Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leon08]

Hello,

I have two questions:

1). Why is the future auxiliar used in sentences like this one?:

DOGS WON�T EAT VEGETABLES

In my own logic, I would express this sentence as follows: "dogs don't eat vegetables", just like I say "Peter doesn't like milk". Am I wrong? Why to use future? After all, dogs have not eaten vegetables in the past, neither now, but maybe in the future they will, who knows?

2). Is the following sentence gramatically correct? Is it necessary to change something in it?


HAS A MOUSE EVER COME OUT TO YOU IN TAKING THE LID OFF OF A POT?

I appreciate in advance, your answers.

BEST REGARDS

LEO

[buddhaheart]

Think of �won�t� (=will not) as a principal word and not as an auxiliary. That is, �will� expresses a meaning of its own, namely that of determination. So �DOGS WON�T EAT VEGETABLES � may be interpreted as to mean �Dogs are determined not to eat vegetables.� If you look at it this way, you won�t have the problem of �Why to use future?�

Don�t be too sure; my friend�s dog does take some forms of vegetables from time to time. �Who knows?� is right.

"Dogs don't eat vegetables" is fine as an assertive sentence.

********

I don�t understand the interrogative sentence �HAS A MOUSE EVER COME OUT TO YOU IN TAKING THE LID OFF OF A POT?� State what you�re trying to say or explain how is this sentence come about.





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[leon08]

Hello,

This is the first time I receive a satisfactory answer to the "problem" of using "future auxiliar" into the sentences "DOGS WON'T EAT VEGETABLES" I really appreciate your help. Thank you very much.


ABOUT THE SECOND QUESTION:

You tell me you don't understand my second question : HAS A MOUSE EVER COME OUT TO YOU IN TAKING THE LID OFF OF A POT?

I'll try to explain the context of this construction:

I prepared a didactic(al) material in power point to study the present perfect with my students. It is about a series of photos of odd activities, for exemple, "Have you ever kissed a toad?" "Has Susan ever danced Lambada?" etc. When I tried to construct the sentence belonging to the photo in which appears a woman taking off the lid of a pot and appearing a mouse, I couldn't describe, in present perfect, that situation on that photo. If it helps in any way, what I wanted to say in Spanish was; "Te ha salido alguna vez un rat�n al destapar una olla?

I will appreciate your help.

LEO.

[CP]

Try this:

Has a mouse ever jumped out of a pot after you took the lid off?

Or this:

Have you ever taken the lid off a pot and had a mouse jump out at you?
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[leon08]

Thank you very much. Both suggested constructions are better than mine. I will use them. CIAO.

LEON.