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I have a daughter studying at kindergarten.

One day her teacher said to me that the class was taking a photo of its students (like a photo of a group of students in the same class. it seems like people say "a group photo of the class" but I am not sure)

So, if my daughter wanted to join, then she would appear in "that group photo".

Now, I wanted to ask my daughter to see if she wanted to appear in the group photo.

There are many things I am not so sure

First, I think "your photo" means "a photo of you"

So, "Look at the camera. I am taking a photo of you" and "Look at the camera. I am taking your photo" are the same.

The Oxford dictionary has this phrase "to have your picture/photo taken".

So, we can say "Do you want to have your photo taken?"

I am not sure if we can say "Do you want to have a photo of you taken?"

Anyway, get back the question.

I want to now if my daughter want to have "a group photo of the class with her in it"

Is it correct for me to say to my daughter like this "Do you want to have your group photo of your class taken?"?

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  • Do you want to ask her wants she wants to have such a photo when it's taken, or whether she wants such a photo to be taken, or whether she wants to be in such a photo when it's taken?
    – Jaime
    Mar 21 at 13:52
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    The question in the title would be better expressed as "Do you want to have your photo taken with your classmates?". You could also say "Do you want to be in the group photo?"
    – Kate Bunting
    Mar 21 at 13:54

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Most of what you say in this item is more or less correct, except for the very last line. "Do you want to have your group photo of your class taken?" isn't simply awkward sounding, it really isn't what you want to ask.

It's not "her" group photo, and you have no control over whether the group photo will be taken so it doesn't matter whether she wants it taken.

You can assume that the photo will be taken. Eliminating this unnecessary detail of the process gives what you really want to ask: "Do you want to appear in your class's group photo?".

More generally, for situations like this:

  • Don't confuse things by talking about the details of the process (she might want to appear in the group photo, but be overwhelmed by the process of having it taken).
  • Assume that it will happen (there will be a group photo).
  • Consider the possible future results that will be affected by today's decision (she will either appear in the photo or not).
  • Ask which she will consider to be the best outcome a month from now (will she be upset that her friends are there and she was left out?).
  • Help her to make the corresponding choice of action.
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