Have is a key verb in business English and one which has lots of partnerships. These can be divided into 6 groups of meanings.
1. have time for work or relaxation: “I’m having a day off tomorrow.”
2. eat or drink eat or drink: “Do you want to have lunch?”
3. have plans or arrangements: “Do you have a reservation?”
4. have a conversation or discussion with someone: “Can we have a meeting tomorrow?”
5. Sometimes ‘have’ can also be used with ‘no’ to mean ‘have nothing’: “I have no intention of resigning.”
6. It can also mean personal or professional qualities: “I have no authority to make a decision about this.”
7. Finally there are lots of different other meanings which cannot be so easily put into a group.
Task 1: Sort the word partnerships into the table below. Study the examples.
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have
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(no) plans (for n.p)
a basic understanding of s/th
a bite
a booking
a break
a chance to V
a chat with s/o (about s/th)
a clear idea of s/th
a coffee
a couple of minutes
a day off
a deal (on n.p.)
a degree in s/th
a discussion with s/o (about s/th)
a flair for s/th
a good sense of humor
a good time
a holiday
a lack of s/th
a lot to offer
a meal
a meeting (with s/o) (about s/th)
a problem (with s/th)
a reason to V
a record of s/th
a reservation
a rest
a talk with s/o (about s/th)
no option but to V
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a taste
a vacation
a way of Ving
a word with s/o (about s/th)
an arrangement (with s/o to V)
an impact (on s/th)
breakfast
dinner
experience
lunch
no hesitation in Ving
no idea (wh v.p.)
no intention of Ving
no objection to Ving/n.p.
no way of Ving
nothing to do with me
s/th in stock
some refreshment
some time off
the authority to V
the decency to
the good sense to V
the opportunity of Ving
the opportunity to V
the right to V
time for n.p.
time to V
trouble Ving
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have time for work or relaxation
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have food or drink
|
|
time to V
some time of
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lunch
a bite
|
|
have plans or arrangements
|
have a conversation
|
|
a reservation
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a word with s/o (about s/th)
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|
have nothing
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have personal qualities or experience
|
|
no idea (wh v.p.)
no hesitation in Ving
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experience
a degree in s/th
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have other things
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the decency to
the good sense to
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a way of Ving
a record of
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*2016/08/05更新
Compare your answers with the language bank below:
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have time for word or relaxation
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have food or drink
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|
time to V
time for n.p.
some time off
a good time
a day off
a break
a rest
a vacation
a holiday
a couple of minutes
|
lunch
breakfast
dinner
a coffee
a meal
a bite
some refreshment
a taste
|
|
have plans or arrangements
|
have a conversation
|
|
a reservation
a booking
an arrangement (with s/o to V)
a deal (on n.p.)
(no) plans (for n.p.)
|
a word with s/o (about s/th)
a talk with s/o (about s/th)
a chat with s/o (about s/th)
a discussion with s/o (about s/th)
a meeting (with s/o) (about s/th)
|
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have nothing
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have personal qualities or experience
|
|
no idea
no hesitation in Ving
no intention of Ving
no option but to V
nothing to do with me
no way of Ving
no objection to Ving/n.p.
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experience
a basic understanding of s/th
a degree in s/th
a flair for s/th
a lot to offer
the authority to V
a good sense of humor
|
|
have other things
|
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the decency to V
the good sense to V
a lack of s/th
an impact (on s/th)
a problem (with s/th)
a reason to V
a chance to V
a clear idea of s/th
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a way of Ving
a record of s/th
the opportunity to V
the opportunity of Ving
the right to V
s/th in stock
trouble Ving
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*In UK English, ‘holiday’ is the same as ‘vacation.’ A one day public holiday is called a ‘bank holiday’. A day’s leave because you need a break or are sick is called ‘a day off’. The ‘weekend’ is not ‘a day off’, or ‘a public holiday’. It’s the weekend!
*Notice that with ‘lunch’, ‘breakfast’ and ‘dinner’, do not use ‘a’.
*‘Have a word with s/o’ usually means a quick chat about something quite important.
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