meaning - “Do you have” vs “Have you got”



I am studying English and I want to know the main difference between “Have you got?” and “Do you have?” questions. Are they the same? Is one more formal than the other?



Answer



Contrary to the above, "Have you got" is more common in British English than "Do you have" (about 2:1); but "Do you have" is much more common in American English than "Have you got" (more than 10:1).


Note that the response includes only the relevant auxiliary: - "Do you have a pen"; "Yes, I do". - "Have you got a pen"; "Yes, I have".


In fact, the most common form where I live (in Northern Ireland) is simply "Have you", but that sounds old-fashioned to many English speakers elsewhere.


Have a look at the "Separated by a Common Language" blog.


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