A1 Questions & Negation 4 min read Easy

Verb 'have': Questions and negatives (do/does)

Do or does always join have for questions and negatives!
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To ask questions or say 'no' with 'have', you must use the helper verbs 'do' or 'does'.

  • Use 'do' for I, you, we, they: 'Do you have a pen?'
  • Use 'does' for he, she, it: 'Does she have a car?'
  • In negatives and questions, 'has' always changes back to 'have': 'She doesn't have' (not 'has').
Do/Does + Subject + have + ? / Subject + don't/doesn't + have

Overview

The word have is very important in English.
You use it for things you own.
You use it for family and friends.
To ask questions, you need the words do or does.
To say "no", you also need do or does.
This is different from the word be.
Learning this helps you talk about your daily life.

How This Grammar Works

In English, we use "helping words" for questions and "no" sentences.
These words are do and does.
When you say I have a car, have is the main word.
You cannot make a question with just have.
You must pick do or does based on the subject.
  • Use do with I, you, we, and they.
  • Use do for more than one person (e.g., my parents).
  • Use does with he, she, and it.
  • Use does for one person (e.g., my friend).
Here is a very important rule.
When you use do or does, always use have.
Do not use has in these sentences.
The word does shows the grammar.
The word have stays the same.
For example, say Does she have a book?.
| Subject | Helping Word |
| :-------------- | :------------- |
| I | do |
| You | do |
| He | does |
| She | does |
| It | does |
| We | do |
| They | do |
| Singular Noun | does |
| Plural Noun | do |
I do not have a car.
He does not have a brother.
Do they have a meeting?

Formation Pattern

1
Making questions and "no" sentences is easy with a pattern.
2
Negative Statements
3
To say you do not have something, use this pattern:
4
Subject + do/does + not + have + thing.
5
In daily life, short words are very common.
6
Do not becomes don't.
7
Does not becomes doesn't.
8
This sounds more natural when you speak.
9
| Subject | Short Form |
10
| :---------------- | :--------------------- |
11
| I | don't |
12
| You | don't |
13
| He | doesn't |
14
| She | doesn't |
15
| It | doesn't |
16
| We | don't |
17
| They | don't |
18
| My friend | doesn't |
19
| Our neighbors | don't |
20
Consider these examples:
21
I don't have time for that project.
22
He doesn't have a brother.
23
My phone doesn't have a battery.
24
Questions
25
To ask a question, put Do or Does first.
26
This tells the listener it is a question.
27
Do/Does + Subject + have + thing?
28
These are "yes/no" questions.
29
Short answers are very polite in English.
30
They help you avoid repeating words.
31
| Subject | Helping Word | Yes Answer | No Answer |
32
| :---------- | :----------- | :----------------------- | :-------------------- |
33
| I | Do | Yes, I do. | No, I don't. |
34
| You | Do | Yes, you do. | No, I don't. |
35
| He | Does | Yes, he does. | No, he doesn't. |
36
| She | Does | Yes, she does. | No, she doesn't. |
37
| It | Does | Yes, it does. | No, it doesn't. |
38
| We | Do | Yes, we do. | No, we don't. |
39
| They | Do | Yes, they do. | No, they don't. |
40
Example questions and short answers:
41
Do you have a pen? Yes, I do.
42
Does he have a dog? No, he doesn't.
43
Do they have kids? Yes, they do.

When To Use It

Use do and does with have in many situations.
  • Possession: Use this for things you own.
  • Do you have a new phone?
  • I don't have my wallet.
  • He doesn't have a car.
  • Relationships: Use this for family and friends.
  • Does she have a sister?
  • They don't have many friends here.
  • We don't have a good boss.
  • Characteristics or Attributes: Use this for parts of things.
  • Does your house have a garden?
  • The computer doesn't have a camera.
  • The game doesn't have many problems.
  • Experiences, Events, or Obligations: Use this for plans, work, or school.
  • Do you have a meeting today?
  • I don't have a class on Monday.
  • Does he have a doctor's appointment?

