A puzzling question

Question

1. Her story had us...............so much.

a) laughing b) laugh

2. Have your brother......me if he has other questions.

a) call b) calling

My answer

1. I go for 'a'. Is 'b' correct, too?

2. I go for 'a'. Why is 'b' wrong?

I would like to know the difference between have someone do something and have someone doing something.

Dave_anon · Accepted Answer

Hi

1) The answer (a) is the natural choice and I think you are right. The answer (b) is slightly unsure but, if someone used it in the right context, it wouldn't bother me:

- Her story had us laugh so much that we forgot the time.

That does sound OK

2) Yes, 'call' is the right option. I'd say it is because the sentence is imperative. The first sentence was describing an event (an indicative sentence). The second one is telling someone what to do (imperative). If the speaker were talking to the brother directly, he would say:

- Call me if you have other questions.

So I think it has to be 'call'.

Hope this helps

Dave

CalifJim · Answer

1. Her story had us laughing so much.
2. Have your brother call me if he has other questions.

Omar AhmedI would like to know the difference between have someone do something and have someone doing something.

In sentence 1 you have the idea of influence. "She", by telling her story, influenced us to laugh during the time period in which she told the story, so she had us laughing. She did not command anyone to laugh.

In sentence 2 you have the idea of commanding. Have your brother call me is effectively Command your brother to call me. There is no extended period of influence. Nobody is coaxing, enticing, or training anyone else to make that call.

You might want to read this post for more details:

CJ

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