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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Why don't you/don't you

1. Why don't you watch the TV?
2. Don't you watch the TV?

I'd like to know whether people say such questions of suggesting something with omitting "why" in "why don't you" as in #2.
Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

Delete the definite article. 1. Why don't you watch TV?

— Ozzourti

  • Delete the definite article.
  • 1.
  • Why don't you watch TV?
  • 2.
  • Don't you watch TV?
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4 Answers
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Delete the definite article.

1. Why don't you watch TV?
2. Don't you watch TV?

#1 can be either a suggestion or an actual question, i.e., What is the reason you don't watch TV?

#2 does not sound like a suggestion. I can imagine it being used in a context in which the person being asked doesn't know something they would know if they did watch TV.
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Thank you, ozzoruti, for your very valuable answer.

#2 does not sound like a suggestion. I can imagine it being used in a context in which the person being asked doesn't know something they would know if they did watch TV.
Do you mean such a thing as the following situation?
A and B are watching the TV show "Lost."
A: Didn't that peson die just now.
B:
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That's probably not the best example, but it's pretty close.

I was thinking of something like the latest celebrity news, something you can hear about on every single channel. More often than not, questions like "Don't you watch TV?" seek no answer and express surprise.
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Thank you, ozzourti, for your continuing support. Emotion: smile

More often than not, questions like "Don't you watch TV?" seek no
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