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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
English in UK
Grammar and sense
Is there anything gramatically incorrect in the following sentences ?
"If she doesn't have a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."
"If she doesn't have date, she meets her friends at the Central for a drink and goes out with them for Chinese food."
When it comes to meaning, do the two sentences mean the same?
Same questions for :
"She would never cook on Friday nights."
"She never cooks on Friday nights."
To me, the use of "will" or "would" stresses the habit of doing or not doing something special on a particular day. But I must say that my English grammar courses are far behind me.
"If she doesn't have a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."
"If she doesn't have date, she meets her friends at the Central for a drink and goes out with them for Chinese food."
When it comes to meaning, do the two sentences mean the same?
Same questions for :
"She would never cook on Friday nights."
"She never cooks on Friday nights."
To me, the use of "will" or "would" stresses the habit of doing or not doing something special on a particular day. But I must say that my English grammar courses are far behind me.
Top answer
" When it comes to meaning, do the two sentences mean the same? " To me, the use of "will" or "would" stresses the habit of doing or not doing something special on a particular day. [/nq] To me, the use of "will" and "would", in the above sentences at least, implies the specific intention of doing something, while their absence implies custom or habit.
- " When it comes to meaning, do the two sentences mean the same?
- " To me, the use of "will" or "would" stresses the habit of doing or not doing something special on a particular day.
- [/nq] To me, the use of "will" and "would", in the above sentences at least, implies the specific intention of doing something, while their absence implies custom or habit.
- 1a) probably refers to a specific occasion, while 1b) is just what she usually does.
- 2a) seems more emphatic and hints to me that it is something she has a very good reason for not doing, perhaps because she is Jewish and would never dream of defiling the Sabbath (starts at sunset on Friday).
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15 Answers
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[nq:1]Is there anything gramatically incorrect in the following sentences ?[/nq]
1a)
[nq:1]"If she doesn't have a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."[/nq]
1b)
[nq:1]"If she doesn't have date, she meets her friends at the Central for a drink and goes out with them for Chinese food." When it comes to meaning, do the
1a)
[nq:1]"If she doesn't have a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."[/nq]
1b)
[nq:1]"If she doesn't have date, she meets her friends at the Central for a drink and goes out with them for Chinese food." When it comes to meaning, do the
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[nq:1]When it comes to meaning, do the two sentences mean the same?[/nq]
The first would apply to a single occasion; the second would suggest a habitual action.
[nq:1]"She would never cook on Friday nights." "She never cooks on Friday nights."[/nq]
Depending on stress:
SHE would never cook... we can't ask her to cook,
she would NEVER cook... surely she's not asked us to dinner?
The first would apply to a single occasion; the second would suggest a habitual action.
[nq:1]"She would never cook on Friday nights." "She never cooks on Friday nights."[/nq]
Depending on stress:
SHE would never cook... we can't ask her to cook,
she would NEVER cook... surely she's not asked us to dinner?
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[nq:1]Is there anything gramatically incorrect in the following sentences ? "If she doesn't have a date, she will meet her ... doing something special on a particular day. But I must say that my English grammar courses are far behind me.[/nq]
It all depends on context - there is essentially no difference in meaning taken in isolation.
John Briggs
It all depends on context - there is essentially no difference in meaning taken in isolation.
John Briggs
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[nq:2]Is there anything gramatically incorrect in the following sentences ? ... say that my English grammar courses are far behind me.[/nq]
[nq:1]It all depends on context - there is essentially no difference in meaning taken in isolation.[/nq]
It apparently is the way English is taught to French students.
[nq:1]It all depends on context - there is essentially no difference in meaning taken in isolation.[/nq]
It apparently is the way English is taught to French students.
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[nq:2]It all depends on context - there is essentially no difference in meaning taken in isolation.[/nq]
[nq:1]It apparently is the way English is taught to French students.[/nq]
I'm not disputing that - I'm just saying it isn't illustrated by those pairs of sentences. You could try:
"If she hasn't a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them f
[nq:1]It apparently is the way English is taught to French students.[/nq]
I'm not disputing that - I'm just saying it isn't illustrated by those pairs of sentences. You could try:
"If she hasn't a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them f
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On Thursday, in article
[nq:2]It apparently is the way English is taught to French students.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not disputing that - I'm just saying it isn't illustrated by those pairs of sentences. You could try: "If she hasn't a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."[/nq]
Can we question the vocabulary too? I find "at
[nq:2]It apparently is the way English is taught to French students.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not disputing that - I'm just saying it isn't illustrated by those pairs of sentences. You could try: "If she hasn't a date, she will meet her friends at the Central for a drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."[/nq]
Can we question the vocabulary too? I find "at
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[nq:2]I'm not disputing that - I'm just saying it isn't ... drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."[/nq]
[nq:1]Can we question the vocabulary too? I find "at the Central" totally alien; I could perhaps live with "at the ... find it was a massive market. But what else can one expect of a city which calls its "centre" Mitte?:-)[/nq]
But we just don't know what "the Central" is. It
[nq:1]Can we question the vocabulary too? I find "at the Central" totally alien; I could perhaps live with "at the ... find it was a massive market. But what else can one expect of a city which calls its "centre" Mitte?:-)[/nq]
But we just don't know what "the Central" is. It
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[nq:2]I'm not disputing that - I'm just saying it isn't ... drink and will go out with them for Chinese food."[/nq]
[nq:1]Can we question the vocabulary too? I find "at the Central" totally alien; I could perhaps live with "at the ... name the "centre") or "at the shopping centre" or "in the town centre" (or perhaps even "at the central market/mall").[/nq]
In my home town to meet somebody
[nq:1]Can we question the vocabulary too? I find "at the Central" totally alien; I could perhaps live with "at the ... name the "centre") or "at the shopping centre" or "in the town centre" (or perhaps even "at the central market/mall").[/nq]
In my home town to meet somebody
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[nq:1]To me, the use of "will" or "would" stresses the habit of doing or not doing something special on a particular day. But I must say that my English grammar courses are far behind me.[/nq]
Your are not so old, Isabelle ? ;o)
Your are not so old, Isabelle ? ;o)
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[nq:2]To me, the use of "will" or "would" stresses the ... say that my English grammar courses are far behind me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Your are not so old, Isabelle ? ;o)[/nq]
I had my first English grammar course back in 1974. I was ten at the time.
[nq:1]Your are not so old, Isabelle ? ;o)[/nq]
I had my first English grammar course back in 1974. I was ten at the time.
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