ENGLISH
REFERENCE

having

v.
A1 Beginner US //ˈhævɪŋ// UK //hˈævɪŋ// hav·ing Archaic

v. to possess, own, or hold something. You also use it to describe experiencing an event, eating food, or feeling an emotion.

v. to possess, own, or hold as a property or attribute; to experience or undergo a state or event. Functions as both a lexical verb and an auxiliary verb in various aspectual constructions.


SIMPLE

I am having a great time at the party.

CONTEXTUAL

The company is having trouble recruiting qualified staff for the new engineering department.

COMPLEX

While having a solid understanding of the fundamentals is essential, true mastery requires years of deliberate practice and exposure to increasingly complex problems.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

As a lexical verb meaning 'to possess', it is typically stative and not used in continuous forms; however, it is used in continuous forms when it means 'to experience' or 'to eat'.

Pitfall

I am having a carI have a carWhen 'have' means 'to possess', it is a stative verb and should not be used in the continuous '-ing' form.

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