'Look in there' he pointed gestured

[99bottles]

Remember that thread I opened recently, where we talked for ages about the differences between point to and point at? Well, a new can of worms opened when I found another synonym (don't you just love this language?) while trying to write the sentence below.

'Look in there,' he said, gesturing/pointing to/towards the box.

Now I need someone to explain to me the difference between gesture and point as well as the difference between to and towards. And, of course, I need someone to tell me which of those combos is correct here. Isn't this language just adorable?

 

[5jj]

Now I need you to explain to me the difference between gesture and point as well as the difference between to and towards. And, of course, I need you to tell me which of those combos is correct here. I

As a writer, you should become more aware of tone. 'I need you to ...' is how someone in a position of authority might ask a subordinate to do something.

 

[99bottles]

As a writer, you should become more aware of tone. 'I need you to ...' is how someone in a position of authority might a subordinate to do something.

My first choice was you have to. :loling:

 

[jutfrank]

I think it's increasingly apparent to some of us that you don't so much lack an awareness of tone as simply enjoy being abrasive. Needless to say, it's counterproductive because not only do you cause us to resist helping you, you also waste time by unnecessarily stretching out your threads.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please rephrase your request, 99bottles.

 

[99bottles]

I think it's increasingly apparent to some of us that you don't so much lack an awareness of tone as simply enjoy being abrasive.

No, I swear that I really thought that I need you to sounded more polite than you have to. Anyway, I edited the OP.

 

[5jj]

I edited the OP.

Not very successfully. Thread closed.

In future threads, try to remember the existence of the word 'please'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Native speakers hear things that non-natives don't. Things like "I need you to ..." and "I want you to ..." can appear brusque and rude. Stick with "I would appreciate it if you would ..." or "Please could you ...".

I have closed the thread (5jj said he had closed it but appears not to have been successful in doing so).