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Nugso Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
Wont?
Hello all.
I've been encountering the following question ever since I started watching American cartoons.
He won't tell me if he loves me.
She won't tell me what happened.
Normally, in my language we use such sentences in present continous tense, so it's confusing me. Would it not be better if we said " He's not telling me if he loves me" or " He would not tell me ..."? The reason I used 'type II' is that it seems like the chances of my/me(?) asking him are very low.
Could you help me please?
I've been encountering the following question ever since I started watching American cartoons.
He won't tell me if he loves me.
She won't tell me what happened.
Normally, in my language we use such sentences in present continous tense, so it's confusing me. Would it not be better if we said " He's not telling me if he loves me" or " He would not tell me ..."? The reason I used 'type II' is that it seems like the chances of my/me(?) asking him are very low.
Could you help me please?
Top answer
I can understand your confusion, since won't is generally the negative used as will not , for the future. However, here it is an accepted usage, meaning something like he refuses to tell me [ time and time again ].
- I can understand your confusion, since won't is generally the negative used as will not , for the future.
- However, here it is an accepted usage, meaning something like he refuses to tell me [ time and time again ].
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7 Answers
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I can understand your confusion, since won't is generally the negative used as will not, for the future. However, here it is an accepted usage, meaning something like he refuses to tell me [ time and time again ].
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Thanks Philip. I still wonder whether it would be still correct if I said "He's not telling me...".
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NugsoThanks Philip. I still wonder whether it would be still correct if I said "He's not telling me...".
NugsoThanks Philip. I still wonder whether it would be still correct if I said "He's not telling me...".Yes, that would be correct.
[ Sorry about the double quote. My finger stuttered. ]
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Hi Nugso,
Your question has nothing to do with 2. type of conditionals as far as I understand.
He wouldn't tell me if he loves me.
Your other sentence.
He is not telling me if he loves me.
Instead of using the word "if ," you can use "whether." You are already familiar with that, I think.
One more addition is that the topic of "if" is also available in noun clauses o
Your question has nothing to do with 2. type of conditionals as far as I understand.
He wouldn't tell me if he loves me.
Your other sentence.
He is not telling me if he loves me.
Instead of using the word "if ," you can use "whether." You are already familiar with that, I think.
One more addition is that the topic of "if" is also available in noun clauses o
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Thanks daylightinyou. Well, I thought it could be an "if clause" because when you say "He won't tell me what happened", I think of it as though the complete sentence is "He wont tell me what happened if I ask him". However, as you've said Philip cleared out the problem.
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If it is clear for you, there is no problem, Nugso:)
Keep on improving yourself!
Keep on improving yourself!
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