will and would

[blacknomi]

I think my question is different from the previous one that was discussed. It has little to do with 'tense' problem. ( I could be wrong.) :wink:

[blacknomi]

I think my question is different from the previous one that was discussed. It has little to do with 'tense' problem. ( I could be wrong.) :wink:

[Francois]

Would you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a polite request to ask Jenny to do something if she would like to. Someone is asking Jenny a favor.

You're actually asking someone else to tell Jenny something. You're right that you ask that person a sort of favor, though.

Will you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a indirect request that someone hope Jenny can do something and Jenny might not have too much choice ( of course, she can turn down any request as she doesn't feel like doing.)

Hmmm, it can be a neutral question (eg . "Will you tell Jenny if I tell you a secret?"), or it can be an order too eg. "Will you tell your grandma what you've done with her denture!". If you say "He will tell Jenny", this means you're certain this is going happen eg. "Whatever you tell Chandler, he will tell Jenny the minute you leave him."
If you say "she won't do anything", 'will' is close in meaning to 'want' => "she doesn't want to do anything".

FRC

[Francois]

Would you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a polite request to ask Jenny to do something if she would like to. Someone is asking Jenny a favor.

You're actually asking someone else to tell Jenny something. You're right that you ask that person a sort of favor, though.

Will you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a indirect request that someone hope Jenny can do something and Jenny might not have too much choice ( of course, she can turn down any request as she doesn't feel like doing.)

Hmmm, it can be a neutral question (eg . "Will you tell Jenny if I tell you a secret?"), or it can be an order too eg. "Will you tell your grandma what you've done with her denture!". If you say "He will tell Jenny", this means you're certain this is going happen eg. "Whatever you tell Chandler, he will tell Jenny the minute you leave him."
If you say "she won't do anything", 'will' is close in meaning to 'want' => "she doesn't want to do anything".

FRC

[blacknomi]

[quote="Francois"]

Would you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a polite request to ask Jenny to do something if she would like to. Someone is asking Jenny a favor.

You're actually asking someone else to tell Jenny something. You're right that you ask that person a sort of favor, though.

Thanks. Is it possible that there is zero condition here? Maybe the speaker didn't finish his words. Or it is just a more polite request and I can use 'will' if I want to. They don't really contrast in meaning. Right?
==>Would you tell Jenny (if you meet her on MSN?) (zero conditonal?)



[quote="Francois"]

Will you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a indirect request that someone hope Jenny can do something and Jenny might not have too much choice ( of course, she can turn down any request as she doesn't feel like doing.)

Hmmm, it can be a neutral question (eg . "Will you tell Jenny if I tell you a secret?"), or it can be an order too eg.
FRC

As in your example, I noticed that you put 'if-clause' after the main clause. It is different from my example. Your example contains zero condition, it doesn't funtion as a simple request as in Will you tell Jenny".

What do you think?

[blacknomi]

[quote="Francois"]

Would you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a polite request to ask Jenny to do something if she would like to. Someone is asking Jenny a favor.

You're actually asking someone else to tell Jenny something. You're right that you ask that person a sort of favor, though.

Thanks. Is it possible that there is zero condition here? Maybe the speaker didn't finish his words. Or it is just a more polite request and I can use 'will' if I want to. They don't really contrast in meaning. Right?
==>Would you tell Jenny (if you meet her on MSN?) (zero conditonal?)



[quote="Francois"]

Will you tell Jenny?
==> I interpret this as a indirect request that someone hope Jenny can do something and Jenny might not have too much choice ( of course, she can turn down any request as she doesn't feel like doing.)

Hmmm, it can be a neutral question (eg . "Will you tell Jenny if I tell you a secret?"), or it can be an order too eg.
FRC

As in your example, I noticed that you put 'if-clause' after the main clause. It is different from my example. Your example contains zero condition, it doesn't funtion as a simple request as in Will you tell Jenny".

What do you think?

[Francois]

Yes, you can discard the if-clauses in all these sentences, this doesn't change the meaning. I just added some context to try and make things clearer.

FRC

[Francois]

Yes, you can discard the if-clauses in all these sentences, this doesn't change the meaning. I just added some context to try and make things clearer.

FRC

[blacknomi]

Yes, you can discard the if-clauses in all these sentences, this doesn't change the meaning. I just added some context to try and make things clearer.

FRC

Thanks a lot for your rescue! :)

[blacknomi]

Yes, you can discard the if-clauses in all these sentences, this doesn't change the meaning. I just added some context to try and make things clearer.

FRC

Thanks a lot for your rescue! :)