2. Present Simple: Negative and Question Forms

Subject Negative Form Question Form Short Answer (+) Short Answer (-)
I
don't have
Do I have...?
Yes, I do.
No, I don't.
You
don't have
Do you have...?
Yes, you do.
No, you don't.
He
doesn't have
Does he have...?
Yes, he does.
No, he doesn't.
She
doesn't have
Does she have...?
Yes, she does.
No, she doesn't.
It
doesn't have
Does it have...?
Yes, it does.
No, it doesn't.
We
don't have
Do we have...?
Yes, we do.
No, we don't.
They
don't have
Do they have...?
Yes, they do.
No, they don't.

Contractions

Full Form Contraction
do not
don't
does not
doesn't

Meanings

Using the auxiliary verb 'do' to form questions and negative statements when 'have' indicates possession, relationships, or characteristics.

1

Possession

Asking about or denying ownership of physical objects.

“I don't have my keys.”

“Do you have a map?”

2

Relationships

Talking about family members or social connections.

“Does she have a sister?”

“We don't have many friends here.”

3

Characteristics/States

Describing features of things or people, or temporary states like illnesses.

“Does the room have a window?”

“I don't have a headache anymore.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Verb 'have': Questions and negatives (do/does)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (I/You/We/They)
Subject + have
I have a car.
Affirmative (He/She/It)
Subject + has
She has a car.
Negative (I/You/We/They)
Subject + don't + have
They don't have a car.
Negative (He/She/It)
Subject + doesn't + have
He doesn't have a car.
Question (I/You/We/They)
Do + Subject + have...?
Do you have a car?
Question (He/She/It)
Does + Subject + have...?
Does she have a car?
Short Answer (Negative)
No, + Subject + don't/doesn't
No, she doesn't.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Does he possess a vehicle?

Does he possess a vehicle? (Transportation)

Neutral
Does he have a car?

Does he have a car? (Transportation)

Informal
Does he have a car?

Does he have a car? (Transportation)

Slang
He got a ride?

He got a ride? (Transportation)

The 'Do' Helper System

HAVE

Questions

  • Do you have? Standard question
  • Does she have? Third person question

Negatives

  • I don't have Standard negative
  • He doesn't have Third person negative

Affirmative vs. Negative/Question

Affirmative
She HAS The 's' is on the verb
Negative/Question
She DOESN'T HAVE The 's' moves to 'does'

Choosing Do or Does

1

Is the subject He, She, or It?

YES
Use DOES / DOESN'T + HAVE
NO
Use DO / DON'T + HAVE
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Examples by Level

1

Do you have a pen?

2

I don't have a car.

3

Does she have a brother?

4

He doesn't have a dog.

1

Does your house have a garden?

2

We don't have any milk in the fridge.

3

Do they have a meeting today?

4

She doesn't have much money.

1

Do you have any idea what time it is?

2

The company doesn't have a good reputation.

3

Does this plan have any chance of success?

4

I don't have the patience for this.

1

Does the contract have a termination clause?

2

He doesn't have the authority to sign that.

3

Do these results have any statistical significance?

4

The city doesn't have the infrastructure for such an event.

1

Does the proposal have the backing of the board?

2

The argument doesn't have a leg to stand on.

3

Do you have any reservations about the new policy?

4

The film doesn't have the same impact as the book.

1

Rarely do we have such an opportunity to effect change.

2

Does the narrative have a cohesive internal logic?

3

The defendant doesn't have a shred of evidence in his favor.

4

Do you have the wherewithal to complete this task?

Easily Confused

Verb 'have': Questions and negatives (do/does) vs Have vs. Have got

Learners see 'I haven't got' and think they can say 'I haven't a car'.

Verb 'have': Questions and negatives (do/does) vs Have as an auxiliary verb

In 'I have seen', 'have' is a helper. In 'I have a car', 'have' is the main verb.

Verb 'have': Questions and negatives (do/does) vs Has in negatives

Thinking 'she' always needs 'has', even in negatives.

Common Mistakes

✗

I no have a car.

✓

I don't have a car.

English requires 'don't' for negatives, not just 'no'.
✗

Does he has a pen?

✓

Does he have a pen?

After 'does', the verb must be in the base form 'have'.
✗

He doesn't has a dog.

✓

He doesn't have a dog.

After 'doesn't', use 'have', not 'has'.
✗

Have you a sister?

✓

Do you have a sister?

While technically possible in very old English, 'do you have' is the modern standard.
✗

Do she have a car?

✓

Does she have a car?

Subject-verb agreement: 'she' requires 'does'.
✗

I haven't a clue.

