Episode 5: What Do You Have?

have/has, have got — Wright Brothers, 1900 (A1-A2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: We use have and has to show possession (things we own). Have got means the same thing. Both are correct.

Form: I/you/we/they + have / he/she/it + has (also: have got / has got)

Example 1: I have a car. (American style)

Example 2: She’s got a good idea. (British style)

Common mistake: Wrong: She have a dog. Better: She has a dog.

The Question

Luna counts on her fingers. “I have a dream. She has a plan. They have problems.” She stops. “But my British friend says ‘I’ve got a dream.’ Are they different?” The watch glows. Professor Wisdom grins. “Let’s meet two brothers who had nothing but ideas.”

The Journey

They stand in a bicycle shop. The smell of oil and metal fills the air. Tools hang on every wall. Two men work at a table covered with drawings and wood pieces.

These are Wilbur and Orville Wright. Wilbur is 33. Orville is 29. They fix bicycles for a living. No college degrees. No rich family. No powerful friends. But they have something else. They have curiosity. They have courage. And they have each other.

This is Dayton, Ohio. 1900. The world says flying is impossible. Scientists have tried and failed. The brothers don’t care what experts say. They have dreams bigger than their small shop.

Wilbur looks at their latest design. “We have a problem with balance,” he says. Orville nods. “But we’ve got an idea. Birds tilt their wings.” They work through the night. They have no fancy equipment. They have basic tools and cheap materials. But they’ve got determination.

People mock them. Newspapers call them crazy. They have no funding. No support. Just their bicycle money and their shared belief. Wilbur writes in his notebook. “We have everything we need. We’ve got time. We’ve got each other. We have the will to try.”

You can hear hammers tapping. You can smell sawdust in the air. Their hands are rough with calluses. Outside, regular life continues. Inside, the future is being built. It’s cold in the shop. But their excitement keeps them warm.

The Insight

Professor Wisdom watches the brothers work. “Listen to their words. ‘We have a problem. We’ve got an idea.’ Both mean the same—to possess, to own. ‘Have’ and ‘has’ are American style. ‘Have got’ and ‘has got’ are more British. For I, you, we, they—use ‘have.’ For he, she, it—use ‘has.’ Both ways are correct. Both ways show what belongs to you.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

“I have three sisters.” — Possession: family members.
“She has a beautiful voice.” — Possession: a quality or talent.
“We’ve got tickets for the concert.” — British style: possession.
“He’s got a new job.” — British style: achievement.
“Do you have any questions?” — American question form.
“Have you got a pen?” — British question form.

Exercises:

Fill in the blank: They ___ a big house in the city. (have / has)
Choose the correct:
a) She have two cats.
b) She has two cats.
Match the same meaning:
– I have a car → I’ve got a car
– He has a problem → He’s got a problem
– We have time → We’ve got time
Complete: My brother ___ a bicycle. I ___ a skateboard. We both ___ fun.
Your turn: Write three sentences about what you have using “have,” “has,” or “have got.”

Answer Key:

have (they = plural = have)
b) She has two cats (she = singular = has)
I have a car = I’ve got a car / He has a problem = He’s got a problem / We have time = We’ve got time
has / have / have (brother = he = has; I = have; we = have)
Check: Did you use “have” for I/you/we/they? Did you use “has” for he/she/it? Both “have” and “have got” are correct.

The Lesson

They return to Luna’s room. The watch dims. Luna smiles. “I have questions. I’ve got answers now. Same meaning, different words.” Professor Wisdom nods. “What you have matters less than what you do with it. The Wright brothers had almost nothing. But they’ve got their place in history.”