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What's difference between these two sentences?

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Penicillin  #322104  Tue, 30 Jan 07 08:15 PM

Hello

What's difference between these two sentences?

- The customs officer stopped the man.

- The senior customs officer had the man stopped.

Thanks

  
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nona the brit  #322106  Tue, 30 Jan 07 08:29 PM

In the second sentence it involves a senior officer (this is not specified in the first sentence) and he/she did not stop the man himself/herself. The senior officer issued an order that the man was to be stopped by another customs officer.

  
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Goodman  #322119  Tue, 30 Jan 07 09:19 PM
 Onh1986 wrote:

Hello

What's difference between these two sentences?

- The customs officer stopped the man.

- The senior customs officer had the man stopped.

Thanks

Hi

- The customs officer stopped the man.

This is my take. The two sentences are not very clear in a logical sense in my opinion. First, I prefer [the officer at the customs stopped…] What man? A suspicious man The sentence I think should be “the officer at the customs stopped a suspicious man” which sounds more complete.

  The senior customs officer had the man stopped. This is a combined active and passive structure which produced a tone leading the reader to assume there is missing context. i.e.

The senior officer at the customs [had the suspicious man stopped] before he had a chance to escape into the crowded lobby.

 

  
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CalifJim  #322170  Tue, 30 Jan 07 11:23 PM
to have something done (rather than to do it yourself) is simply to arrange for it to be done by someone else.  For example, you can wash your own clothes or have your clothes washed (by someone else).  You can pull a tooth, or have a tooth pulled (by a dentist).  You can make your bed or have your bed made (by a maid).

CJ

  
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Anonymous  #399032  Wed, 01 Aug 07 01:26 AM
what is the difference between these two sentences:

i'll look foward to seeing you in class again...

i look foward to seeing you in class again...
  
Clive  #399042  Wed, 01 Aug 07 02:17 AM

Hi,

what is the difference between these two sentences:

i'll look foward to seeing you in class again...

i look foward to seeing you in class again...

In terms of grammar, #1 means the 'looking forward' will happen in the future, while #2 means it happens in the present.

However, in terms of meaning in everyday conversation there is really no difference. You can interchange these.

You seem to be interested in tenses but not in capital letters. Stick out tongue [:P]

Best wishes, Clive

  
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