✓

I don't have a clue.

In American English, 'haven't' is only used for the Present Perfect (e.g., I haven't seen).
✗

Does the room has enough light?

✓

Does the room have enough light?

Even at advanced levels, the 'does + has' slip-up occurs in fast speech.

Sentence Patterns

Do you have ___?

I don't have ___.

Does she have ___?

The ___ doesn't have ___.

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

Do u have the address?

Ordering food very common

Do you have any vegetarian options?

Job Interview occasional

Do you have any questions for us?

Travel / Customs common

I don't have anything to declare.

Social Media very common

She doesn't have many followers.

Tech Support common

Does your computer have the latest update?

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💡

The 'S' Rule

Remember: The 's' in 'has' moves to 'does'. Once it moves, it's gone from the main verb!
⚠️

Avoid 'I haven't'

Unless you are in a very formal setting in the UK, avoid saying 'I haven't a...'. It sounds very unnatural to most modern speakers.
🎯

Short Answers

In English, we rarely just say 'Yes' or 'No'. Use 'Yes, I do' or 'No, I don't' to sound more polite and natural.
💬

Got vs. Have

If you hear 'Have you got...?', it means the same thing as 'Do you have...?'. Don't let it confuse you!

Smart Tips

Think of 'does' as a magnet that pulls the 's' away from 'has'.

She doesn't has a cat. → She doesn't have a cat.

Always start with 'Do' or 'Does' if the main verb is 'have'.

Have you a phone? → Do you have a phone?

Mirror the helper verb used in the question.

Does he have a car? Yes, he has. → Does he have a car? Yes, he does.

Avoid contractions like 'don't' and use 'do not' for a more professional tone.

We don't have the files. → We do not have the files.

Pronunciation

/djə/

Reduction of 'Do you'

In fast speech, 'Do you' often sounds like 'D'ya'.

/doʊn/

The 't' in 'don't'

The 't' at the end of 'don't' is often silent when the next word starts with a consonant.

Rising Intonation

Do you have a pen? ↗

Indicates a yes/no question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Do and Does are the keys that unlock the Have-house.

Visual Association

Imagine a small 's' jumping from the word 'has' and landing on the word 'do' to make 'does'. Once the 's' has moved, 'has' becomes 'have' again.

Rhyme

When 'Does' comes to play, the 's' in 'has' goes away!

Story

The verb 'Have' is a king who is too lazy to ask questions or say no. He hires two servants, 'Do' and 'Does', to do it for him. 'Does' is very greedy and always steals the 's' from the king's 'has', leaving him as just 'have'.

Word Web

don'tdoesn'tdodoeshavepossessionquestionnegative

Challenge

Look around your room. Name 3 things you have and 3 things you don't have using 'I don't have...'. Then, imagine your best friend and name 3 things they don't have using 'He/She doesn't have...'.

Cultural Notes

Americans almost exclusively use 'do you have' for possession. Using 'have you' sounds very foreign or like a movie character.

In the UK, 'Have you got' is very common in informal speech, but 'Do you have' is perfectly acceptable and used in formal writing.

In international business, 'Do you have' is the preferred standard because it is clear and follows the most regular grammar rules.

The use of 'do' as an auxiliary (do-support) emerged in Middle English and became standard by the 17th century.

Conversation Starters

“

Do you have any pets?

“

Does your city have a good subway system?

“

Do you have a favorite book?

“

Do you have a lot of work this week?

Journal Prompts

Write about your dream house. What does it have? What doesn't it have?
Describe your best friend's personality and family.
Imagine you are on a deserted island. List 5 things you have and 5 things you don't have.
Compare your life now to your life 5 years ago regarding possessions.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She doesn't have a car.
We use 'doesn't' for she, and the verb must be 'have'.
Fill in the blank with 'do' or 'does'.

___ you have a map?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do
'You' requires the helper verb 'do'.
Find the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Does he has a brother?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: has
It should be 'have' because 'does' is already used.
Change this affirmative sentence into a negative: 'They have a dog.' Sentence Transformation

They have a dog. -> They ___ a dog.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: don't have
'They' uses 'don't have'.
Complete the short answer. Dialogue Completion

A: Does she have a job? B: No, she ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: doesn't
The short answer uses the same helper verb as the question.
Which of these is a correct question? Grammar Sorting

Question check:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do you have a pen?
'Do you have' is the standard A1 question form.
Translate: 'We don't have time.' Translation

We don't have time.

