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Buranda Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Usage of won't(will not)

Hi,

Please consider the following sentences:

This file won't open. What can I do?

Teacher, I followed your instructions, but it just won't work!

As it can be seen both sentences above use "won't". Because normally "won't" is the same as 'will not' so I thought the sentences should be future tense which doesn't make sense in these ones

I usually say like so:

This thing doesn't work.

It doesn't work.

I think "won't" meaning is pretty close to "doesn't" in this context.

Please give some correct meaning of won't.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

This file won't open. What can I do? Teacher, I followed your instructions, but it just won't work!

— Avangi

  • This file won't open.
  • What can I do?
  • Teacher, I followed your instructions, but it just won't work!
  • Not my area of expertise, but I think "will not" expresses the will of the machine, not future tense.
  • My child simply will not (won't) behave.
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6 Answers
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This file won't open. What can I do?

Teacher, I followed your instructions, but it just won't work!


Not my area of expertise, but I think "will not" expresses the will of the machine, not future tense.

My child simply will not (won't) behave.
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i think will not is a present future but wont is used generally when u r talking something about future past
future past use would wont
future present use will will not

doesnot is used in present
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I tell you he will not show up on time.


I tell you this file will not open.

The first one is talking about the future. The second one is talking about the present.
The forms are the same. The context makes the difference.

I told you he would not show up on time.

I told you this file would not open.

These two are "
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To express the pass tense it may be preferable to say... Would not or wouldn't open. Won't should not be used for past tense... Present and future tense only.
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