If anyone has any information..., will they please contact the police.
In LDOCE6, I saw this example:
If anyone has any information related to the crime, will they please contact the police.
What does the structure 'will they' mean?
Thanks!
Top answer
" is a way of asking that person to do something (in this case contact the police). It is similar to "Will you please shut the door". Although grammatically in the form of a question, it has the effect of a request (or order).
- " is a way of asking that person to do something (in this case contact the police).
- It is similar to "Will you please shut the door".
- Although grammatically in the form of a question, it has the effect of a request (or order).
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"they" refers to "anyone"; "will they ..." is a way of asking that person to do something (in this case contact the police). It is similar to "Will you please shut the door". Although grammatically in the form of a question, it has the effect of a request (or order).
0When addressing an unknown audience of both male and female gender, the police try not to be specific; however, ‘will they’ is much the same as ‘will you’. Because of the abstract reference to an unknown person, ‘they’ can equally represent ‘he’ or ‘she’.
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