Search from various English teachers...
JihyeB
'How long have you had it?' vs 'How long have you been having it?'
I like you car. How long (you/have) it?
In this sentence, the answer is 'have you had'.
But I wonder what if I use 'have you been having'?
I've learned 'have' cannot be use in a progressive like 'having'.
Is that the reason? or is there any reason cannot be answer? :(
Jul 14, 2015 6:03 AM
Answers · 4
5
'Have' cannot be used in the continuous form when it means 'own' or 'possess'. So, you must say 'How long have you had (owned) your car?' 'Do you have a pet?' 'I have a lot of friends'. This is because 'have' with this meaning is a stative verb - it describes a state or condition.
'Have' can be simple or continuous when it is an active verb - it describes and action. This is seen in expressions such as 'have a coffee', 'have a good time', have a shower' and so on.
e.g. 'They are having dinner' - describes the action of eating. 'My neighbours are having a party' - describes the actions of dancing, listening to music, eating, drinking, etc.
July 14, 2015
3
how long have you had is correct.
You can use 'having', but not in this sentence. for example, 'how long have you been having these headaches?'; "We are having a party on Saturday". This could also be phrased as "We are going to have a party on Saturday".
I think she is having a nervous breakdown. I am having another cup of coffee before I go to work.
July 14, 2015
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
JihyeB
Language Skills
English, Japanese, Korean
Learning Language
Articles You May Also Like

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
12 likes · 11 Comments

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
13 likes · 11 Comments

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
10 likes · 6 Comments
More articles