How to understand “I had two try”

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"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr. Roberts, scrutinizing Mr. Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

I think "I had two try" here means Mr. Roberts had encounter this kind of situation two times. (Is my understanding correct?) I don't quite understand why the singular form of 'try' is being used, instead of the plural form "tries", given the word 'try' is actually an accountable noun. Is it a dialectal usage?

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

Probably "You're not the first one ... I had two (people) try ..." Where is this passage from? Weasley makes me think of Harry Potter.
– ColleenV♦
3 hours ago

@ColleenV: Yes, from Harry Potter. So, you meant 'try' is used as a verb here?
– dan
3 hours ago

2

Yes, it is. He had two [individuals] attempt to pay him with great gold coins. The "try" is a verb, and the phrasing "try and" is a common substitute for the more standard "try to".
– Gary Botnovcan
2 hours ago

Dan, the non-standard use of 'try and pay' makes this sentence extremely difficult to understand. They are not two different actions. As soon as that is replaced by 'try to pay', i.e. the one action it really was, the meaning is understandable. May I suggest Harry Potter books are an awful resource to use if you want to improve your English. They contain numerous examples of intentionally bad grammar used a form of humour.
– Ross Murray
1 hour ago

@RossMurray I was on the halfway of it, so I think I should finish it anyway.
– dan
46 mins ago

add a comment |

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr. Roberts, scrutinizing Mr. Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

Probably "You're not the first one ... I had two (people) try ..." Where is this passage from? Weasley makes me think of Harry Potter.
– ColleenV♦
3 hours ago

@ColleenV: Yes, from Harry Potter. So, you meant 'try' is used as a verb here?
– dan
3 hours ago

2

Yes, it is. He had two [individuals] attempt to pay him with great gold coins. The "try" is a verb, and the phrasing "try and" is a common substitute for the more standard "try to".
– Gary Botnovcan
2 hours ago

Dan, the non-standard use of 'try and pay' makes this sentence extremely difficult to understand. They are not two different actions. As soon as that is replaced by 'try to pay', i.e. the one action it really was, the meaning is understandable. May I suggest Harry Potter books are an awful resource to use if you want to improve your English. They contain numerous examples of intentionally bad grammar used a form of humour.
– Ross Murray
1 hour ago

@RossMurray I was on the halfway of it, so I think I should finish it anyway.
– dan
46 mins ago

add a comment |

up vote
2
down vote

favorite

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr. Roberts, scrutinizing Mr. Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

"You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr. Roberts, scrutinizing Mr. Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago."

meaning-in-context singular-vs-plural

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

asked 3 hours ago

dan

3,72122259

Probably "You're not the first one ... I had two (people) try ..." Where is this passage from? Weasley makes me think of Harry Potter.
– ColleenV♦
3 hours ago

@ColleenV: Yes, from Harry Potter. So, you meant 'try' is used as a verb here?
– dan
3 hours ago

2

Yes, it is. He had two [individuals] attempt to pay him with great gold coins. The "try" is a verb, and the phrasing "try and" is a common substitute for the more standard "try to".
– Gary Botnovcan
2 hours ago

Dan, the non-standard use of 'try and pay' makes this sentence extremely difficult to understand. They are not two different actions. As soon as that is replaced by 'try to pay', i.e. the one action it really was, the meaning is understandable. May I suggest Harry Potter books are an awful resource to use if you want to improve your English. They contain numerous examples of intentionally bad grammar used a form of humour.
– Ross Murray
1 hour ago

@RossMurray I was on the halfway of it, so I think I should finish it anyway.
– dan
46 mins ago

add a comment |

Probably "You're not the first one ... I had two (people) try ..." Where is this passage from? Weasley makes me think of Harry Potter.
– ColleenV♦
3 hours ago

@ColleenV: Yes, from Harry Potter. So, you meant 'try' is used as a verb here?
– dan
3 hours ago

2

Yes, it is. He had two [individuals] attempt to pay him with great gold coins. The "try" is a verb, and the phrasing "try and" is a common substitute for the more standard "try to".
– Gary Botnovcan
2 hours ago

Dan, the non-standard use of 'try and pay' makes this sentence extremely difficult to understand. They are not two different actions. As soon as that is replaced by 'try to pay', i.e. the one action it really was, the meaning is understandable. May I suggest Harry Potter books are an awful resource to use if you want to improve your English. They contain numerous examples of intentionally bad grammar used a form of humour.
– Ross Murray
1 hour ago

@RossMurray I was on the halfway of it, so I think I should finish it anyway.
– dan
46 mins ago

Probably "You're not the first one ... I had two (people) try ..." Where is this passage from? Weasley makes me think of Harry Potter.
– ColleenV♦
3 hours ago

@ColleenV: Yes, from Harry Potter. So, you meant 'try' is used as a verb here?
– dan
3 hours ago

Yes, it is. He had two [individuals] attempt to pay him with great gold coins. The "try" is a verb, and the phrasing "try and" is a common substitute for the more standard "try to".
– Gary Botnovcan
2 hours ago

Dan, the non-standard use of 'try and pay' makes this sentence extremely difficult to understand. They are not two different actions. As soon as that is replaced by 'try to pay', i.e. the one action it really was, the meaning is understandable. May I suggest Harry Potter books are an awful resource to use if you want to improve your English. They contain numerous examples of intentionally bad grammar used a form of humour.
– Ross Murray
1 hour ago

@RossMurray I was on the halfway of it, so I think I should finish it anyway.
– dan
46 mins ago

add a comment |

1 Answer
1

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oldest

votes

up vote
5
down vote

With context being somewhat limited, it seems he is saying that he had (knew/met) two people who tried and paid him "with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago".

