'To have' meaning 'to take': How and When to Use in English

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'To have' meaning 'to take'

To have sometimes has the same meaning as the verbs to take, to eat or to drink:
The children are having a bath. The children are taking a bath.
I'll have a pineapple juice. I will drink a pineapple juice.
Have a seat, we're going to have breakfast soon. Sit down, we're going to eat breakfast soon.
He doesn't have lunch at the office. He doesn't eat lunch at the office.
Other meanings:
Did you have a good time? Did you enjoy yourself?
Exercise 1
The following sentences may use a verb that is inappropriate or grammatically incorrect. Choose either 'Correct' or 'Incorrect' for each statement.

'Please take a seat, we're about to start the meeting' =

'Did you have a nice vacation?' =

'Can you have this envelope to the post office?' =
The following sentences may use a verb that is inappropriate or grammatically incorrect. Choose either 'Correct' or 'Incorrect' for each statement.

'Please take a seat, we're about to start the meeting' = Correct 1

'Did you have a nice vacation?' = Correct 2

'Can you have this envelope to the post office?' = Incorrect 3
1 Correct: This sentence is correct. We can say both 'Take a seat' and 'Have a seat'. Both expressions are invitations to sit down, on a chair or sofa for example.
1 Incorrect: This sentence is not incorrect.
2 Correct: This sentence is correct. In expressions such as 'have a good time' or 'have a good trip', 'Have' is used in the sense of 'to pass' or 'to spend'.
2 Incorrect: This sentence is not incorrect. 'Take' cannot be used in this sentence.
3 Incorrect: 'Have' cannot be used in the same sense as 'take' in this example. The correct sentence should be: 'Can you take this envelope to the post office?'. It is possible to use 'have' in imperative constructions such as: 'Have those reports on my desk by 4.00 PM please'.
3 Correct: This sentence is not correct.
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks in the text using either have or take. Don't forget to conjugate the verbs properly!

Susie: Hello, Luna. You smell very nice today.
Luna: This morning I bathed in rose oil.
Susie: Wow! I wish I some of that.
Luna: I another bottle on me, if you would like it.
Susie: Really!? That would be great. I can it with me to the Alps, when I my vacation.
Fill in the blanks in the text using either have or take. Don't forget to conjugate the verbs properly!

Susie: Hello, Luna. You smell very nice today.
Luna: This morning I bathed in rose oil.
Susie: Wow! I wish I had 1 some of that.
Luna: I have 2 another bottle on me, if you would like it.
Susie: Really!? That would be great. I can take 3 it with me to the Alps, when I take 4 my vacation.
1 had: In this construction we are trying to express possession (Susie wishes she 'had' some rose oil), and so 'had' is the best choice here.
2 have: Luna is explaining that she possesses another bottle of perfume. Because she is expressing possession, 'have' is the best choice here.
3 take: Because Susie is speaking about 'bringing' something from one place to another, we must use 'take' here.
4 take: 'To take a vacation' is synonymous with 'to go on vacation' and expresses the physical act of leaving. Both choices (have and take) are acceptable in this case.
Exercise 3
Philip: Hey, Kevin! Did you a good weekend?
Kevin: It was alright. I went to a nice restaurant.
Philip: What did you eat?
Kevin: I the chicken.
Philip: Well, I need to this report to Bruno. See you later.
Philip: Hey, Kevin! Did you have 1 a good weekend?
Kevin: It was alright. I went to a nice restaurant.
Philip: What did you eat?
Kevin: I had 2 the chicken.
Philip: Well, I need to take 3 this report to Bruno. See you later.
1 have: 'Did you have a good weekend?' is an idiom in English meaning: 'Did you enjoy your weekend?' This is the best choice here.
1 take: Because a weekend cannot be picked up and carried around, we cannot use 'take' here.
2 had: When talking about a meal, we can say 'I had the chicken', which means, 'I ate the chicken'. This is the best choice here.
2 took: Unless Kevin literally 'carried' the chicken home with him, we cannot use 'take' here.
3 take: Because Philip is 'carrying' the report to Bruno, we use 'take' here.
3 have: 'Have' does not make sense here. We could say, however: 'I need to have this report to Bruno by two-thirty', meaning: 'I need to 'deliver' this report by two-thirty'.
Exercise 4
Read the sentences below. Then, replace the verb to have with a different verb, without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Welcome! Please have a seat! → Please down!

Would you like to have a beer? → Would you like a beer?

It’s good to have a break from work sometimes, don’t you think? → It’s good a break from work sometimes, don’t you think?
Read the sentences below. Then, replace the verb to have with a different verb, without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Welcome! Please have a seat! → Please sit 1 down!

Would you like to have a beer? → Would you like to drink 2 a beer?

It’s good to have a break from work sometimes, don’t you think? → It’s good to take 3 a break from work sometimes, don’t you think?
1 sit: "Have a seat" is a polite way of saying "sit down": the speaker is asking someone else to sit (on a chair, bench, etc.). Note that we can also say "take a seat". For example: "Thank you, everyone, for that warm welcome. Please take a seat".
2 to drink: When "to have" is used before a kind of drink, it means "to drink" (in other words, to consume the drink). Another example: "Why don't we have a coffee?".
3 to take: Both "to take a break" and "to have a break" refer to temporarily stopping or pausing something (like work), and often relaxing or resting during that time. For example: "We've been rehearsing for three hours. Let's take a break".
Exercise 5
Read the sentences below. Then, replace the verb to have with a different verb, without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Hey, Trey, would you like to have dinner with me? → Would you like dinner with me?

I think we would have a good time together! → I think we would our time together!

Don’t worry, I always have a shower before going out for dinner! → I always a shower before going out for dinner!
Read the sentences below. Then, replace the verb to have with a different verb, without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Hey, Trey, would you like to have dinner with me? → Would you like to eat 1 dinner with me?

I think we would have a good time together! → I think we would enjoy 2 our time together!

Don’t worry, I always have a shower before going out for dinner! → I always take 3 a shower before going out for dinner!
1 to eat: When "to have" is used before a meal or a type of food, it means "to eat". For example: "I want to have a sandwich", "When did you have breakfast?".
2 enjoy: "To have a good time" with someone, and "to enjoy one's time" with someone both share the same meaning. Both refer to a pleasant or fun experience shared with someone else. For example: "-Did you have a good time last night? -Yes, I really enjoyed our time together".
3 take: We can say "to take a shower", "to have a shower" or "to shower": all three referring to washing oneself using a shower. For example: "-Do you want to take a shower after we finish our run? -No thanks, I showered yesterday".

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