| Have or have got? | | | | I am getting old. (NOT I am going old.) |
| Have got means exactly the same as have in | | | | In case and if |
| affirmative clauses. Got-forms of have are informal, | | | | In case is used to talk about things which we do in |
| and are most common in the present. | | | | order to be ready for possible future situations. After in |
| She has got a new boyfriend. (= She has a new | | | | case, we use a present tense to refer to the future. |
| boyfriend.) | | | | I always take an umbrella in case it rains. (= because it |
| My mother has got two sisters. (= My mother has two | | | | might rain.) |
| sisters.) | | | | In British English, in case and if are used in quite |
| They have got a car. (= They have a car.) | | | | different ways. |
| Differences | | | | Compare: |
| In questions and negatives, we do not normally use | | | | Let us buy a chicken in case Peter comes. (=Let us |
| have without got. | | | | buy a chicken now because Peter might come later.) |
| Has your sister got a car? (More natural than Has | | | | Let us buy a chicken if Peter comes. (=We will wait |
| your sister a car.) | | | | and see. If Peter comes, then we will buy the chicken. |
| I haven't got your keys. (More natural than I haven't | | | | If he doesn't we won't.) |
| your keys.) | | | | In American English, in case can sometimes be used in |
| Note that it is also possible to use do-forms of have | | | | the same way as if. |
| instead of got-forms. | | | | Less and fewer |
| Does your sister have a car? (= Has your sister got a | | | | Less is the comparative of little. It is used before |
| car?) | | | | uncountable nouns. |
| I don't have your keys. (= I haven't got your keys.) | | | | I have less money than you. |
| In British English, have without got is possible in short | | | | He was less hurt than frightened. |
| questions and negatives, though these are often | | | | Tom is less clever than his brother. |
| formal. | | | | Fewer is the comparative of few. It is used before |
| Compare: | | | | plural nouns. |
| Have you a car? (Formal GB only) | | | | Fewer people live to be hundred. |
| Have you got a car? OR Do you have a car? (US | | | | In an informal style, less is quite common before plural |
| GB) | | | | nouns. Some people consider this incorrect. |
| It's a nice flat, but it hasn't a proper bathroom. (Formal | | | | I have got less problems than I used to have. (Less |
| GB only) | | | | formal than I have got fewer problems than I used to |
| It's a nice flat, but it doesn't have a proper bathroom. | | | | have.) |
| OR It's a nice flat, but it hasn't got a proper bathroom. | | | | Much or Many? |
| (US/GB) | | | | Much is used with singular nouns; many is used with |
| Hear or listen to? | | | | plural nouns. |
| Hear means become aware of sound through the | | | | I don't have much free time due to the demands of |
| ears. It is the ordinary word to say that something | | | | work. |
| 'comes to our ears'. | | | | She didn't eat much breakfast. |
| 'Can you speak a bit louder? I can't hear you.' | | | | Many children are there in the park today. |
| Suddenly she heard a strange noise. | | | | He was among the many visitors to the site. |
| Listen (to) is used to talk about paying attention to | | | | Among his many faults is self-importance. |
| sounds one hears. It emphasizes the idea of | | | | Say and tell |
| concentrating. Note that you can hear something | | | | Say refers to any kind of speech. It is most often used |
| without wanting to, but you can only listen to something | | | | without a personal object. |
| deliberately. | | | | She said that she would be late. (NOT She said me |
| Compare: | | | | that ...) |
| I heard them talking in the next room, but I didn't really | | | | Tell is used to mean 'instruct' or 'inform'. After tell, we |
| listen to what they were saying. | | | | usually say who is told. |
| Can or be able to? | | | | She told me that it was my last chance. |
| Be able to often has the same meaning as can. | | | | Tell can be followed by object + infinitive. Say cannot |
| I am unable to/can't understand his motive. | | | | be used like this. |
| He is able to/can support her. | | | | I told him to be careful. (NOT I said him to be careful.) |
| Can is preferred in expression like can see, can hear | | | | Whether and if |
| etc. It is also used in the sense of 'know how to?' | | | | We can generally use both whether and if to introduce |
| I can knit. (More natural than I am able to knit.) (= I know | | | | indirect yes/no questions. |
| how to knit.) | | | | I am not sure whether/if she will come. |
| I can see a ship. (More natural than I am able to see a | | | | I asked whether/if she had any letters for me. |
| ship.) | | | | I don't know whether/if I can come or not. |
| Be able to is preferred in cases, where can/could is | | | | Cases where only whether is possible |
| not grammatically possible. | | | | After prepositions only whether is possible. |
| I might be able to help you. (NOT I might can help you.) | | | | There was a big argument about whether we should |
| Someday scientists will be able to find a cure for | | | | move to a new house. (NOT There was a big |
| cancer. (NOT Someday scientists will can find ...) | | | | argument about if ...) |
| Go and get | | | | I haven't settled the question of whether I should settle |
| Go (and not get) is used to talk about changes of | | | | abroad. |
| colour. This is common in British English. | | | | Before to-infinitives, only whether is possible. |
| Leaves go brown in autumn. (NOT Leaves get brown | | | | They can decide whether to get married now or wait. |
| ...) | | | | Which and what |
| She went green with envy. (NOT She got green ...) | | | | There is little difference of meaning between which |
| Other examples are: go white with anger/ blue with | | | | and what. |
| cold/ red with embarrassment | | | | Which/what is the largest continent in the world? |
| Turn and grow can also be used in these cases. Note | | | | Which/what train did you come on? |
| that go is more informal than turn and grow. | | | | Which is preferred when the speaker has a limited |
| Go (and not usually get) is also used with adjectives in | | | | number of choices in mind. |
| a number of common expressions that refer to | | | | We have got white and brown bread. Which will you |
| changes for the worse. | | | | have? |
| Examples are: | | | | Which colour do you want - red, pink, blue or purple? |
| People can go mad/crazy/deaf/blind/grey/bald etc. | | | | When the speaker is not thinking of a limited number |
| Horses can go lame | | | | of choices, what is used. |
| Machines can go wrong | | | | What is your telephone number? (More natural than |
| Meat, fish or vegetables can go bad | | | | Which is your phone number?) |
| Beer, lemonade, musical instruments and car tyres can | | | | What language do they speak in Chile? (More natural |
| go flat | | | | than Which language ...) |
| Cases where get is used | | | | Which is used in questions about people's identity, and |
| Get is also used with adjectives to talk about changes. | | | | what is used to ask about people's jobs and functions. |
| For example we use get (and not go) with the | | | | 'Which is your boy?' 'The one in blue shirt.' |
| adjectives old, tired and ill. | | | | 'What is your husband?' 'He is a doctor. |