Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hiromi525]

Which is stronger nagtive expression?
1 We won't work out.
2 We wouldn't work out.

[Bob S.]

[rice07]

Hi Hiromi525

This posting, for reference to your question, is a thank-you for your offering your opinion over 'fireflies'.

Cited Practical English Usage as saying:

ordinary tense-use or special tense-use? If I come or if I came?

The difference between, for example, if I come and if I came is not necessarily a difference of time. They can both refer to the future; but the past tense suggests that a future situation is impossible, imaginary or less probable.

Compare:

If I become President, I'll ... (said by a candidate in an election)

If I became President, I'll ... (said by a school boy)

If I win this race, I'll ... (said by the fastest runner)

If I won this race, I'd ... (said by the slowest runner)

*** Will it be all right if I bring a friend? (direct request)
---- Would it be all right if I brought a friend? (less direct, more polite)

Hope it helps!

Have a nice day!

[hiromi525]

Thank you Bob S. and rice07
Thank to your explanation,
I clearly understand the usage of would in this sentence.
"We won't work out " is stronger and more direct than "We wouldn't work out"

I learned that " The door wouln't open." is stronger and more direct than "The door won't open."

If this is right, there must be an inconsistency between the two.
"We wouldn't work out ."sounds less direct.
"The door wouldn't open."sounds direct.

[rice07]

[hiromi525]

Hello! rice07 Thanks to your explanation, I was able to confirm the usage of would. I completely understand

[rice07]

Hi Hiromi525

What I wrote in reply to your question cited ,Practical English Usage, quite a helpful book with over one and a half million copies sold worldwide. Due to my limited ability in English, I have no further comment on that. Maybe somebody out there would offer us some different opinions.

BTW, here I got a narrative describing meals, perhaps it helps explain your confusion.

meals

There are regional and social differences in the names for meals.

1. British usage

a. midday: dinner or lunch

The midday meal is often called dinner, especially if it is the main meal of the day. People who are 'higher' in the socail scale usually call it lunch

b. afternoon: tea

Some people have a light meal of tea and biscuits or cakes called tea, at four or five o'clock in the afternoon.

c. early evening: (high) tea or supper

Many people have a cooked meal around five or six o'clock. This is often called tea or high tea; some people call it supper.

d. later evening: supper or dinner

A meal later in the evening is often called supper (and some people use the same word for a bedtime snack). Some people use dinner for the evening meal if it is the main meal of the day. A more formal evening meal with guests, or in a restaurant, is usually called dinner.

2. American usage

Americans generally use lunch for the midday meal and dinner or supper for the evening meal. However in rural areas it is still common for the main meal of the day to be eaten at midday and called'dinner', with the evening meal being called 'supper'. Celebration meals at Chrismas and Thanksgiving are called Chrismas/Thanksgiving dinner, even if they are eaten at midday.

[hiromi525]

What' up rice07
Thank you very much for letting me know the Practical English Usage.
I went straight to the Amazon online shop to see if it is goog.
As you suggested, there are lots of good feedbback from users.
I like the way this book explain practical usage and seem to include example sentences.

As far as the usage of wouldn't is concerned, I am going to post new topic to simplify my question.
I hope we can share the knowledge.