Let’s use it/them all.

[diamondcutter]

Kevin: I’m hungry! Why don’t we make a snack?
Mark: That’s a good idea. I’m hungry, too. What do you have to eat?
Kevin: Well, there’s some peanut butter and jelly and some bread in the cupboard. And we have some potato chips and bananas, too.
Mark: Great!
Kevin: Is there anything in the refrigerator?
Mark: Let’s see. There’s some ham and cheese, and there are some pickles.
Kevin: Perfect! Let’s use it all.

Source: Let’s Go 5, OUP

In the last sentence, Kevin uses “it” to refer to all the foods mentioned above as a whole. I think he can also use “them” to refer to all the foods mentioned above separately.
What do you say?

 

[Cunning Fox]

To me, "them" would refer to all the pickles Mark has found in the fridge. That's not what Kevin's trying to say, I assume. "It" is by far the best option.

 

[diamondcutter]

What about deleting “and there are some pickles”? In that case, are both “it” and “them” acceptable?

 

[Cunning Fox]

A native speaker's sure to answer your question better but since you've asked me I'd go with a "no". I'd not try to enhance an already natural expression.

 

[jutfrank]

He's thinking about the food as a singular, total whole—that is, he's talking about everything they have. That's why he uses it. He isn't thinking about each item separately. Why would he do that?

 

[99bottles]

Not a native/teacher.

I think let's use all the above would make the sentence even less ambiguous.

 

[diamondcutter]

Thank you all for your replies.

Different languages think differently. Now I know what the English expressing habit is in that context. But for that original sentence, the Chinese equivalent is “我们把它们全用上吧”, which means "Let's use them all". It’s very natural for my students to ask me if it’s also acceptable to say "Let's use them all" in English in the context in #1. I have to give a precise reply to them. It’s a pity that I’m not so sure. That’s why I have to ask native speakers for help. I’m sorry to bother you again, but could you please tell me if it’s appropriate for me to answer them like this?
"Let's use them all" is grammatically correct and acceptable but not as idiomatic as "Let's use it all". Just remember to use the latter one in similar contexts.

 

[jutfrank]

I say it isn't appropriate to tell them that, no. It isn't a question of being 'idiomatic'. It's about meaning.

 

[Tarheel]

Not a native/teacher.

I think let's use all the above would make the sentence even less ambiguous.

"Let's use it all" means "Let's use everything you mentioned." You can't pick "it" out of that and make it somehow mean the same thing.

 

[diamondcutter]

Teacher: We are going to give away some school supplies to the children in remote areas. What do you have to give?
Tom: Pencils.
Jack: Erasers.
Sam: Pens.
...
Teacher: OK. Let’s give them/it all away.
(by me)
In this context, are both “them” and “it” correct?

 

[jutfrank]

I think you should stop trying to come up with a context in which both are correct. What's the point? Isn't that deliberately confusing?

 

[Tarheel]

You are clearly talking about more than one item. Which do you think you should use?

 

[diamondcutter]

For the context in #10, I think "them" is more appropriate.

 

[Tarheel]

Yes, say "Let's give them all away."