ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Clive — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:38:38 GMT

Hi,

They won't smoke ever since they saw a film on lung cancer.

What does "won't" mean here?

It's short for 'will not', as you probably know.

One of the various possible meanings of 'will' is to express determination to do something or, as in this case, not to do something.

Best wishes, Clive.

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Teo — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:09:54 GMT

They won't smoke ever since they saw a film on lung cancer.

What does "won't" mean here?

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Teo — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:09:49 GMT

http://forums.eslcafe.com/student/viewtopic.php?t=22113&highlight=

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Clive — Sun, 13 May 2007 22:03:32 GMT

Hi,

what is scorrect

you are one of those people on whom i can count

you are one of those people whom i can count on

Neither is correct, because you need capital letters and punctuation.

#1 is a bit more stylish than #2, but you can put the preposition in either position.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Anonymous — Sun, 13 May 2007 21:56:15 GMT

what is scorrect

you are one of those people on whom i can count

you are one of those people whom i can count on

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Hela — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:22:44 GMT

Which side American or European ?

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Goodman — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 07:41:54 GMT

Grammar Geek wrote:

Just a side note that has nothing to do with tenses: in American English "to move houses" isn't idiomatic.

... since I moved.

... since I moved into my new house.

... since I moved out of that house.

... since I moved my mobile home to a new lot.

All of the above sentences sound more idiomatic to my semi-American ears. "Move house" sounds totally strange on t his side of the pond....

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Yankee — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 07:26:21 GMT

Hela wrote:
Thank you Grammar Geek for the link, it answers exactly the question I have been asking myself for days.

Hi Hela
That the link deals directly with the use of past tense vs. present perfect in a time (since) clause. I've been commenting on your usage of tense outside the 'since' clause.

Here are some further examples (from Google and the BNC):

- Since the merger, they no longer issue separate P+L statements.

- Why am I no longer allergic to cats since I had laser eye surgery?

- Seems a long long time since we used to do it.

- CELTIC savoured victory over Hibs at Parkhead last night for the first time since Liam Brady took over as manager, thanks to a couple of well-taken goals from Andy Payton.

- This session will be his fifth with Boltwood since February.

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Clive — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 06:01:53 GMT

what do you expect from a country that drinks beer at room temperature?

Oh yeah?

An American tourist (from Pennsylvania) goes into a bar in London and says 'Bring me the nearest thing you have to American beer'.

So the barman brings her a glass of water.

Clive

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Hela — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:58:09 GMT

Thank you everyone for your contribution.

I notice that even among native speakers there might be some disagreement but is this a matter of dialect: some usages are accepted in American English and not in British English; or is it a matter of idiolect: personal choice even among the same community?

Thank you Grammar Geek for the link, it answers exactly the question I have been asking myself for days.

See you soon,

Hela

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Grammar Geek — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:22:58 GMT

Ah, well, Yankee - what do you expect from a country that drinks beer at room temperature?

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Yankee — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 00:40:01 GMT

Hi Barb

I agree with you. I have heard 'move house' from Brits, though. I've also heard 'removal van' rather than the more American 'moving van'. (I remember being quite entertained by that one when I first heard it.)

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Grammar Geek — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 00:26:56 GMT

And by the way, you might be interested in this thread: Post:263405

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Grammar Geek — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 00:22:37 GMT

Just a side note that has nothing to do with tenses: in American English "to move houses" isn't idiomatic.

... since I moved.

... since I moved into my new house.

... since I moved out of that house.

... since I moved my mobile home to a new lot.

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Cool Breeze — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 20:46:33 GMT

Yankee wrote:

You'd have to give a lot of additional context to force a native speaker to understand 'because' in that sentence.

Out of curiosity, how do you evaluate sentences such as these:
How long is it since you moved house?
How long has it been since you moved house?

Do you consider the first sentence to be wrong? (I don't.) Certainly you would not understand 'because' in the first sentence.

Hi Yankee

I am used to the fact that there is disagreement on acceptable or correct usage among native and nonnative speakers and I don't consider it a problem. It's life. There are hundreds of millions of native speakers of English around the world; how could they possibly agree on everything? It wouldn't be difficult for me to find one that agrees with me. I don't mean that I am the only one who is right as there is no ultimate truth on many linguistic things. We just see things differently, which is no big deal to me.

As to your sentences, I see nothing wrong with them. Since can't cause ambiguity since How long is it because you moved house? does not make sense.

Cheers
CB