Have/make sb do sth

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meantolearn

#218297 Fri, 21 Apr 06 07:52 AM

Hi,

Please explain the meaning of each sentence (1thru 5).

What's the difference among the following sentences?

1. I'll have my sister pick up the photos for me.

2. I'll make my sister pick up the photos for me.

3. I'll tell my sister to pick up the photos for me.

4. I'll ask my sister to pick up the photos for me.

5. I'll order my sister to pick up the photos for me.

Thanks,

meantolearn

Joined on Thu, Feb 24 2005

Regular Member (704)

Gazapo

#218319 Fri, 21 Apr 06 09:36 AM

1. your sister is going to do you a favor by picking them up
2. you are forcing your sister to pick them up
3. you are basically asking your sister to pick them up, but not kindly
4. you are politely requesting your sister to pick them up for you
5. like 2, you are forcing your sister to pick them up

Gazapo

Joined on Thu, Apr 20 2006

United States

New Member (41)

From the United States; American English is my native language, also speak Spanish.

Grammar Geek

#218417 Fri, 21 Apr 06 02:48 PM

To chime in, if you said anything other than #1 or #4, your listener is likely to be quite surprised at your choice of words.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,073)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

pieanne

#218431 Fri, 21 Apr 06 03:09 PM

Is the choice of words in 3 that strange?

pieanne

Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005

South of France ...But I'm Belgian!

Veteran Member (7,512)

I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...

Grammar Geek

#218449 Fri, 21 Apr 06 04:02 PM

The last time my sister TOLD me to do something, I was probably about 7 years old. It's just a rather rude was of saying it. These days, she'd ASK me.

Grammar Geek

pieanne

#218450 Fri, 21 Apr 06 04:05 PM

So you can "tell" someone to do something for you, depending on the , uh, "context", can't you?

pieanne

meantolearn

#218461 Fri, 21 Apr 06 04:50 PM

Is it Okay to say, "I'll let my sister pick up the photos for me"?

And what's the difference compared to the others?

Thanks for Gazapo & GG's comments. They help a lot.

meantolearn

Grammar Geek

#218465 Fri, 21 Apr 06 05:00 PM

Oh yes, context has everything to do with it.

Depending on the circumstances, I'll let her do it would be completely fine. "The photos will be ready about 10, and my sister said she had to go to the store tomorrow morning - I'll let her pick up the photos for me."

Using TELL in the context of telling someone to do something says you that you have the authority over that person to control what they will or will not do. As opposed to: My sister said she'd pick them up for me, but I didn't realize you close early on Tuesdays. I'll tell her to be there before 3:30 In this case, you're not ORDERING her, but letting her know that to complete this task she has already volunteered to do, she needs to be there by 3:30.

Grammar Geek

pieanne

#218466 Fri, 21 Apr 06 05:01 PM

That's how I understood it Smile [:)]

pieanne

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