Idiom of the day (22)

It's my shout.

¡Invito yo!

Patterns with have

You can use have to talk about results or arrangements.

Results

You can use have + someone/something + present participle to say:

1) that you encouraged someone to do something:

    In the end I had them all dancing and singing.

2) that you managed to get a machine or an animal to do something:

    I had the computer working five hours after I'd starting to work on it.

    I had the parrot talking in no time.

3) that something happened as a consequence of an action:

    The party was a bit noisy; we had the police knocking on the front door 

    at one point.

Arrangements

You use the pattern have + someone/something + infinitive to say you have asked someone to do something for you.

    I had my neighbours look after the dog last weekend.

    She had someone come round to give her a quote for the decorating work.

Idiom of the day (21)

The die is cast.

La suerte está echada.

Vocabulary (7) - The consumer society

basic necessities

brand

supermarket chains

groceries

grower

merchandise

retailer

supplier

consumerism

carrier bags

consumer durables

compulsive shopping

impulsive purchase