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Sitifan Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Question tag, negative imperative

Don't smoke in the meeting-room, _______?
(A) do you (B) will you (C) can you (D) could you
The answer is option B. Is option C also acceptable?
  

Top answer

Hi, Don't smoke in the meeting-room, __? (A) do you (B) will you (C) can you (D) could you The answer is option B. Is option C also acceptable?

— Clive

  • Hi, Don't smoke in the meeting-room, __?
  • (A) do you (B) will you (C) can you (D) could you The answer is option B.
  • Is option C also acceptable?
  • No, C is not a natural response.
  • However, you'll occasionally hear it in the negative form.
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6 Answers
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Hi,

Don't smoke in the meeting-room, __?
(A) do you (B) will you (C) can you (D) could you
The answer is option B. Is option C also acceptable?
No, C is not a natural response.

However, you'll occasionally hear it in the negative form.
eg Put that cigarette out, can't you?
It conveys a sense of exasperation here.

Best wishes, Clive
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Not an authoritative reply.

(B) seems like the best of a bad lot. I don't find any of them natural. My choices would be (E) okay?; (F) would you not?; (G) can you not?; (H) could you not?

I find (C) unacceptable.

- A.
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Hi,
However, you'll occasionally hear it in the negative form.
eg Put that cigarette out, can't you?
It conveys a sense of exasperation here.

When I said this, I didn't think it necessay to point out that the preceding statement (as marked in pink in the example) had to be positive.
Perhaps I should have.

Best wishes, Clive
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