arrange the doctor for me VS arrange for the doctor to visit me

[mrwroc]

For example: I am in a hotel and ask a receptionist questions. I wonder if sentences below have similar meanings. Can I use any of them?

1A: I don't feel very well. Can you arrange the doctor for me? (this sentence I like more than 1B because it has the same structure in my language)
1B: I don't feel very well. Can you arrange for the doctor to visit me?

2A: Can you arrange a transfer to the airport for me? (this sentence I like more than 2B because it has the same structure in my language)
2B: Can you arrange for a transfer to drive me to the airport?

 

[Rover_KE]

Use 1B and 2A.

The others are incorrect.

 

[mrwroc]

Why?

"arrange for" - it implies that someone else does something for you.


In both cases someone else will organise something for me, so why I have to use "arrange for something" in 1 and "arrange something" in 2?

Maybe when I use a person then I should use: arrange for --a person-- to do something
And when I use "a thing" then I should use: arrange --a thing-- for someone

But I found:
Please arrange for a cab to pick me up at six.

A cab is a thing and we use "arrange for" so I don't understand when I should use each form.

 

[GoesStation]

1A suggests you want someone to put the doctor's arms and legs into a pleasing arrangement.

2B says that a transfer can drive a car.

 

[mrwroc]

I don't feel it, don't know when to use "for" with "arrange".

 

[GoesStation]

I don't feel it, don't know when to use "for" with "arrange".

What do you find when you compare the definitions of the transitive and intransitive versions of the verb?

 

[mrwroc]

Transitive verbs require an object:
The girls carry water to their village.
Juan threw the ball.

And intransitive verbs don't need an object:
They jumped.
The dog ran.

Why are you asking?
I think "visit" is a transitive word because I visit someone and "transfer" is a intransitive word.

 

[jutfrank]

GoesStation was asking specifically about the transitive and intransitive uses of the verb arrange. Have a look at some dictionary examples to see if you can work out the different uses.

Let me start you off by laying down the three patterns you need to discriminate:

arrange something
arrange for something to happen
arrange for somebody to do something

 

[GoesStation]

What do you find when you compare the definitions of the transitive and intransitive versions of the verb?

Why are you asking?

I didn't ask about the definitions of "transitive" and "intransitive". When a verb has both transitive and intransitive definitions, the two forms mean different things. I want you to study those forms of the verb arrange and tell me what you find.

 

[mrwroc]

Thank you @jutfrank for those constructions:
arrange something
arrange for something to happen
arrange for somebody to do something


So, as I understand I can use:
I don't feel very well. Can you arrange a doctor's visit for me?
instead of:
I don't feel very well. Can you arrange for the doctor to visit me?

Am I right?

 

[GoesStation]

So, as I understand it I can use:
I don't feel very well. Can you arrange a doctor's visit for me?
instead of:
I don't feel very well. Can you arrange for the doctor to visit me?

Am I right?

Yes. The first isn't very natural for me but they're both correct. Well done.

Sadly, American doctors practically never make house calls anymore. When I was an EMT on the rescue squad in the eighties, we'd occasionally encounter the doctor at a patient's home; even then, that was so unusual generally that it was something I'd tell people about as a benefit of living in my small town.

[CROSS-POSTED with emsr2d2]

 

[emsr2d2]

So, as I understand it, I can use:

I don't feel very well. Can you arrange a doctor's visit for me?
instead of:
I don't feel very well. Can you arrange for the doctor to visit me?

Am I right?

For me, those two sentences have different meanings. If I asked someone to arrange a doctor's visit for me, I would expect them to phone the doctor's surgery (office) and make an appointment for me to go there. The second, however, makes it clear that I need the doctor to come to me.

 

[mrwroc]

Thank you GoesStation and emsr2d2. Thank you also emsr2d2 one more time for explaining the difference between these two sentences.
Now I know the rule when to use "arrange" and "arrange for" - yeah! :lol: :lol:

 

[Tarheel]

Can you arrange a transfer to the airport for me?

I need to go to the airport. Could you call me a cab?

Is that what you mean?

 

[emsr2d2]

"Can you arrange a transfer to the airport for me?" is natural in BrE. Many companies offer "airport transfers" - usually a car or a minibus that will take you to/from the airport to the city centre or to your hotel. It doesn't have to be a cab.

 

[Tarheel]

I had never heard of an airport transfer before. It's entirely new to me.

 

[emsr2d2]

I had never heard of an airport transfer before. It's entirely new to me.

See, everyone? Even the native speakers learn new things!

 

[mrwroc]

arrange for the doctor for me / for a taxi for me

If I am in a hotel, can I say:

1. I don't feel very well. Could you arrange for the doctor for me?
(I want that somebody call the doctor and bring him to a hotel.)

2. I need to go to the doctor. Could you arrange for a taxi for me?
(I want that somebody call a taxi.)

I wonder because in a dictionary I found:
[FONT=&quot]arrange for something[/FONT][FONT=&quot] to do something[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]In my sentences I don't use "to do something". So, are they wrong?[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]

 

[probus]

Re: arrange for the doctor for me / for a taxi for me

If I am in a hotel, can I say:

1. I don't feel very well. Could you arrange for the doctor for me?
(I want (No that here) somebody to (must be here) call the doctor and bring him to the hotel.)

2. I need to go to the doctor. Could you arrange for a taxi for me?
(I want somebody to call a taxi.)

I wonder because in a dictionary I found:
[FONT=&quot]arrange for something[/FONT][FONT=&quot] to do something[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]In my sentences I don't use "to do something". So, are they wrong?[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]

See my corrections above.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: arrange for the doctor for me / for a taxi for me

Didn't we cover this in March? I have merged the two threads.