Make + be

[Nightmare85]

Hi friends,

It's been a while.

Should I use be in these sentences?
What makes you be his friend?
What makes you be the number one?

In my opinion be should be used here.
It's my instinct that tells me that.

Cheers!

 

[TheParser]

Hi friends,

It's been a while.




I think that I am speaking for many other members when I say:

Wecome back! We have missed you! :-D

 

[Nightmare85]

Thank you for your very kind words.
I'm also glad to be back.

P.S: So I assume the sentences I posted are correct. :up:

Cheers!

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi friends,

It's been a while.

Should I use be in these sentences?
What makes you be his friend?
What makes you be the number one?

In my opinion be should be used here.
It's my instinct that tells me that.

Cheers!

Welcome back. Been anywhere nice?! ;-)

Anyway, my opinion is that your first sentence could be used but not the second.

With the first, "makes you" replaces "compels you" or "causes you", both of which would be followed by "to be", but "makes you" requires only the bare infinitive.

- What makes you be his friend?
- The fact that he's lonely and clearly needs friends.

With the second, "makes you" means "is the reason that you are" so I think that "be" is simply unnecessary.

Tennis interviewer: So, Rafael Nadal, what makes you number one?
Nadal: Hours and hours of practice and the desire to win.

 

[TheParser]

P.S: So I assume the sentences I posted are correct. :up:


NOT A TEACHER


(1) I did not answer your questions, for I did not have the confidence to do so. And you know that we non-teachers are warned not to spread any nonsense.

(2) Teacher Emsr has given us her usual excellent answer.

 

[emsr2d2]

(2) Teacher Emsr has given us his usual excellent answer.

I've never had so many sex changes (sorry, gender realignment) as I have on this site!

 

[TheParser]

I've never had so many sex changes (sorry, gender realignment) as I have on this site!

I have edited my post and humbly apologize, ma'am.

 

[emsr2d2]

I have edited my post and humbly apologize, ma'am.

Don't worry! I'm used to it. ;-)

 

[Nightmare85]

So, emsr2d2 is a woman?
In this case:

Thank you for your answer.
It really helped me. ;-)
_________._____.
____..___*"=,,**,____.
_____*""=""*'__"*****'
.._.;**'_**___,*""_"*
_"*"'__"**"__*"_____*;
___"*,__"*___*_______"*,
____"*___*,__*,_______"*
_____*,__"*,_"*,_______*,
_____"*,__"*,_"*''""""""*'.
______"*,*'***'"'___,''"
______,*"___*"__.'***"
_____,***"""""'******
_____"'_________"'***
__________________"'*,
___________________"'*
____________________"'*_
________,''**'.'""',_'*""__,''**','.
_______'""____._"*.*_'*__,*"___.__"**
______'*__._'__,''""*'*_,*_._'__,*"_**
______**.'_,''""____"*'**"',,'''"____*
______"*_'""_________"'*___""'
_______"*_____________'*
______________________'*_
______________________'*""
______________________'*
______________________'*
____________________""'*
______________________'*



Cheers!

 

[~Mav~]

[OFF]

I've never had so many sex changes (sorry, gender realignment) as I have on this site!

That's probably because there are only a few Star Wars fans on this site. ;-) If someone knows "who" R2-D2 is, then it's easier to guess what your name is. (EmsR2D2) My bold guess is that you have the name of a Jane Austen heroine. ;-) I apologise in advance if I'm wrong. Regardless, I have never thought you are a man.




[/OFF]

 

[emsr2d2]

[OFF]


That's probably because there are only a few Star Wars fans on this site. ;-) If someone knows "who" R2-D2 is, then it's easier to guess what your name is. (EmsR2D2) My bold guess is that you have the name of a Jane Austen heroine. ;-) I apologise in advance if I'm wrong. Regardless, I have never thought you are a man.




[/OFF]

Only a few Star Wars fans?! Shocking. That's it. I'm off! ;-) You're certainly right about the R2-D2 part, but as for my name - well, a girl has to retain at least the semblance of mystery.

I think that "Regardless, I have never thought you are a man" is one of the most marvellous quotes ever directed at me and it may become my new personal slogan. It also demonstrates perfectly the use of the past and present tenses with "I thought" which is currently being discussed in another thread.