Grammar girl here, today's topic is whether the phrase have got is good English or not.

And now guest writer Bonnie Tranger answers an email from a listener, Lee, who says,

a pet peeve of mine is the frequent use of the have got phrase, such as, I have got

a something or other, or I've got a something or other.

When I have a something or other, it's completely sufficient.

We all have phrases that bother us.

I hate it when I see it was a chill night, instead of it was a chilly night.

Alas, I get all bent out of shape for no reason.

Much as I dislike chill instead of chilly, there's nothing wrong with it.

Likewise, all four sources I consulted about the have got issue agree that this phrase

is in fact good English.

The phrases has got and have got are somewhat informal and are often contracted as in,

he's got and they've got.

Although this expression has long been criticized as an unnecessary substitution for

the verb to have, it's perfectly idiomatic.

It simply adds emphasis.

In American English have got is an intensive form of have.

For example, if I say I've got a really big TV, I'm placing more emphasis on my possession

of the TV than if I say I have a really big TV.

If you say you haven't got any money, you're stressing the fact that you're broke.

Note that you can use has got or have got only in the present tense.

If you want to talk in the past tense about your enormous TV, you'd say I had a really

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