at request or by request or upon request?

Welcome to ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans, activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

ESL forum > Ask for help > at request or by request or upon request?

at request or by request or upon request?

at request or by request or upon request?

Please... if I do something because somebody, no matter who, asks me if I can do it for him/her, that would be expressed in English as doing something at request or by request or upon request?.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Apayala

8 May 2021

By request or upon request would be fine if you do not give the person�s name.

For example, if you were a designer, you could say, "Other designs available by/upon request" in your catalogue.

At the request of name is what you would say to specify a particular person.

For example, "I created this blue and purple print at the request of Prince John."

8 May 2021

Thanks a million, FrauSue!!!! That clarifies completely my doubt!!!

8 May 2021

yanogator

FrauSue�s answer is correct, but not quite complete. Her example of a catalogue is essentially dealing with the future: If you request a design, we will supply it. Since Apayala�s question is dealing with the present, only "by request" works, if, as FrauSue said, no requester is mentioned.

I will do that by request.

I will do that upon request.

("I will do that at someone�s request" doesn�t make sense, because the request hasn�t been made yet.)

The use of "upon" in a situation like this means about the same as "after", which is why it only works for future situations. "I will do that upon request" is the same as "I will do that after I receive a request".

I am doing that at his request.

I am doing that by request.

I did that at his request.

I did that by request.

I hope this is clear.

Bruce

8 May 2021

Thank you, Bruce - your explanation is much fuller than mine. I hadn�t considered the present tense!

9 May 2021