The HAVE + NOUN PHRASE (NP) + VERB construction means experience NP doing what the verb describes. For example:

I have had many people come up to me and ask me for money.

Another similar construction is HAVE + NP + VERB (past participle)

I had my car scuffed.

It should be noted here that HAVE constructions can also be used in causative sentences.

I will have my guy go over there.

I had my hair cut.

edited 2 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

Is it "have + NP + do" the same as "have + NP + to do"? Is it also correct to say: "I have had many people to come up to me and ask me for money."?
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan You should use the bare infinitive, that is, an infinitive without "to". No, that sentence is incorrect.
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

But I found these examples in Collins dictionary: He had plenty of work to do. I have some important calls to make.
– dan
2 hours ago

1

@dan Those are not the same construction. He had plenty of work to do. implies "The plenty of work was for him to do." "He needed to worry about that work." I had two guys pay me. means "Two guys paid me."
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

add a comment |

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1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

up vote
5
down vote

With context being somewhat limited, it seems he is saying that he had (knew/met) two people who tried and paid him "with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago".

The HAVE + NOUN PHRASE (NP) + VERB construction means experience NP doing what the verb describes. For example:

I have had many people come up to me and ask me for money.

Another similar construction is HAVE + NP + VERB (past participle)

I had my car scuffed.

It should be noted here that HAVE constructions can also be used in causative sentences.

I will have my guy go over there.

I had my hair cut.

edited 2 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

Is it "have + NP + do" the same as "have + NP + to do"? Is it also correct to say: "I have had many people to come up to me and ask me for money."?
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan You should use the bare infinitive, that is, an infinitive without "to". No, that sentence is incorrect.
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

But I found these examples in Collins dictionary: He had plenty of work to do. I have some important calls to make.
– dan
2 hours ago

1

@dan Those are not the same construction. He had plenty of work to do. implies "The plenty of work was for him to do." "He needed to worry about that work." I had two guys pay me. means "Two guys paid me."
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

add a comment |

up vote
5
down vote

With context being somewhat limited, it seems he is saying that he had (knew/met) two people who tried and paid him "with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago".

The HAVE + NOUN PHRASE (NP) + VERB construction means experience NP doing what the verb describes. For example:

I have had many people come up to me and ask me for money.

Another similar construction is HAVE + NP + VERB (past participle)

I had my car scuffed.

It should be noted here that HAVE constructions can also be used in causative sentences.

I will have my guy go over there.

I had my hair cut.

edited 2 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

Is it "have + NP + do" the same as "have + NP + to do"? Is it also correct to say: "I have had many people to come up to me and ask me for money."?
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan You should use the bare infinitive, that is, an infinitive without "to". No, that sentence is incorrect.
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

But I found these examples in Collins dictionary: He had plenty of work to do. I have some important calls to make.
– dan
2 hours ago

1

@dan Those are not the same construction. He had plenty of work to do. implies "The plenty of work was for him to do." "He needed to worry about that work." I had two guys pay me. means "Two guys paid me."
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

add a comment |

up vote
5
down vote

With context being somewhat limited, it seems he is saying that he had (knew/met) two people who tried and paid him "with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago".

The HAVE + NOUN PHRASE (NP) + VERB construction means experience NP doing what the verb describes. For example:

I have had many people come up to me and ask me for money.

Another similar construction is HAVE + NP + VERB (past participle)

I had my car scuffed.

It should be noted here that HAVE constructions can also be used in causative sentences.

I will have my guy go over there.

I had my hair cut.

edited 2 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

With context being somewhat limited, it seems he is saying that he had (knew/met) two people who tried and paid him "with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago".

The HAVE + NOUN PHRASE (NP) + VERB construction means experience NP doing what the verb describes. For example:

I have had many people come up to me and ask me for money.

Another similar construction is HAVE + NP + VERB (past participle)

I had my car scuffed.

It should be noted here that HAVE constructions can also be used in causative sentences.

I will have my guy go over there.

I had my hair cut.

edited 2 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

edited 2 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

answered 3 hours ago

Eddie Kal

4,54041543

Is it "have + NP + do" the same as "have + NP + to do"? Is it also correct to say: "I have had many people to come up to me and ask me for money."?
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan You should use the bare infinitive, that is, an infinitive without "to". No, that sentence is incorrect.
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

But I found these examples in Collins dictionary: He had plenty of work to do. I have some important calls to make.
– dan
2 hours ago

1

@dan Those are not the same construction. He had plenty of work to do. implies "The plenty of work was for him to do." "He needed to worry about that work." I had two guys pay me. means "Two guys paid me."
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

add a comment |

Is it "have + NP + do" the same as "have + NP + to do"? Is it also correct to say: "I have had many people to come up to me and ask me for money."?
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan You should use the bare infinitive, that is, an infinitive without "to". No, that sentence is incorrect.
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

But I found these examples in Collins dictionary: He had plenty of work to do. I have some important calls to make.
– dan
2 hours ago

1

@dan Those are not the same construction. He had plenty of work to do. implies "The plenty of work was for him to do." "He needed to worry about that work." I had two guys pay me. means "Two guys paid me."
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

Is it "have + NP + do" the same as "have + NP + to do"? Is it also correct to say: "I have had many people to come up to me and ask me for money."?
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan You should use the bare infinitive, that is, an infinitive without "to". No, that sentence is incorrect.
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

But I found these examples in Collins dictionary: He had plenty of work to do. I have some important calls to make.
– dan
2 hours ago

@dan Those are not the same construction. He had plenty of work to do. implies "The plenty of work was for him to do." "He needed to worry about that work." I had two guys pay me. means "Two guys paid me."
– Eddie Kal
2 hours ago

add a comment |

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