'find somebody/something to do'

Question

by experience/testing [transitive] find somebody/something + adj./noun We found the beds very comfortable.find somebody/something to be/do something They found him to be charming. Her blood was found to contain poison. I have known that only 'find somebody / something (to be) adj./ noun' is possible but I have found that 'to do' is also possible but I failed to find examples used with 'find somebody/something to do' so I would like to ask if the structure is okay and you could give me any examples with the structure?Thank you so much as usual in advance!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Hans51I failed to find examples used with 'find somebody/something to do' so I would like to ask if the structure is okay and you could give me any examples with the structure?

I'm not sure exactly which structure you're talking about, but these might satisfy your curiosity.

It was a rainy day and we couldn't find anything to do inside. Then we found a game to play.
Liz found an interesting book to read while at the library yesterday.
Jake found a very nice woman to marry.

CJ

Hans51 · Answer

Thank you so much! But I am still confused with 'find somebody to be / do something'. So do you think that these sentences are natural or correct?

1. I found him to be attractive.
2. I found him to do it.
3. I found him to have it.
4. Her blood was found to contain poison.
So my question is 'find somebody to do something' is possible like 'ask him to do something'

Thank you so much!

CalifJim · Answer

Hans511. I found him to be attractive.

OK.

Hans512. I found him to do it.3. I found him to have it.

No. Not in the meaning pattern established in your sentence 1. I think you're asking if

found him to do it ~? found that he was doing it

No. Those are not equivalent.

Hans514. Her blood was found to contain poison.

OK. Passive of They found her blood to contain poison / Better: They found that her blood contained poison.

Hans51'find somebody to do something' is possible like 'ask him to do something'

Those are not exactly the same in terms of meaning, though both expressions are possible.

find somebody to do something ~ find somebody who can/will do something
ask him to do something ~ ask him the favor of doing something

Normally, it's literally 'somebody': I need to find somebody to repair my car.
Possible: I found a mechanic to repair my car. / Better: I found a mechanic who is going to repair my car.

It's not normal to pronomialize the object of 'find' (e.g. 'him'): I found him to repair my car.

CJ

'find somebody/something to do'

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions