verbs - Is it appropriate to use short form of "have" ('ve) when it means possession?


I feel uncomfortable saying sentences like the following:



  • "I've a car" instead of "I have a car"

  • "They've a great time" instead of "They have a great time"

  • "He's a pen" instead of "He has a pen"

  • etc


I ask this because I read this sort of thing in a book.


Are they correct? And what is the rule? Can you use such forms in a formal setting?



Answer



To an American ear, it sounds awkward, but in British English, this is not uncommon. Ironically, a Brit will probably tell you that the correct form is "I have got a small dog".


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