Touchstone 2nd Edition • Language summary • Level 3

Unit 4 • Lesson A: Family gripes

Vocabulary
Immediate family
husband (n)
wife (n)
spouse (n)

Family life
clean up (your room) (v)
do chores (v)
fight over (the remote) (v)
go over the speed limit (v)
gripe (about) (v)
have a gripe (about) (v)
start a family (v)
stay out late (v)

Discipline and rules

ask someone to do something (v)
get someone to do something (v)
have someone do something (v)
help someone do something (v)
let someone do something (v)
make someone do something (v)
tell someone to do something (v)
want someone to do something (v)

© Cambridge University Press 2014 Unit 4, Lesson A, Page 1

Touchstone 2nd Edition • Language summary • Level 3

Grammar
let, make, and have
After let, make, and have, use an object + verb:

My parents won't let me stay out late.

They make me come home before 10:00.

I have them do their homework before dinner.

get, want, ask, and tell

After get, want, ask, and tell, use an object + to + verb:

I can't get them to clean up their rooms.

My parents want me to study law.

I have to ask them to drive me everywhere.

My wife is always telling me to slow down.

help
After help you can use an object + verb or an object + to + verb, but help + object + verb is
more common:

My kids never help me clean the house.

My kids never help me to clean the house.

© Cambridge University Press 2014 Unit 4, Lesson A, Page 2