Do you have a pen?

Question

Hi,Are both accepted, and/or grammatically correct?Do you have a pen?  (reply)  Yes, I have.Do you have a pen?  (reply)  Yes, I do.This was discussed in the followiing thread:The OP seemed satisfied with the resolution, but I was totally confused.The confusion for me was due to the statement "I've got X," which kept intruding and muddying the waters."I've got X" is not part of my question.Many thanks for your consideration.   - A.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AvangiAre both accepted, and/or grammatically correct?

Do you have a pen? (reply) Yes, I have.
Do you have a pen? (reply) Yes, I do.

Yes. I accept both of them, in any case.

I suppose you were thinking that this one would be "more correct":

Have you a pen? -- Yes, I have.

They do match up better, but I accept the other one as well.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Thanks, Jim.
Actually, your supposition is ill-founded.

I'm only concerned with the two examples given. I'm comfortable with both of them, but I've been known to use your substitute.

What I'm trying to get at is that tags typically use the auxilliaries associated with the question.
If the tag is in response to a statement, we use the auxilliary which would go with the "question version."

You seem to be tired. (reply) Yes, I am. (Are you tired?)

You handled that well. (reply) Yes, I did. (Did you handle that well?)

In the aforementioned thread, it came to light that "to have" as a main verb seems to accept itself as a tag as well as the auxilliary, "do."
This is puzzling. Is "to have" unique in this, or are there others?
It seems like only "Yes, I do." should be correct in my original examples.

I'm just wondering if this question ever comes up in grammatical circles.

Thanks much!

CalifJim · Answer

AvangiI'm just wondering if this question ever comes up in grammatical circles.

Yes. Main-verb HAVE is unique. It works with or without what is called "DO-support".

Have you a pen? / Do you have a pen?

I have.
Have you a pen? / Do you have a pen?
I do.

You have a pen, and so have I.
You have a pen, and so do I.

I haven't a pen, but Johnny has.
I haven't a pen, but Johnny does.
I don't have a pen, but Johnny has.
I don't have a pen, but Johnny does.

(Many authors claim that main-verb HAVE without DO-support is characteristic of British English.)

In contrast, main-verb BE never takes DO-support, and all other verbs (except HAVE as discussed above) always take it.
(Auxiliary usages never take DO-support, of course: *do will, *does can, *did have seen, *does be taken)

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Thank you very much. This is what I was looking for.

It seems to be shaping up that "main-verb HAVE" is in one special category and "do-support DO" is in yet another. I have been lumping "non-main-verb DO" in with the auxilliaries, but I guess it doesn't belong there.

Auxiliary usages never take DO-support

Thanks again! - A.

Everlastinghope · Answer

Hey guys,I'm really confused.I remember having been taught and having read in English grammar books that when we ask a question statrting with "do" " do you have a pen",the answer mustn't be "yes I have",but yes I do because the question starts with "do" not "have".

So if I say " did you paint your house?",are the two answers possible according to you ?if not,what should be the answer in this case?

Many thanks

Avangi · Answer

Hi, ever.

This trick applies only when the main verb is "to have." It doesn't work with "to paint."

The answer would be, "Yes, I did."

If you use the present perfect tense, then "have" becomes an auxilliary, and would be used in the tag:

Have you painted your house? (reply) Yes, I have.

But: Did you have your house painted? (reply) Yes, I did.
(in this case, "have" is the main verb, but "Yes, I had" doesn't seem to work.)
Yeah, I know. "To have somebody do something" is a special case.

You and the OP in the referenced thread must have read the same grammar books.

That's the way he began his thread. But it got confused because his example was, "I've got more teeth than brain cells." (reply) "Yes, you have." And *** only knows what the main verb is in "I've got X."
The OP claimed his question was about "have" as the main verb, but it didn't seem to turn out that way.
(Check out the URL.)

Everlastinghope · Answer

Hello,

Okay,I think I didn't explain myself correctly.I didn't want to mention other verbs,so sorry.I mean if for instance you have been asked the following :

Did you have a pet when you were living abroad ?should the reply be "yes,I did" or "yes, I have"?

what I understood is that when "have" is the main verb,the reply should be "yes,I have" am I right ?or both"yes,I have","yes,I did" are correct ?

Everlastinghope · Answer

CalifJimHave you a pen? / Do you have a pen?
I have.
Have you a pen? / Do you have a pen?
I do.

If the question is " have you got a pen ?",what should be the reply,"yes,I have" or "yes,I do" ?though I think that "do" doesn't work here.

What I deduce here is that we can answer by "yes,I have" only if the main verb is "have",is that right guys ?

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimIn contrast, main-verb BE never takes DO-support, and all other verbs always take it.

This is a useful way to look at it.
These questions about short/tag answers have sent me down the wrong road. I have instinctively tried to put all these tag verb particles into the same temporary category, and nothing could be more wrong.
You can't just plug them into the pattern: "Yes, I/you" + particle. (But it sure seemed that way!)

Avangi · Answer

everlastinghopeI remember having been taught and having read in English grammar books that when we ask a question statrting with "do" " do you have a pen",the answer mustn't be "yes I have",but yes I do because the question starts with "do" not "have".

everlastinghopewhat I understood is that when "have" is the main verb,the reply should be "yes,I have"

So do you agree that these two things which you were taught and which you learned are completely contradictory?

The recent concensus seemed to be that when "to have" is the main verb, either tag is acceptable. I have absolutely no idea what rule or rules this concensus grows out of.

Do you have a pen?

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