English Grammar in context: TO HAVE (Simple Present) with interesting dialogue and colourful worksheets

English Grammar: The verb ‘ TO HAVE’ (Simple Present)

Read the dialogue below and observe how TO HAVE has been used in context.

Background: Takondwa and Rachel have just finished doing their Mathematics homework. It was not easy at all.

Takondwa: The last exercise was really tough. I don’t have a thousand brains to do all that stuff.

Rachel: That’s true Takondwa. Do I look like I have a computer in my head? I’m only a human being after all.

Takondwa: I hope that next time we have something easier….

Rachel: He, he, Takondwa, don’t fool yourself. Mr. Phiri will do nothing like that. Remember what he said at the beginning of the term…

Takondwa: “Dear ex-Form One students. You are now in Form Two. In Form One you were learning how to crawl…”

Rachel: “…in Form Two you will learn how to run… at FULL speed!”

Takondwa: He, he, iii Mr. Phiri can joke.

Rachel: Takondwa, that man wasn’t joking. We have Maths homework every day. EVERY SINGLE DAY. Does he think that we eat and drink Mathematics in our homes? We have other things to do!

Rachel: I agree with you. Last year we had more time for ourselves.

Takondwa: Mathematics isn’t the only subject we have.

Rachel: Don’t forget our housework.

Takondwa: Imagine. We clean the dishes. We sweep the yard. We cook. We take care of our younger brothers. We go to the market. We…

Rachel: Imagine.

Takondwa: Mr. Phiri thinks that when we arrive at home we just watch TV.

Rachel: And not everyone has a TV in their home!

Takondwa: Does HE have a TV?

Rachel: Ha, ha, ha! Anyway, he says that if we study well, we’ll get a very good foundation for our MSCE exams.

Takondwa: I hope he’s saying the truth. When I become an engineer, I will thank him.

Rachel: You?

Takondwa: Of course, I will. Why not?

Rachel: I don’t know. It’s still a lot of work. Soon we’ll start waking up at night to study and we’re not even in Form 4 yet! …Wait a minute… I have an idea…

Takondwa: What crazy idea do you have?

Rachel: What if we just asked Mr. Phiri to give us less homework so we can have more time for other things? What do you think Takondwa? Isn’t this a great idea?

Takondwa: Mmmh, I don’t know.

Rachel: Takondwa, it’s easy, you’ll see.

Takondwa: No, I think I won’t do it. I don’t want to be punished. Do you have another idea?

Rachel: Takondwa, come on.

Takondwa: Rachel, remember the last punishment he gave us.

Rachel: So what? It only made us stronger.

Takondwa: I got hurt while uprooting that tree stump. Look, I still have the scar here.

Rachel: He won’t punish us. He has a good heart. He’ll understand, just wait and see.

Takondwa: Let’s ask our classmates first. Maybe they have other ideas.

Rachel: Takondwa, please.

Takondwa: Rachel, you don’t have a scar.

Rachel: I do. I have one here. Look.

(Rachel shows Takondwa her scar. It’s on her right leg.)

Takondwa: It doesn’t matter. Let’s just do his homework. He used to be my sister’s teacher, you know, when she was in Form 4.

Rachel: I know.

Takondwa: She got a distinction in Mathematics. Now, she has a great job. Did you see the car she just bought? She’s even planning to buy a second car. And she has a nice house too. Don’t even talk about her imported furniture! She’s doing well!

Rachel: Imported furniture! Wow! I’m impressed. Mmmh, I don’t know Takondwa. It’s not thanks to Mr. Phiri, I know deep down my heart. Well, he must have played a role in her success but your sister is naturally bright and she works hard too.

Takondwa: She also had a bright teacher in secondary school. We have that teacher now.

Rachel: There are other ways of motivating students and harsh punishments are not part of them! These teachers should just inspire us to do better. We all want to work hard and when we are struggling in a subject, it’s not because we don’t want to learn. We want to learn. We want to do well in life. We don’t necessarily want to have cars or whatever, but we want a good life. We want our children to go to good schools in the future. We want them to go to safe hospitals. We don’t want to suffer. We DON’T WANT our children to suffer. These teachers should understand that there are several roads that lead to a better life, and school is just one of them. I repeat, school is just ONE of them. I mean, we are all different. Not everyone is going to be good at school, that’s a fact. So what do we do with those struggling kids? Don’t they have other talents that can help them to have a better life in the future?

Takondwa: Rachel, you are saying the truth. We want to have a bright future. We want our children to have better lives than ours. But Rachel my dear friend, this subject is so complicated. I don’t know what to think. Let’s ask other people about this ok? I understand your problem. School is where we spend most of our time. It is important that we have quality time there too. It is important that Mr. Phiri understands that there is a life outside school and that he should also listen to our complaints from time to time.

Rachel:It is a complicated subject. I agree with you. It is important to have a serious conversation about it.

Takondwa: Let’s meet everyone and ask them what they think, ok? I am sure they have a lot of things to say about this subject as well.

Rachel: Alright, let’s do this then. This is really important. We are talking about our future.

Takondwa: We are.

(The two friends pack their schoolbags amidst heavy sighs. They have a tough task ahead of them.)