0
Rob Offski Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Why 'didn't' !!
Hey guys, please can you help me?
A fellow teacher came to me with this question and i couldn't answer it. She was teaching a Business English class and the sentence in the book was:
Q: Do you mind if I smoke?
A: I'd rather you didn't.
The student asked her why it used didn't in the sentence, as that is in the past, but this is in the present.
Can anyone help to explain this? I'm leaning towards that it's something to do with 'would'.... but i just don't know..
Rob
A fellow teacher came to me with this question and i couldn't answer it. She was teaching a Business English class and the sentence in the book was:
Q: Do you mind if I smoke?
A: I'd rather you didn't.
The student asked her why it used didn't in the sentence, as that is in the past, but this is in the present.
Can anyone help to explain this? I'm leaning towards that it's something to do with 'would'.... but i just don't know..
Rob
Top answer
Welcome to EF, Rob Offski. It's an idiom involving would rather. If only one person is in question, the plain infinitive is of course used since would is a defective/modal auxiliary: I would rather do it myself.
- Welcome to EF, Rob Offski.
- It's an idiom involving would rather.
- If only one person is in question, the plain infinitive is of course used since would is a defective/modal auxiliary: I would rather do it myself.
- She 'd rather go there alone.
- If the subject of the clause wants someone else to do something, the preterite / the past tense is used: I would rather he did it.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
Welcome to EF, Rob Offski. It's an idiom involving would rather. If only one person is in question, the plain infinitive is of course used since would is a defective/modal auxiliary:
I would rather do it myself.
I would rather do it myself.
00
Thanks CB, but surely you could answer the questions with;
Q: Do you mind if i smoke?
A: No, please don't
Is the fact that this time 'would rather' is not used?
Rob
Q: Do you mind if i smoke?
A: No, please don't
Is the fact that this time 'would rather' is not used?
Rob
00
No, please don't sounds like a strange answer to my ear.
Q: Do you mind if I smoke?
A: No.
This would mean that the person being asked doesn't object to his friend smoking. By adding please don't he seems to contradict himself.
CB
Q: Do you mind if I smoke?
A: No.
This would mean that the person being asked doesn't object to his friend smoking. By adding please don't he seems to contradict himself.
CB
00
yes your right, my apologies that was stupid !
i'm trying to get my head around this, it's still a little confusing.
So it really does come down to the 'would rather' combination.
i'm trying to get my head around this, it's still a little confusing.
So it really does come down to the 'would rather' combination.
0
Related Questions