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Scottish Posted 9 years ago
Grammar
Negative deduction
In grammar books, it is written that you can use "cannot" or can't for negative deduction like
' Susy cannot stay at her mother's house because she is in hospital.'
I know that this works for situations in the present but what about negative deductions referring to the future like
'Tony cannot come to his sister's bithday party tonight because he is in hospital.' meaning that I conclude from Tony's situation that it is not possible or true he will be at his sister's birthday party tonight or would only this sentence be correct?
'Tony will not be able to come to his sister's birthday party because he is in hospital.'
What about in conditional sentences in which the main clause refers to the futurelike
'If my son ever breaks the table, we cannot use it.' or is there only one correct way of putting this sentence ' If my son ever breaks the table, we will not be able to use it.'
' Susy cannot stay at her mother's house because she is in hospital.'
I know that this works for situations in the present but what about negative deductions referring to the future like
'Tony cannot come to his sister's bithday party tonight because he is in hospital.' meaning that I conclude from Tony's situation that it is not possible or true he will be at his sister's birthday party tonight or would only this sentence be correct?
'Tony will not be able to come to his sister's birthday party because he is in hospital.'
What about in conditional sentences in which the main clause refers to the futurelike
'If my son ever breaks the table, we cannot use it.' or is there only one correct way of putting this sentence ' If my son ever breaks the table, we will not be able to use it.'
Top answer
Scottish 'Tony cannot come to his sister's bithday party tonight because he is in hospital. 'Can(not)' also refers to the future ( I can come to class tomorrow ) when the opinion results from a present analysis.
- Scottish 'Tony cannot come to his sister's bithday party tonight because he is in hospital.
- 'Can(not)' also refers to the future ( I can come to class tomorrow ) when the opinion results from a present analysis.
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1 Answers
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Scottish'Tony cannot come to his sister's bithday party tonight because he is in hospital.
'Can(not)' also refers to the future (I can come to class tomorrow) when the opinion results from a present analysis.
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