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Nina_Nia Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Have vs Having
Hello,
Which grammar rule explains the use of 'have' in the first sentence and 'having' in the last two sentences?
1.I have a car.
2.I am having dinner,
3.He was standing and having a smoke.
A Russian textbook says that when the verb 'to have' is used in it's first meaning (for example 'to have dinner,' 'to have a smoke' etc) 'having' is used instead of 'have'. Some English learners I know find this rule rather confusing. Some of them say that in this phrase 'I have a car' the verb expresses the same idea as in 'I am having a smoke or dinner.
Thanks
Which grammar rule explains the use of 'have' in the first sentence and 'having' in the last two sentences?
1.I have a car.
2.I am having dinner,
3.He was standing and having a smoke.
A Russian textbook says that when the verb 'to have' is used in it's first meaning (for example 'to have dinner,' 'to have a smoke' etc) 'having' is used instead of 'have'. Some English learners I know find this rule rather confusing. Some of them say that in this phrase 'I have a car' the verb expresses the same idea as in 'I am having a smoke or dinner.
Thanks
Top answer
" means that the person has a car but can also stop having it (which sometimes happens in life, which is not always a box of chocolates). " means that the person has a car. Period.
- " means that the person has a car but can also stop having it (which sometimes happens in life, which is not always a box of chocolates).
- " means that the person has a car.
- Period.
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8 Answers
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The sentence "I am having a car." means that the person has a car but can also stop having it (which sometimes happens in life, which is not always a box of chocolates).
The sentence "I have a car." means that the person has a car. Period.
The sentence "I have a car." means that the person has a car. Period.
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Nina_Nia1.I have a car.1.I have a car. (possession. I own a car. The car is mine.)
2.I am having dinner,
3.He was standing and having a smoke.
2.I am having dinner, (eating. I am eating dinner.)
3.He was standing and having a smoke. (smoking. He was smoking a cigar/cigarette.)
The verb have is not used in
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In the first sentence,you mean"you own a car",it's a fact,or a status.
and in the last two sentences ,the word "have" means "eat" or "enjoy",the action in happening.The "have" use progressive tense here.
and in the last two sentences ,the word "have" means "eat" or "enjoy",the action in happening.The "have" use progressive tense here.
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Hi,
Are you asking about grammar, or about the meaning of 'have'?
Which grammar rule explains the use of 'have' in the first sentence and 'having' in the last two sentences?
1.I have a car. This is Simple Present tense.
2.I am having dinner
Are you asking about grammar, or about the meaning of 'have'?
Which grammar rule explains the use of 'have' in the first sentence and 'having' in the last two sentences?
1.I have a car. This is Simple Present tense.
2.I am having dinner
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Anonymous The sentence "I am having a car." means that the person has a car but can also stop having it (which sometimes happens in life, which is not always a box of chocolates).Dear Anonymous Poster,
I think you may have mixed that up a bit.
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'to have' is a state verb. So if you use the continuous form, the meaning changes.
to have a car - possession
having dinner/having a smoke - you're about to have dinner, to have a smoke. You're in the middle of doing it.
LS
to have a car - possession
having dinner/having a smoke - you're about to have dinner, to have a smoke. You're in the middle of doing it.
LS
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JohnParis Dear Anonymous Poster,I think you may have mixed that up a bit. ?JohnRight, John, only Mama always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them.
Anyway, "I have a car" sounds better than "I am having a car."
Also, "I am having a car."sounds better than "I will be having a car (may be)." and much better than "I was having a car."
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As an ESOL teacher we teach that stative verbs cannot be used in present continuous, so I believe in I am having dinner - having dinner is a noun and having is a gerund. I find it confusing, too!!
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