Why do we say 'what do you have in your hand' and not 'what are you having in your hand'?

Question

This is an action happening this second, isn't it?, so why can't we use the present continuous, like we would when saying 'what are you holding in your hand?' Thanks x

Answer 1

Probably because "have" is not an ongoing type of verb...either you have something already or you don't! (English is a pretty inconsistent language, anyway!)

Answer 2

Because 'what are you having' could be considered future tense. And above all else it just doesn't make sense :P Grammatical English has some funny twists. 'What do you have' is present tense anyway.

And 'what do you have in your hand' is said because it's shorter than 'what are you holding in your hand'.

You could say that... however, speech doesn't have to be standard English now does it? ;)

Answer 3

I have no idea... Some grammar just cannot be explained!

Answer 4

cos nobody like to say everything right jst like when u txt  2 someone u never right correct.

u prefer 2 right  with short words.

Answer 5

"What are you having your in your hand" sounds... odd. The first one sounds more natural.

If you do want to use present continuous tense you can say "What are you holding in your hand?" That's perfectly ok.

Answer 6

"are you having" implies that this is an ongoing thing, all the time. "What do you have in your hand" is asking what you have, right now, in your hand.