|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Message board > hello everybody
hello everybody
|
metcet20
|
hello everybody
|
|
Everyone says that the merchant won �t pay his debts
The merchant is said not to pay his debts. Is it grammatical to use negative inf here. Is it formal or old usage
Thank you |
19 Jul 2013
|
|
|
|
yanogator
|
|
It is definitely correct. It sounds just a little formal, but it is really the only passive form, and the passive often sounds formal.
Bruce |
19 Jul 2013
|
|
|
mohamedthabet
|
Definitely Bruce is right. We can also use the passive form the following way, though.
It is said the merchant won �t pay his debts.
|
19 Jul 2013
|
|
|
cunliffe
|
Of course Bruce is right as always  . I will just point out though, that the two sentences given don �t mean the same. Everyone says that the merchant won �t pay his debts implies that he won �t pay on this occasion. The merchant is said not to pay his debts means that he never pays them.
|
20 Jul 2013
|
|
|
mohamedthabet
|
So, cunliffe, would the sentence: " It �s said (that) the merchant won �t pay his debts." give the same meaning as the original one?
N.B. I �ve never doubted BRUCE IS RIGHT.
|
20 Jul 2013
|
|
|
cunliffe
|
|
Yes, mohamedthabet, it does.
The merchant is said not to pay his debts means everyone says that the merchant doesn �t pay his debts.
I never doubted that you ever doubted Bruce, by the way.  |
20 Jul 2013
|
|
|
yanogator
|
|
@Lynne,
You might want to re-read your last sentence, since it says that you are sure that mohamedthabet doubted me. I actually doubt that you never doubted that mohamed ever doubted me. I �m hoping that you did doubt that mohamed ever doubted me, and would always doubt it. (Are you familiar with the "I can �t believe it �s not butter" scene from the Vicar of Dibley?)
And yes, Lynne makes a good point that "won �t pay" and "doesn �t pay" imply two different things. "Won �t pay" is essentially talking about this one incident, while "doesn �t pay" is speaking generally about this merchant �s payment (actually, non-payment) habits.
Is everyone thoroughly confused now?
Bruce |
22 Jul 2013
|
|
|
cunliffe
|
|
Mmm, I �m not sure, you know. I can �t get my head around the real meaning of my sentence at all! I am bamboozled. To paraphrase it, I had no doubts that he had ever had any doubts about you. I think it �s OK. Surely we can �t be disagreeing and surely you can �t be wrong!
I �ll be googling the scene from the Vicar of Dibley.
Lynne |
23 Jul 2013
|
|
|
