headache

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. I have been having a headache for the past three days.
  2. I’m having a headache.
  3. I’m having a headache for the whole day.
  4. I (have got)/(have) a headache.
    Please correct all.
    Thanks.
2
  1. I have had a headache for the past three days.
  2. I have a headache.
  3. I’ve had a headache for the whole day. (Must be past tense, or you cannot know that it will last all day.)
  4. I have a headache. / I’ve got a headache.
3

I have these questions:

  1. Can’t we use ‘having’ in the sense of ‘experiencing’/‘suffering from’, that is, treating ‘have’ as a do-verb?

  2. How will one express the ‘continuity’ (present perfect progressive) of the suffering when the present perfect cannot show it?

  3. Why do we have to use the article in ‘a cold’, ‘a fever’, ‘a headache’ etc?

  4. Isn’t it true that ‘have’ does not have the usual meaning of ‘possession’ or ‘relationship’ or ‘ownership’ in the given sentences?

4
  1. not usually with a headache (singular) though you might say, “I’ve been having headaches recently.”/“I am having a lot of headaches at the moment.”, etc. (‘At the moment’ is obviously longer than just the present moment here. It refers to a longer time within the present period of time.)
  2. “I have a …”/“I’ve had a …” though the second is ambiguous and in order to clarify that the headache is continuing you’d need something like, “I’ve had a headache for two days and I’m not over it yet.”
  3. Usual article rules. It’s a singular headache, a singular cold, a singular fever, etc.
    Compare with:
    I’ve been having headaches regularly for several months now.
  4. Yes. Why have you chosen to use “Isn’t it true…”? - this form generally implies that you feel something has been said which indicates otherwise.
5

Well explained; thanks.

So, I think the original post No.1 could also be: I have been having headaches for over three days now.

I hope I can take this interpretation of yours for granted.

6

Yes, if it’s a series of headaches at different times over a number of days.
Not if it is one long continuous headache, though.

7

Beeesneees,

  1. I have been having headaches.
  2. I have been having headaches for the past three days.
  3. I have been having stomach upsets.
  4. I have been having dinner with friends recently/lately.
    Please correct above all.
    Thanks.
8

1.2.3. all possible when talking about a recurring condition.
4. refers only to a recurring situation. It indicates you have dinner with friends on e regular basis at the moment.