[Idiom] If anyone of them comes here....

[Silverobama]

I invited some of my friends to a local English club but I didn't know if they would show up. When I arrived at the English club, I think "If anyone of them comes here, I'll cover the drink for them". (Everyone is required to buy drinks there.)

Is the italic sentence natural?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I invited some of my friends to a local English club meeting, but I didn't know if they would show up. When I arrived at the English club meeting, I thought, [STRIKE]"[/STRIKE]If any of them come[STRIKE]s[/STRIKE] here, I'll cover the drink for them[STRIKE]"[/STRIKE]. (Everyone is required to buy drinks there.)

Is the italic sentence natural?

It's a little confusing. Are they required to buy one drink or more?

- If they're required to buy one, then "I'll cover the drink" works, but "required to buy drinks" should be "required to buy a drink."

- If they're required to buy more than one, then "required to buy drinks" is fine but you'll have to make "I'll cover the drink" plural or change it to "a drink."

Most writers today don't put quotation marks around unspoken thoughts. You mostly just see it in old books.

 

[Silverobama]

They're required to buy one drink.

 

[emsr2d2]

Are you offering to pay for that one drink for them, or for all their drinks all evening?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Are you offering to pay for that one drink for them, or for all their drinks all evening?

Right. That's what I mean is unclear.

 

[jutfrank]

I take it you mean you'll cover the cost of the one drink they have to buy to get in. I'd say this:

If any of them come, I'll cover their drink.

 

[Silverobama]

Are you offering to pay for that one drink for them, or for all their drinks all evening?

Sorry for the delay. We usually only drink once there. So, I should say "pay for that one drink for them".

I take it you mean you'll cover the cost of the one drink they have to buy to get in. I'd say this:

If any of them come, I'll cover their drink.

Yes. Much appreciated!