If I want to ask someone whether he will do something...

[5jj]

I'm afraid I'm joining Ray. It's not that we are offended. It's simply that you seem to keep asking marginally different forms of the same sentence. If you haven't got the answer you want by now I don't think I can deliver the goods.

 

[emsr2d2]

No offence here either. I just can't think of anything to add to all the answers we have given you already. We do indeed seem to be going round in very small circles.

I would like to add to Barb's comment earlier - you asked which tense we were taught to use as children. Very few of us were taught any grammar as children. Most English speakers pick up the language entirely organically. We hear it spoken all around us and we replicate it. Children who grew up surrounded by people who said "It's not correct" will probably use "It's not correct" for the rest of their lives. Children who grew up surrounded by people who said "It isn't correct" will probably use "It isn't correct" for the rest of their lives. Children who grew up surrounded by people who said "It ain't correct" will probably use "It ain't correct" for the rest of their lives. None of those children were "taught" how to say that sentence or how to use "It isn't" vs "It's not" vs "It ain't". The people they heard it from weren't "taught" to say it either.

We hear. We repeat. We replicate. We don't have grammar lessons. We don't have lessons in how to use our own language at all (in most cases).

 

[Raymott]

Hi, Raymott, I apologize if I had offended you. I will be very happy if you can tell me what I have said are inappropriate, whatever they are, I didn't mean it.

You didn't offend me. You confused me. You're confused; I'm confused. I am simply leaving the thread to others who are not confused.

 

[Heidi L]

I think one of my problems is that I've been studying English as I do math or electronics. Perhaps I concern too much about "reasonable explanation".

I would like to thank all of you. I appreciate your help and your precious time!

 

[emsr2d2]

I agree with your conclusion. Don't study English as a science. Study it as an art.