My brother agreed to buy a used car but stipulated that he would pay in installments

[mrmvp]

I am a bit puzzled between the two verbs "stipulate" and "require," both of which seem interchangeable to me.

I wrote a couple of sentences using "stipulate":

1. My brother agreed to buy a used car but stipulated that he would pay in installments.
2. The vice president stipulates that basic education should be free.
3. The German player stipulated a brand-new car and a house near the club in order to sign the new contract.
4. The director stipulated an irish speaking actor to play the final scene.

If I replace "require"with "stipulate", are they sentences correct?

 

[jutfrank]

If I replace "require"with "stipulate", are they sentences correct?

You've got that the wrong way round. You mean replace 'stipulate' with 'require'.

In 1, 'stipulated' is okay but 'required' is wrong.
In 2, both are wrong, in my judgement.
In 3 and 4, 'stipulated' is wrong but 'required' is okay.

Note that 'stipulate' is intransitive, which is why 3 and 4 are wrong. It can be transitive when taking a clause (most commonly a that-clause) as complement, but not a noun phrase. In 1, and in 2, 'required' doesn't make sense. These words have different meanings.

 

[mrmvp]

You've got that the wrong way round. You mean replace 'stipulate' with 'require'.

In 1, 'stipulated' is okay but 'required' is wrong.
In 2, both are wrong, in my judgement.
In 3 and 4, 'stipulated' is wrong but 'required' is okay.

Note that 'stipulate' is intransitive, which is why 3 and 4 are wrong. It can be transitive when taking a clause (most commonly a that-clause) as complement, but not a noun phrase. In 1, and in 2, 'required' doesn't make sense. These words have different meanings.

Thank you. If you have time please clear up my confusion.

Using "stipulate" as transitive verb requires that clause with subject, verb and object.

The new law stipulates that drug smugglers will face severe consequences and imprisonment

After that ( 'drug smugglers' is compound noun) 'will face' is a verb ) the complement is an object.


With intransitive verb, stipulate is appear as an object as In passive voice tense. For example, sever consequences must be stipulated against human trafficking and child abuse. The verb " stipulated" is used as an object.

Thank you again.

 

[jutfrank]

First of all, understand that 'stipulate' is mainly used in formal written texts, such as legal documents.

I suggest you learn first to use the word in the active voice followed by a that-clause:

The contract stipulates that employees must give two weeks’ notice before resigning.
The rules stipulate that all participants must be over 18.
The university stipulates that students must complete the course within four years.

Notice that the that-clauses contain the modal 'must'.

It can be used in the passive voice too, of course:

It is stipulated in the agreement that payments must be made monthly.

It is much less frequently used with direct object, but it can be done:

The terms stipulate a full refund if the product is faulty.