[General] revising of a few sentences 13

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to share with me your appreciated opininion concerning the following two sentences?

Have you got a car?

Do you have a car?

They haven’t got a car.

They don’t have a car.

Haven’t they have a car?

Don’t they have a car?

Do you have any brothers and sisters?

Does she have blue eyes?

You do not have the face of an inquisitor.

Do you have any fresh asparagus today?

He doesn’t have a cold.

Do you have to go?

You don’t have to go.

Used he to smoke?

He used not to smoke.

Did he use(d) to smoke?

He did not use to smoke.

Let’s not think about anything.

But let it not happen.

Do not let it happen.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

 

[Tdol]

Used he to smoke?

- I wouldn't say this is wrong, but it is a dated form and not often heard (in British English).

He used not to smoke.

This is fine to my ear.

 

[sarat_106]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to share with me your appreciated opininion concerning the following two sentences?

Used he to smoke? No

He used not to smoke. No

Did he use to smoke? Ok, but better would be: He used to smoke.

He did not use to smoke.OK

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

“Used to” normally does not go well with questions and negatives.

 

[Barb_D]

Vil, I actually make this mistake quite frequently, because in speech there is no difference between "didn't used to" and "didn't use to."

However, like any other verb in English, once you have the conjugated form of "to do" the other verb takes the bare infinitive. He didn't sit here, vs. He didn't sat here, etc. Just remember that "didn't use to" still have that "did" in the expression.

I really, really wish you would post with only 5 or 6 lines. I ignore so many of your posts because, although some of the issues you raise are interesting, you have 20 or more lines on most of them and it's too much for me.