Grammatical error?...Grrr.?

Question

Okay, so, I was making door signs fir the toilets at work (perk of the job...not) which said this:

"Attention!

Please always ask the receptionist if you require to use the toilet.

This is in case you are needed to provide a urine sample prior to your appointment."

I work in a private health clinic.

However, on MSWord, it stated "require to use" as a "grammatical error" and so I changed it to the option on there which was "require using".

So the sign now reads:

"Attention!

Please always ask the receptionist if you require using the toilet.

This is in case you are needed to provide a urine sample prior to your appointment."

Anyway, this girl comes in and says the sign is "grammatically incorrect" because it should be "require to use" not "require using" and I told her that it was my initial clause but MSWord said otherwise.

She's so picky and I do not like her anyway.

I then told her I don't think it even matters which is correct as it just means the same, anyway.

Am I correct?

Answer 1

I prefer this version ..." please ask the receptionist if you may use the toilet , this is because she might well have been the last one to use it and to save her blushes , wishes for it to be left for a week or two until the air inside is breathable again .. thankyou "

Answer 2

MS Word's grammar checking routine is not perfect.

With "required", the infinitive is the better choice.  Compare the following:

I require my students to finish their homework.

I require my students finishing their homework.

However, I'd recommend switching your use of "require" and "need".  In fact, you could switch quite a few things.

Before using the toilet, please ask the receptionist whether you are required to provide a urine sample.

Answer 3

Look if you want a p^ss, wait and see the doctor first.

Easy Peasy!

Answer 4

It is actually Require using. But for future reference, the spell checker on MSword is American English not British English so it might sometimes be wrong.

Answer 5

"if you require to use the toilet"

Answer 6

It would have been better if you had said "Need to use" Require to use sounds wrong

Answer 7

Wouldn't this seem more natural?

"Please see the receptionist before using the toilet, in case you are required to provide a urine sample prior to your appointment."

Answer 8

make it NEED TO USE..... it sounds much better that way! XD

Answer 9

life is full of these earth shattering decisions

Answer 10

It's require to use

Answer 11

I think you are correct to ignore a perfectionist who has some need to be right and apparently doesn't have anything better to do with her time in the workplace.

Having said that, I would have written is as "need" rather than require.  But that is just me.  In the end, who really cares as long as people can read and understand the sign.

Ignore her.  People like this will continue to argue just for the sake of the argument.  You have better things to do.

Answer 12

This is not grammatical, it's just trying to make clear what you want to say and why.

Maybe you should keep the toilet locked. Then you could say, 'Please ask the receptionist for the key.'  

Answer 13

I would say both are incorrect. It should say:

"Attention!

Please always ask the receptionist if you need to use the toilet.

This is in case you are required to provide a urine sample prior to your appointment."

How many times do you 'require' the toilet, you don't you 'need' the toilet. Also, do you 'need' people to provide a urine sample, no, you require them to..

hope this helps.

Answer 14

You always get people who nit pick about things.  I think require to use is better than require using but to be honest I don't think either of them sounds good.  Perhaps you could put

Attention

Please inform the receptionist before using the toilet.  This is incase ..... etc

Answer 15

Just change the whole phrase to something like - Please contact the receptionist before using the toilet.

Answer 16

Just write "If you need to use....."

Answer 17

and you take notice of what a computer tells you? bah....