By Negatives, Tenses

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

Hi, N2G,Besides in indirect questions (the examples previously given), if + will works also to indicate volition (or refusal in its negative form, "if + won't" ) or insistence, and, yes, it can be used at the beginning of a sentence. Here are the links to some other threads where...

Re: in a while / for a while ?

a while is an indefinite period of time. It is usually equivalent to some time. It can be short or long; it is relative to the context in which it occurs. For example, the amount of time represented by while in I'll be in Europe for a while is greater than the amount of time represented...

Re: Which sentence is correct?

Hi. For the record, I agree with Clive, but I'd like to try a different analysis, just for the fun of it: "With(out) Compaq, staying home has never been this fun." Core sentence: Staying home has never been this fun. Look at two components and how they relate to the moment of...

Re: What did he say? What was it he said?

Why is it that we say, "What did he/she say?" or "What did I say?" even when it is past tense? We use 'did' in making a past tense sentence interrogative or negative, using the base form of the verb.As a follow-up question to those kind enough to answer, is there a...

Re: questions about logical sequence of the meanings of verb tenses

Hi,I am afraid I didn't understand exactly what you wanted. Hopefully someone else will be able to understand and help you a little more. Anyway, I just wanted to give you a few opinions:I have bought a book for a year. <-- No, this is not good, as you said.You could say:I have lived...

questions about logical sequence of the meanings of verb tenses

Hi, everybody: I have an idea about "the logical sequence of the meanings of all verb tenses" and I am not sure that I am right. Please help me. I think: In the negative forms of all verb tenses, the objects modified by the negative meanings are the original...

Re: Can I say it like these

Anyway, I'm not going to write all those examples again, but the gist of it is that in the affirmative, you can explain a difference between present continuous and present perfect, but in the negative, when something doesn't happen, it doesn't make much difference if it doesn't...

Re: You need only see her. (Is this correct?)

If we follow Swann, we can use need as a modal verb in an affirmative sentence when a 'non-affirmative' word (such as only, hardly, seldom etc.) gives the sentence a negative kind of meaning. Look at Swann's last example: the sentence becomes incorrect when only is removed.That said,...

Re: Possible meaning of "oughtn't (to) have done" and "shouldn't have done"?

Here are my opinions. Two different should's are possible: the should of expectation should-exp the should of advice should-adv should-adv is much more common than should-exp.should-exp expresses an evaluation of the situation with regard to what is possible, probable, plausible, or...

tense and accidentally vs by accident

Yesterday, I went to the registrar office to check my account balance. I was shocked to find out that the balance was negative. I (1) (1) Are both tenses correct in this context depending on the time context the speaker has in mind? (2) Are both choices (accidentally/by accident) equally...