"

"What do I look like?" can be used the same way, but it tends to invites a comparison with some category of person or type of object, and may suggest a more unusual appearance:

-- "What do I look like?"

-- "You look like a cross between Frank Sinatra and Homer Simpson"

lagatawI have a problem memorizing words. (Shouldn't we just say either I have trouble memoring words or I have a problem with vocabulary instead of the awkward have a problem + V-ing syntax?)

"I have a problem memorizing words" is fine (not awkward), but note that it is not quite the same thing as "I have a problem remembering words". There is no word "memoring".

lagatawNo. I haven't got two sisters. I just have one. (Can we use haven't got for for more than one object? Or we only use it for one, i.e. I haven't got a pen.)

This is OK in conversational BrE. In more formal English "I don't have ..." is better".

lagatawHave you got to avoid dairy products? (Can we use have got to in the interrogative case? Or it's better to use Do you have to?)

I find this tolerable in conversational BrE (probably say it myself), but "Do you have to..." is better really.

Lagataw · Answer

Mr WordyThere is no word "memoring".

Sorry. Apparently, my proofreading skills are not that good.
Anyway, can I say then, that "I have a problem memorizing words" and "I have trouble memorizing words" are essentially the same?

Mr Wordy · Answer

lagatawAnyway, can I say then, that "I have a problem memorizing words" and "I have trouble memorizing words" are essentially the same?

Yes.

Lagataw · Answer

Thank you very much Mr Worthy!<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' alt='Emotion: big smile'/>

Do the following sentences sound right?

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