be sure of doing

[taked4700]

Hi,

Is this idiomatic?

He is sure of arriving there tomorrow, but he doesn't want to go there on time.

I guess it's more idiomatic to say, "He's sure that he arrives there tomorrow,but he doesn't want to go there on time."

Is this right?

Thanks in advance.

 

[emsr2d2]

It doesn't make any sense. To "get somewhere on time" means to arrive at the time you were asked to or at the time you are expected. Why does the person not want to arrive on time? It is rather rude to be late.

 

[The Exalted Father]

It doesn't make any sense. To "get somewhere on time" means to arrive at the time you were asked to or at the time you are expected. Why does the person not want to arrive on time? It is rather rude to be late.

I have checked different dictionaries to find out the exact usage and meaning of the word rather, but unfortunately I couldn't understand it.


Could you please provide me some sort of reliable explanation?

 

[Raymott]

Hi,

Is this idiomatic?

He is sure of arriving there tomorrow, but he doesn't want to go there on time.

I guess it's more idiomatic to say, "He's sure that he arrives there tomorrow,but he doesn't want to go there on time."

Is this right?

Thanks in advance.

"He'll certainly be there tomorrow, but he'll be late." Say this if you are telling someone whether he'll be there.
"He says he's certain to be there, but that he doesn't want to arrive on time." Say this if you want to tell someone what he thinks. Normally, this wouldn't be warranted, and he might not thank you for passing on his thoughts.

 

[taked4700]

Thank you, Emsr2d2, The Exalted Father and Raymotto.

I'm sorry for causing misunderstanding.

I wanted to check the difference between "be sure of doing" and "be sure of having done".
I'd just like to know if you use "be sure of doing" in order to mean the future action because someone told me that "be sure of doing" indicates taht you are sure that you did something in the past, in other words, you are sure of having done something.

If I could ask you a fover, could you tell me that if you use "be sure of arriving there" to mean that you are sure that you arrive there and whether it is idiomatic or not?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Raymott]

Thank you, Emsr2d2, The Exalted Father and Raymotto.

I'm sorry for causing misunderstanding.

I wanted to check the difference between "be sure of doing" and "be sure of having done".
I'd just like to know if you use "be sure of doing" in order to mean the future action because someone told me that "be sure of doing" indicates taht you are sure that you did something in the past, in other words, you are sure of having done something.

If I could ask you a fover, could you tell me that if you use "be sure of arriving there" to mean that you are sure that you arrive there and whether it is idiomatic or not?

Thanks in advance.

You're not getting the answer you want because your grammar is wrong.
You can't say, "I am sure that I arrive." You say, "I'm sure that I will arrive."

"Be sure of doing" is not a common phrase.
You can say:
"I am sure I was there yesterday."
"I'm sure that I'm here now."
"I'm sure that I'll be there tomorrow."
"I'm sure of having been there at some time in past."
"I'm sure that I will arrive on time."
"I'm sure that I will have arrived by ten o'clock."

NOT *"I'm sure of being there tomorrow".
NOT *"I'm sure of having arrived there tomorrow."

 

[taked4700]

You're not getting the answer you want because your grammar is wrong.
You can't say, "I am sure that I arrive." You say, "I'm sure that I will arrive."

"Be sure of doing" is not a common phrase.
You can say:
"I am sure I was there yesterday."
"I'm sure that I'm here now."
"I'm sure that I'll be there tomorrow."
"I'm sure of having been there at some time in past."
"I'm sure that I will arrive on time."
"I'm sure that I will have arrived by ten o'clock."

NOT *"I'm sure of being there tomorrow".
NOT *"I'm sure of having arrived there tomorrow."

Thank you, Raymott.

I know that "I'm sure that I will arrive." is idiomatic and grammatical but I guess that "I am sure that I arrive." is at least grammatical and is used frequently. Maybe 'arrive' is rather formal and apt to mean not-near future, but I guess it could be used to mean behaviors in the near future like "I arrive home within ten minutes." Do you say this use of 'arrive' is not grammatical?

I looked up my dictionary, Cambridge International Dictionary of English, and that says "Are you sure that the film is on tonight?" as one of example sentences.

I wish you would help me to solve this confusion of mine.

I would also like to ask you whether sentences below are idiomatic or not.

1. He was sure of arriving there on time Sunday last week. ( to mean that he arrived there on time Sunday last week. )

2. He was sure of arriving there on time. ( no references to when his arrival occurred/occurs. )

Thanks in advance.

 

[tedtmc]

1. He was sure of (who?) arriving there on time Sunday last week.

The sentence is not complete without the subject. Same for #2.

not a teacher

 

[taked4700]

The sentence is not complete without the subject. Same for #2.

not a teacher

Thank you, Tedtmc.

I think it is normal and idiomatic not to specify the subject of the gerund.

You could see the example sentences below in the page at the link sure adjective - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online
We arrived early, to be sure of getting a good seat.
A majority of Congress members wanted to put off an election until they could be sure of winning it.

And Raymott also wrote "I'm sure of having been there at some time in past."
He does not put a subject word before 'having been there'.

What do you say to this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[5jj]

I know that "I'm sure that I will arrive." is idiomatic and grammatical but I guess that "I am sure that I arrive." is at least grammatical and is used frequently.

No

Maybe 'arrive' is rather formal and apt to mean not-near future, but I guess it could be used to mean [STRIKE]behaviors[/STRIKE] situations in the near future like "I arrive home within ten minutes." Do you say this use of 'arrive' is not grammatical?

You can say, "I am sure that the bus arrives in ten minutes", because you are expressing your certainty about a scheduled occurrence. If you are sitting on the bus and calling a friend who is waiting for you, it is possible to say, "I arrive in ten minutes". However, it is difficult to think of contexts in which, "I am sure I arrive in ten minutes" is natural.

I looked up my dictionary, Cambridge International Dictionary of English, and that says "Are you sure that the film is on tonight?" as one of example sentences.

Fine - the speaker is asking whether this is scheduled.

I wish you would help me to solve this confusion of mine.

People are trying, but you are asking about several different issues here. Try to stick to one point at a time.

I would also like to ask you whether the sentences below are idiomatic or not.

1. He was sure of arriving there on time Sunday last week. ( to mean that he arrived there on time Sunday last week. )

It's unlikely.

2. He was sure of arriving there on time. ( no references to when his arrival occurred/occurs. )

That is most likely to be said of a future arrival.

Do not leave a space after the '( 'or before the ')' bracket symbols.

 

[Raymott]

Thank you, Raymott.

I know that "I'm sure that I will arrive." is idiomatic and grammatical but I guess that "I am sure that I arrive." is at least grammatical and is used frequently.

But you don't have to guess. I've already told you it's wrong!

 

[taked4700]

But you don't have to guess. I've already told you it's wrong!

I think that there is a bit confusion and misunderstanding between the contributors and me.

I think I must say that "I'm sure of arriving." is not idiomatic because 'arriving' alone does not make sense and it needs some information of time or place, so that it is idiomatic to say, "I'm sure that I arrive there." As Raymotto pointed out, "I'm sure that I will arrive." is idiomatic because 'will' succeeded to make it sound correct by adding on time-information to the sentence.

I must also say thanks to all the contributors being kind enough to have answered my questions.

Thanks again,
taked4700

 

[5jj]

it is idiomatic to say, "I'm sure that I arrive there."

It is not idiomatic.