Grammar/Explanation needed

Grammar/Explanation needed
Message from outcast posted on 14-04-2016 at 03:53:27 (D | E | F)
Hello
Could you help me please?
"You look upset, sir," said Mrs. Hicks. "Shall I make you a nice hot cup of tea. The kettle's boiling."
It's an excerpt from the 3rd chapter of "The Mystery of the Strange Messages, by Enid Blyton, and while reading I'm stuck here.
My question is:
The simple present form of the sentence should be "I make you tea."
It can also be said as "I make tea for you."
If so, please explain the grammatical explanation of the sentence "I make you tea."
Is ‘make' is used instead of ‘prepare for'?

Thanks and awaiting your valued answer

-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 14-04-2016 08:56

---

Re: Grammar/Explanation needed from gerondif, posted on 16-04-2016 at 14:04:16 (D | E)
Hello,
Shall I make you a nice hot cup of tea? is in the future. It means:
Do you want me to make you a nice cup of tea ?
Would you like me to .........................

You could have a normal future if that idea suddenly occured to you: Somebody sees you aren't feeling well and says on the spur of the moment: I'll make you a nice cup of tea! You'll feel better afterwards.

As Sherry explained below, the present tense would have no meaning if it is not a regular habit:
I make you a nice cup of tea every morning. You should be grateful!!

"I make you tea" (meaning now) could only be pronounced by somebody who doesn't master the English language or the English tenses.

---

Re: Grammar/Explanation needed from sherry48, posted on 16-04-2016 at 15:01:23 (D | E)
Hello.
In addition to gerondif's explanation of the future, keep in mind that 'I make you tea' (present tense)indicates a repeated action, so at least one more word is needed to really make sense...
I make you tea every day.
I always/often/sometimes make you tea.
If you want it to be present-right now-then you will use be+verb+ing.
Sherry

---

[POST A NEW REPLY] [Subscribe to this topic]

Forum > English only