Why is John washing the car but isn’t David?

[5jj]

See post #11.

 

[Maybo]

Are you going to tell us what you mean? What's the situation you're imagining? Until you make it clear, I can only assume you mean this:

Why is it David washing the car and not John?

I thought David is washing the car but he isn’t. It is John who is washing the car. Therefore, I asked “Why is John washing the car but isn’t David?”

 

[5jj]

Rover gave the answer in post 15.

 

[Maybo]

Rover gave the answer in post 11.

I understand but jutfrank asked me what I want to express.

 

[White Hat]

Is 'Why is John washing the car but David isn’t?' really grammatically correct? Am I missing something here?

I feel that's incorrect.

 

[5jj]

I understand but jutfrank asked me what I want to express.

Sorry. I meant post #15.

 

[5jj]

I feel that's incorrect.

It's correct.

 

[White Hat]

It's correct.

Isn't 'is' supposed to come after 'why' in a question?

 

[White Hat]

Are you saying that ''Why is John washing the car but David isn’t?'' is correct and 'Why is John washing the car but isn't David?' is isn't?

 

[Tarheel]

I thought David WAS washing the car but he isn’t. It is John who is washing the car. Therefore, I asked “Why is John washing the car but isn’t David?”

I guess you mean to say, "Why is John washing the car and David isn't?" Or: "Why is John washing the car instead of David?"

Your sentence doesn't say what you mean for it to say and doesn't make sense in English.

 

[White Hat]

I guess you mean to say, "Why is John washing the car and David isn't?" Or: "Why is John washing the car instead of David?"

Your sentence doesn't say what mean for it to say and doesn't make sense in English.

Tarheel, I'm sorry to repeat myself, but isn't 'Why is John washing the car and David isn't?' grammatically incorrect? It is a question, isn't it?

 

[5jj]

Tarheel, I'm sorry to repeat myself, but isn't 'Why is John washing the car and David isn't?' grammatically incorrect? It is a question, isn't it?

That sentence is correct.

 

[White Hat]

That sentence is correct.

OK then. I stand corrected.

 

[Tarheel]

@Maybo You asked me what point I was illustrating in post #16. (You didn't, but I'm pretending that you did. ) Neither speaker in that brief conversation tried to put everything in one sentence. Instead, they each used two sentences. You don't need to put everything in one sentence. (You will see the really long ones in writing much more often than you will in speech.)

 

[probus]

Think of it this way @White Hat: "why is John washing the car but David isn't washing the car?" is both logically and syntactically correct but sounds a bit silly so we omit the redundant repetition.

 

[Tarheel]

Tarheel, I'm sorry to repeat myself, but isn't 'Why is John washing the car and David isn't?' grammatically incorrect? It is a question, isn't it?

Yes, of course it's a question.

Yes, it is, of course, grammatically correct, but is it likely to be said in a real conversation? Do you think post #16 illustrates my point adequately?

 

[White Hat]

Think of it this way @White Hat: "why is John washing the car but David isn't washing the car?" is both logically and syntactically correct but sounds a bit silly so we omit the redundant repetition.

Would this be grammatically correct: 'Why is John washing the car, and why isn't David doing so?'?

 

[White Hat]

I'm trying to draw your attention to the use of "is" after 'why' in both parts of it, as it's a question.

 

[Tarheel]

Would this be grammatically correct: 'Why is John washing the car, and why isn't David doing so?'?

Yes, but it be much more natural to use "it" instead of "so".

 

[Tarheel]

I'm trying to draw your attention to the use of "is" after 'why' in both parts of it, as it's a question.

The use of "is" is very common in that sort of question. (See below.)

Why is he doing that?
Why is that?
Why is it so expensive?
Why John not here?
Why is it wrong?
Why is there so much water in there?
Why is it so dark in here?
Why is your name White Hat?
Why is there so much left?
Why is there a hat on the table?
Why is it called that?