have sb doing sth???

[zahari]

Hi there!!!

Sorry for not joining you for so long but I have been working long hours lately.

I found the following sentence the other day and I can't explain the syntax. This is how it goes:

- Why did you send the children away?

-I won't have them playing around here. I have a headache.

Why does have take -ing (playing)?

Thank you very much!!!

[MrPedantic]

Hello Zahari

1. I won't have it! = I won't tolerate it!
2. I won't have them playing round here = I won't tolerate them playing round here.

You can think of "not have" here as an approximate synonym of "not put up with" or "not tolerate".

In #1, "it" is the object of "have".

In #2, the entire underlined phrase is the object of "have".

Does that help?

MrP

[zahari]

I knew that have here means tolerate but I couldn't explain the use of -ing. Maybe because I had in mind the widely used structures have sth done and have sb do sth..

Thanks a lot. It's crystal clear now!

[belly_ttt]

So when to use have sb do sth?

[Soup]

Causative

Ex: I had the mechanic fix the car.

[newbie]

Originally Posted by MrPedantic

Hello Zahari

1. I won't have it! = I won't tolerate it!
2. I won't have them playing round here = I won't tolerate them playing round here.

You can think of "not have" here as an approximate synonym of "not put up with" or "not tolerate".

In #1, "it" is the object of "have".

In #2, the entire underlined phrase is the object of "have".

Does that help?

MrP

Just two more question, MrP:
Does the structure the same explaination in this sentence:
I can have them playing around here (not in interrogative mood)
and:
Does the structure have the same explaination when it is used in other tenses? or just in future tense? (I've had someone answer this question, but I just want to know ideas of a British

Many thanks in advance
Newbie

[newbie]

May I know your idea, please?

[MrPedantic]

Hello Newbie,

1. I can't have them playing round here
2. I can have them playing round here

For me, #1 suggests e.g. the impatient comment of a busy parent whose children are interrupting the work in hand.

#2 however doesn't suggest the welcoming, amiable comment of such a parent in such a situation. So I would say, no, the idiom requires the negative.

Not to be confused with another idiomatic use of "have":

3. "I want to go away next weekend, but I don't know what to do about the children." "Oh well, we can have them, if you like."

— where "we can have them" = "we can provide accommodation, etc. for them".

Or:

4. I had those children playing outside my window again this afternoon.

— which = "Those children were playing..."; but the "I had" suggests "mild annoyance".

As for other tenses, I would say no; or at least, I can't think of an example. It may be worth noting that the "I will not" in this structure has an implication of "I am unwilling", rather than simple futurity.

(I'd be interested to know what other members think.)

Best wishes,

MrP

___

PS: sorry about the late reply, Newbie!