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Do these four mean the same thing? If there was a difference, what would it be?

She really likes to get her mother to read a story when she needs to sleep.
She really likes to have her mother read a story when she needs to sleep.
She really likes her mother reading a story when she needs to sleep.
She really likes it when her mother reads a story to her when she needs to sleep.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Do these four mean the same thing? If there was a difference, what would it be?

She really likes to get her mother to read a story when she needs to sleep. 'Get to' is somewhat informal

She really likes to have her mother read a story when she needs to sleep. 'Have' is more formal.

She really likes her mother reading a story when she needs to sleep. There is no clear statement that the first 'she' causes the mother to do this. In theory, you could also debate who the second 'she' refers to.

She really likes it when her mother reads a story to her when she needs to sleep. A little casual in structure.

Clive

Taka · Answer

Clive 'Get to' is somewhat informal She really likes to have her mother read a story when she needs to sleep. 'Have' is more formal.

Any other difference besides formality?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I have nothing to add to my original comments.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

She really likes to get her mother to read a story when she needs to sleep.

I find this one slightly strange. To get someone to do something sounds to me like coaxing them to do it even though they are not quite willing to do it. To like to coax someone seems almost perverse. She likes pleading with her mother?

More probable: She gets her mother to read ...

She really likes to have her mother read a story when she needs to sleep.

I don't sense a great deal of 'causative force' in this use of 'have', though it's possible to read it that way. Superiors tend to have inferiors do things for them. In this case an inferior is having a superior do something. That's why, to my ear, this is not very 'causative', but more like a set arrangement. I think the 'have' is more or less vacuous (semantically neutral).

She really likes her mother reading a story when she needs to sleep.

This, unlike the first two, is about the mother being in the act of reading rather than about the whole process of doing a reading (getting the book, opening the book, etc.) taken as a single event. For this reason I find it somewhat anomalous with that when-clause. The time at which 'she' needs to sleep may be hard to predict. 'She' may suddenly need to sleep at 4 in the afternoon. So on that particular occasion, if her mother happens to be reading a story at 4, she likes it.

This interpretation is admittedly far-fetched, but there is just enough doubt in my mind about it to say I probably would not use this sentence and I would substitute an infinitive: ... likes her mother to read a story ...

She really likes it when her mother reads a story to her when she needs to sleep.

This is most like your second sentence, where 'have' is fairly neutral.

Similarly,

I like to have my back rubbed. ~ I like it when my back is rubbed.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

They are all readily understandable and grammatical and mean the same thing.  The only thing I see that's questionable is the phrase "when she needs to sleep."  This is apparently a young child, but this phrase has a harsh, unpleasant, and adult-like ring to it.  This seems to imply some kind of serious sleep or health problem that would be more typical in an adult.  A more appropriate phrase would be something like:  "at bedtime."

Taka · Answer

Thank you for the great comment, Jim!

CalifJim To like to coax someone seems almost perverse. She likes pleading with her mother? More probable: She gets her mother to read

If her mother were a very busy person and she may not always be available, would 'get her mother to read' still sound strange and 'have her mother read' sound better?

CalifJim · Answer

TakaIf her mother were a very busy person and she may not always be available, would 'get her mother to read' still sound strange and 'have her mother read' sound better?

With or without "likes to"?

CJ

Taka · Answer

Would still sound strange 'with' it?

CalifJim · Answer

TakaWould still sound strange 'with' it?

If her mother were a very busy person and she may not always be available, would 'get her mother to read' still sound strange and 'have her mother read' sound better?

In other words,

Does

She likes to get her mother to read ...

sound strange if her mother is often busy and not always available compared to how strange it sounds if we don't know that her mother is often busy and not always available?

I can't help but observe that the question itself is rather strange. Considering all the different levels of strangeness that have now been piled onto this question, it really is quite difficult to make any judgment, let alone a judgment that might be useful to anyone else. I suppose my answer to your question is that perhaps it sounds less strange if you know that her mother is often busy and not always available. But then approach me on another day when I'm in a different mood and you may get a different answer. We're working "below the level of the noise" here.

In short, if the words "She likes to" are the beginning of the sentence, it would be preferable, in my opinion, to continue with "have her mother read".

CJ

Taka · Answer

I see.

And this is the final question on this topic.

If you were in a situation where you thought you needed help from your parents, you think you would likely say 'I will have my parents help me', not using the phrase 'get X to do'?

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