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#2 (permalink) Tue Jul 25, 2006 22:02 pm Phrase: I always used to have the e-mail program check... |
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Hi Atilla
| Quote: |
| 'I always used to have the e-mail program check the spelling before sending the mail.' |
By using used to in your sentence, you are saying that you did spell checks regularly in the past but now you don't do that anymore. You've stopped doing it.
You could use used to this way ("be used to doing"): "I'm used to having the e-mail program check the spelling before sending the mail." This means that using the spell check program is a habit of yours.
Otherwise, you could just say: "I've always had the e-mail program check the spelling before sending the mail." That means you started doing spell checks in the past and have continued to do that up to now. _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#3 (permalink) Wed Jul 26, 2006 0:40 am Phrase: I always used to have the e-mail program check... |
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Hi Atilla, You can also put it in these ways (Amy; correct my if I was wrong). Either, I used to check my e-mails' spelling before sending them; if you did check your spelling regularly in the past but now you don't do that anymore. You've stopped doing it. Or I always check my e-mails' spelling before sending them; when you do your spelling regularly and didn't stop yet.
That's what I've got for now. (Amy; correct my if I was wrong).
Regards Baraa |
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Bara You can meet me at english-test.net
Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 60
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#4 (permalink) Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:12 am Phrase: I always used to have the e-mail program check... |
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Hi Baraa
Yes, you can also use the simple present tense:
"I always have the e-mail program check the spelling..." (Note: "have someone/something do something" means "you don't do it yourself, but rather you tell someone/something else to do it") So, the sentence I wrote above means: Atilla always tells his e-mail program to check the spelling ...
Amy
The explanation of "have someone do something" has been corrected. Thanks, Baraa. :D _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#5 (permalink) Thu Jul 27, 2006 15:34 pm Phrase: I always used to have the e-mail program check... |
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Hi Amy, I don't think that this sentence is correct:
"I always have the e-mail program check the spelling..."
It should be : "I always have the e-mail program checked the spelling..."
From you, we always benefit. Baraa |
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Bara You can meet me at english-test.net
Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 60
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#6 (permalink) Thu Jul 27, 2006 16:22 pm Phrase: I always used to have the e-mail program check... |
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Hi Baraa
"I always have the e-mail program check the spelling..."
This is a correct sentence, but I gave you the wrong explanation about why it's correct. Sorry. :oops: Thanks for pointing that out!
The "base" form expression is "have someone (or something) do something". It means that you instruct someone/something to do something:
Atilla instructs his e-mail program to check the spelling. = Atilla has his e-mail program check the spelling.
Amy
(I'm also going to correct my previous post. ;)) _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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| "Honorable" vs "Honored" | PROBABLY versus LIKELY versus MAYBE |