Search results for 'tag:Contractions' matching tag 'Contractions'

Re: Use of Much with Adjectives

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:32:20 GMT

Question.

In my opinion "much" is more commonly used in replies whereas "some" or "any" are used in the questions.

"Do you have any money?" "Do you have some money?" Both of these sound natural.

"Don't you have much money?" as a question sounds very awkward. This doesn't look correct to me. Or maybe it's grammatically correct but doesn't sound natural.

If you remove the contraction and read it as "Do not you have much money?" it sounds completely wrong so the answer must be that that usage is incorrect right?

Usually "much" is used for the reply. "Sorry, I don't have much/any money this week".

What about "Do you have much money?" It doesn't sound entirely natural to me however I believe it's grammatically correct.

What are the rules about this?

Thanks

Re: Contracted form

CalifJim — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:44:18 GMT

Most students of English are glad to know that the past tense never occurs in contracted form. There are no contractions with was and were.

Re: after a few hiccups died

Grammar Geek — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:56:13 GMT

Hiccups are not from drinking too much, though the movies make it seem that way. It's an involunatary contraction of your diaphram, and since people have no control over it, it's impolite to mention it, not impolite to do it.

That type of hiccup does not seem to refer to this type of hiccup, which seems more like a general spasm of the body - and that is not a use I've seen elsewhere.

Re: "is started" vs "has started"

Philip — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:35:12 GMT

I see no difference in meaning, if in fact "is started" is correct. I would definitely say "has started", keeping in mind that "that's started" could be a contraction with either 'is' or 'has'.

Re: Grammar

Avangi — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:14:36 GMT

The best answer is "No."

The full answer is, "No, I do not have one." (contraction - "I don't have one.")
"I do not." "I don't." ("I does not" is ungrammatical - wrong person - "He does not" is okay)

"I have not" is correct but rare. "I have a pen" is common. "I have not a pen" is correct but uncommon.

The afirmatives are easier: "Do you have a pen?" "I do." "I have."

- A.

Re: Questions beginning with contractions

Clive — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:25:41 GMT

Hi,

Can't I begin a sentence with a contraction and have it not seen as entrapping? I'm not sure I'd use the word 'entrapping'. I'd save that for times when you ask your husband, 'Don't you love me?' But anyway, I understand what you mean.

i.e. - Don't you want the television off?

My thinking is that if they DO want it off, then the answer would be yes; if they want it left on, the answer should be no. My spouse thinks the opposite.

My husband and I are having a debate about the phrasing of such questions and exactly how to answer them, who is correct?

Let's consider a positive form first, and then a negative form.

Do you want the TV off? Answer - Yes, I hate TV.

Don't you want the TV off? Logic indicates the negative should be added to both the question and the answer, so the answer should be No, I hate TV.

However, logic isn't everything. I think that in practice native speakers have trouble figuring out the right answer, so we avoid asking questions in that form. If we do get asked such a question, we usually answer in a longer form than just 'yes/no', and ensure that our meaning is clear.

eg Mary: Don't you love me? Tom: Darling, I love you with all my heart, yes, yes, yes!

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Questions beginning with contractions

Goodman — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:16:45 GMT

Anonymous

Can't I begin a sentence with a contraction and have it not seen as entrapping?

i.e. - Don't you want the television off?

My thinking is that if they DO want it off, then the answer would be yes; if they want it left on, the answer should be no. My spouse thinks the opposite.

My husband and I are having a debate about the phrasing of such questions and exactly how to answer them, who is correct?

Hi,

My thinking is, we can start a sentence with contraction but yours was entrapping in nature. When we say âdonât you want or like â¦?â we are assuming or imposing on your subject. Example: you have made spaghetti for your friend who you have invited, but he barely touched the food. Out of curiosity, you asked â Donât you like my spaghetti ?â With this question, you are entrapping him to give an answer you want to hear.

But if I were a demanding guest, I can say âdonât make spaghetti because I am allergic to tomatoâ.

Questions beginning with contractions

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:53:38 GMT

Can't I begin a sentence with a contraction and have it not seen as entrapping?

i.e. - Don't you want the television off?

My thinking is that if they DO want it off, then the answer would be yes; if they want it left on, the answer should be no. My spouse thinks the opposite.

My husband and I are having a debate about the phrasing of such questions and exactly how to answer them, who is correct?

Re: is it correct to say : I'm not so thirsty as I'm hungry ? ?

Grammar Geek — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:58:04 GMT

I think I'd say "as I AM hungry" and not use the contraction there.

It means that you are hungry, and might be said in response to someone saying "Oh, you must be thirsty. What can I get you to drink?"

Re: Teach me some contractions!

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:16:43 GMT

I don't know if it's a regional thing, but after seeing the example "What's he want?" I can tell you for sure I've heard and used it that way many times. I'm very used to hearing it, so it doesn't sound weird to me at all. I don't know that it's so much a written contraction as just, as someone said before, a way people speak. Sort of like if someone asked, "What you want on your hamburger?" Is it appropriate grammatically? No. But among certain social settings it should not be looked down upon to drop words or syllables, as they are usually understood perfectly well by the people to which they are speaking. :)