This has been a stone in my shoe for a long time now. So, if you will, please help me out here. I’m interested in everyone’s thoughts and/or authoritative input on the phrase: ‘I’ve got’, as in ‘I’ve got to go to work’, or ‘I’ve got a headache’, or ‘I’ve got to get a flu shot’.

Consider the following AH definitions:

have v. t. 1a. To be in possession of 14. To be obliged to; must:

got v. past tense and past participle of ‘get’

get v. t. 1a. To come into possession or use of; receive 2a. To go after and obtain 3a. To acquire as a result of action or effort

When the words are replaced with their definitions/meanings, ‘I’ve got to go’ becomes:

I have got to go.
I ‘am in possession of’ got to go.

I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ to go. or
I ‘must’ ‘came into possession of’ to go.

Of the above, “I ‘must’ ‘came into possession of’ to go” is closest to the understood meaning of ‘I’ve got to go’, but is really nonsensical.


‘I’ve got a headache’ becomes:

I have got a headache.
I ‘am in possession of’ got a headache.

I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ a headache. or
I ‘am in possession of’ ‘went after’ a headache. or
I ‘am in possession of’ ‘acquired as a result of an action’ a headache.

“I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ a headache” is closest to the understood meaning of ‘I’ve got a headache’, but is a tautology and best, and nonsensical at worst.


‘I’ve got to get a flu shot’ becomes:

I have got to get a flu shot.
I ‘am in possession of’ got to get a flu shot.
I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ to get a flu shot.

I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ ‘to come into possession of’ a flu shot. or
I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ ‘to go after’ a flu shot. or
I ‘am in possession of’ ‘came into possession of’ ‘to acquire as a result of an action’ a flu shot. or

I ‘must’ ‘came into possession of’ ‘to come into possession of’ a flu shot. or
I ‘must’ ‘came into possession of’ ‘to go after’ a flu shot. or
I ‘must’ ‘came into possession of’ ‘to acquire as a result of an action’ a flu shot.

Again, they’re all really nonsensical.

Wouldn’t it be clearer and more concise to say, ‘I must go’, or ‘I have a headache’, or ‘I must get a flu shot’?

I contend that the phrase ‘I’ve got’, in any form, is at its best, a tautology, and at its worst, technically unclear and grammatically incorrect.

Furthermore, consider that ‘I’ve got’ puts two transitive verbs next to each other with no action carrying over to a direct object.

‘I elect hit to go.’ Huh?

Maybe I’m just being thick here, but is this phrase grammatically correct? If ‘yes’, why?