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Stephenlearner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

I can't make sure he will come.

Hi,

Can you tell me which is/are correct?
I can't make sure that he will come.
I can't make sure if he will come.

I can't make sure when he will come.
I can't make sure about the time when he will come.

How about the following sentences ? Are they grammatical and logical?
I don't know if he will come. (He may come or he may not, but I am not sure.)
I don't know he will come. (I don't kown the fact that he will come.)

Thank you very much.
  

Top answer

stephenlearner - 1 I can't make sure that he will come. 2 I can't make sure if he will come. 3 I can't make sure when he will come.

— CalifJim

  • stephenlearner - 1 I can't make sure that he will come.
  • 2 I can't make sure if he will come.
  • 3 I can't make sure when he will come.
  • 4 I can't make sure about the time when he will come.
  • 5 I don't know if he will come.
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7 Answers
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stephenlearner-
1 I can't make sure that he will come.
2 I can't make sure if he will come.
3 I can't make sure when he will come.
4 I can't make sure about the time when he will come.
5 I don't know if he will come.
6 I don't know (that) he will come.
make sure is the wrong idiom
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Thank you very much.

If "I am not sure when he will come" is correct, is this one correct?
Are you sure when he will come?
I assume so.
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stephenlearnerIf "I am not sure when he will come" is correct, is this one correct?Are you sure when he will come?
You could say that, but frankly, it doesn't seem completely idiomatic to me. These indirect questions are more idiomatic after a negative than after an affirmative in the case of "be sure".

I'm not sure when he will come is idioma
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excellent explanation.
Thanks.
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I can't make sure he will come.
Can it mean that I did something, i.e., called him, emailed him and even met him personally, to encourage him to come, but what I did can't guarantee his coming ?
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stephenlearnerI can't make sure he will come.Can it mean that I did something, i.e., called him, emailed him and even met him personally, to encourage him to come, but what I did can't guarantee his coming ?
Yes, more or less, but you won't hear people use this construction very often. More idiomatic:

I can't [guarantee / ensure] that he will come
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