Let’s be Negative!

Friday, February 18, 2011

I’ve never compared any differences between American English and British English before, but I’m doing it today: making a negative statement while using the word have.

On this side of the Atlantic Ocean (American English), negative forms are made using the auxiliary verb don’t or doesn’t:

  • Carlo doesn’t have any normal friends.
  • Monica doesn’t have the winning lottery numbers.
  • You don’t have a bad dog.
  • The British English style of speaking would be negative this way:

  • Carlo hasn’t any normal friends.
  • Monica hasn’t the winning lottery numbers.
  • You haven’t a bad dog.
  • We, in the USA, like the auxiliary verb do, does, and doesn’t (with yes/no questions too) but it's your choice to use whichever form you prefer.

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