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RE: Eat lunch or have lunch? page 2

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Is it gramatically correct to use "eat" when talking about lunch, dinner, breakfast? ... I saw this TV program overseas that teaches people english, and that show said that we shouldn't use "eat".Thanks

It is grammatically correct to say "eat lunch", "eat dinner", and so on. But the advice you heard on TV has nothing to do with what is grammatical. It has more to do with promoting a more elegant style. Maybe the writers of that program are just encouraging students to use higher register vocabulary.

Personally, I would not invite someone to eat dinner with me or to drink a beer with me. I would ask them if they wanted to have dinner or have a beer with me. Holding an open bag of potato chips, I would not say to a friend, "Here. Eat some potato chips." I would make the offer by saying, "Here. Have some potato chips." Likewise, offering wine, "Have some wine", not "Drink some wine". The idea is that you want your friend to take advantage of your kind offer, not that you want to see them engaged in a particular bodily function!

CJ

California

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"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Avangi:

Right on!
But remember all those guys who said that George Bush was the kind of guy they'd just love to drink a beer with? thinking

Veteran Member 18,021

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

See also:

CalifJim:

remember all those guys who said that George Bush was ... ?

Nature has been kind to me and has allowed me to forget everything I ever knew about what's-his-name.

CJ

California

Veteran Member 39,240

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Grammar Geek:

I think I would use "eat" for soup because you would usually use a spoon here. If I picked up the bowl and sipped from the side, then I would use "drink."

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RE: Eat lunch or have lunch? page 2

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