Answer starts with: We ...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We don't have time.
'We' uses 'don't'.
Choose the correct question for 'It has a window.' Multiple Choice

Question form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does it have a window?
'It' uses 'does' and 'have'.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She doesn't have a car.
We use 'doesn't' for she, and the verb must be 'have'.
Fill in the blank with 'do' or 'does'.

___ you have a map?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do
'You' requires the helper verb 'do'.
Find the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Does he has a brother?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: has
It should be 'have' because 'does' is already used.
Change this affirmative sentence into a negative: 'They have a dog.' Sentence Transformation

They have a dog. -> They ___ a dog.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: don't have
'They' uses 'don't have'.
Complete the short answer. Dialogue Completion

A: Does she have a job? B: No, she ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: doesn't
The short answer uses the same helper verb as the question.
Which of these is a correct question? Grammar Sorting

Question check:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do you have a pen?
'Do you have' is the standard A1 question form.
Translate: 'We don't have time.' Translation

We don't have time.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We don't have time.
'We' uses 'don't'.
Choose the correct question for 'It has a window.' Multiple Choice

Question form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does it have a window?
'It' uses 'does' and 'have'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

14 exercises
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence. Fill in the Blank

___ you ___ any plans for the weekend?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do / have
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

They doesn't have enough chairs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They don't have enough chairs.
Which sentence is grammatically correct? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She doesn't have a pet.
Type the correct English sentence. Translation

Translate into English: '¿Tu hermano tiene una bicicleta?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Does your brother have a bicycle?","Does your brother have a bike?"]
Put the words in order to form a correct question. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does she have a cat?
Match each subject with its correct negative form with 'have'. Match Pairs

Match the subjects with the correct form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Complete the short answer. Fill in the Blank

Do you have a reservation? No, I ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: don't
Correct the incorrect sentence. Error Correction

My laptop not have enough memory.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My laptop doesn't have enough memory.
Identify the correct question. Multiple Choice

Which question is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does your friend have a car?
Type the correct English sentence. Translation

Translate into English: 'No tenemos una reunión hoy.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["We don't have a meeting today.","We do not have a meeting today."]
Unscramble the words to make a negative sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I do not have a phone.
Complete the sentence with the correct form. Fill in the Blank

My neighbor ___ a dog, but he has two cats.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: doesn't have
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Do she has a ticket for the concert?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does she have a ticket for the concert?
Select the sentence with the correct grammar. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We don't have any money.

Score: /14

FAQ (8)

It is grammatically possible but very old-fashioned. In modern English, you should say `I don't have a car` or `I haven't got a car`.

In English, when we use a helper verb like `does`, the main verb must return to its base form (the dictionary form). The base form of 'has' is `have`.

Yes! The same rule applies: `Do you have to go?` or `I don't have to work today`.

Yes, they mean exactly the same thing. `Do you have` is more common in American English, while `Have you got` is more common in British English.

The most natural short answer is `Yes, I do` or `No, I don't`.

In casual speaking, people do this by raising their voice at the end. However, in writing and formal speaking, you should always use `Do`.

Yes, but the helper changes. In the past, we use `did`: `Did you have a car?` or `I didn't have a car`.

This is non-standard slang and is grammatically incorrect in formal English. You should avoid it in exams and professional settings.

Scaffolded Practice

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2

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4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

No tengo / ¿Tienes...?

Spanish has no 'do-support'.

French low

Je n'ai pas / As-tu...?

French uses a two-part negative and no 'do'.

German moderate

Ich habe kein... / Hast du...?

German uses verb-first word order for questions.

Japanese none

Arimasen / Arimasu ka?

Japanese uses verb endings and particles.

Arabic low

Ma 'indi / Hal 'indaka...?

Arabic uses particles and prepositional structures.

Chinese partial

Méiyǒu / Nǐ yǒu... ma?

Chinese has a special negative word just for 'have'.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Asking Questions: Do and Does (Present Simple Questions)
Next
Present Continuous: Negatives & Questions (Am I working?)

Learn These First

A1 Requires

Verb 'have': Present Simple forms (I have / He has)

Overview The verb have is a very important word in English. We use it to talk about things...

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