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'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
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JihyeB
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