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Meantolearn Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary

have/make sb do sth

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,
  

Top answer

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.

— Gazapo

  • 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.
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15 Answers
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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
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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.
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Is the choice of words in 3 that strange?
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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.
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So you can "tell" someone to do something for you, depending on the , uh, "context", can't you?
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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.
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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
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That's how I understood it Emotion: smile
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Hi GG,

So, "I'll let my sister call you when she comes home" and "I'll have my sister call you when she comes home" mean the same thing? (My sister is not home.)

I wonder if "let sb. do sth." is always equivalent to "have sb. do sth." or it all depends on the context?

___

I looked up a dictionary. 'Tell' has a meaning, which is close to "SAY" --- expres
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I suggest leaving "let" out of the mix. It means "allow" or "grant permission" and you can find other words to say what you mean besides "let" if you find its use at all confusing, and it's certainly understandable how you could. In the telephone example, it's safer to say "I'll tell (say to) my sister that you called. But you could also say "I'll let her know" - which I guess means "I'll allow h
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