Why can't you say don't instead of won't?“I don't have the car tomorrow.”Why must the future tense not be...
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Why can't you say don't instead of won't?
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Our textbook says,
A: "I have to go shopping this afternoon."
B: "Don't forget the bread."
A: "No, I won't."
About the last sentence, why can't you say "No, I don't."?
i.e. Why is "No, I don't." not acceptable in this case:
future-tense do-support
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Our textbook says,
A: "I have to go shopping this afternoon."
B: "Don't forget the bread."
A: "No, I won't."
About the last sentence, why can't you say "No, I don't."?
i.e. Why is "No, I don't." not acceptable in this case:
future-tense do-support
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
"I don't" isn't totally incorrect. It means "I never forget the bread" which is a reasonable response if B keeps saying that, when you always buy bread.
– Weather Vane
8 hours ago
@WeatherVane -- Your comment could the core of a good answer.
– Jasper
7 hours ago
1
I'm probably stating the obvious, but don't is a contraction of "do not" whilst won't is a contraction of "will not". So "No, I don't" is "No I do not" which, as @WeatherVane says may (or may not) be the appropriate response to "Don't forget the bread"
– Peter Jennings
7 hours ago
@PeterJennings you are commenting the (not so) obvious answer imho.
– mcalex
13 mins ago
add a comment |
Our textbook says,
A: "I have to go shopping this afternoon."
B: "Don't forget the bread."
A: "No, I won't."
About the last sentence, why can't you say "No, I don't."?
i.e. Why is "No, I don't." not acceptable in this case:
future-tense do-support
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Our textbook says,
A: "I have to go shopping this afternoon."
B: "Don't forget the bread."
A: "No, I won't."
About the last sentence, why can't you say "No, I don't."?
i.e. Why is "No, I don't." not acceptable in this case:
future-tense do-support
future-tense do-support
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
edited 7 hours ago
Jasper
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
22.2k4 gold badges46 silver badges80 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
asked 8 hours ago
Paul KPaul K
111 bronze badge
111 bronze badge
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Paul K is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
"I don't" isn't totally incorrect. It means "I never forget the bread" which is a reasonable response if B keeps saying that, when you always buy bread.
– Weather Vane
8 hours ago
@WeatherVane -- Your comment could the core of a good answer.
– Jasper
7 hours ago
1
I'm probably stating the obvious, but don't is a contraction of "do not" whilst won't is a contraction of "will not". So "No, I don't" is "No I do not" which, as @WeatherVane says may (or may not) be the appropriate response to "Don't forget the bread"
– Peter Jennings
7 hours ago
@PeterJennings you are commenting the (not so) obvious answer imho.
– mcalex
13 mins ago
add a comment |
2
"I don't" isn't totally incorrect. It means "I never forget the bread" which is a reasonable response if B keeps saying that, when you always buy bread.
– Weather Vane
8 hours ago
@WeatherVane -- Your comment could the core of a good answer.
– Jasper
7 hours ago
1
I'm probably stating the obvious, but don't is a contraction of "do not" whilst won't is a contraction of "will not". So "No, I don't" is "No I do not" which, as @WeatherVane says may (or may not) be the appropriate response to "Don't forget the bread"
– Peter Jennings
7 hours ago
@PeterJennings you are commenting the (not so) obvious answer imho.
– mcalex
13 mins ago
2
2
"I don't" isn't totally incorrect. It means "I never forget the bread" which is a reasonable response if B keeps saying that, when you always buy bread.
– Weather Vane
8 hours ago
"I don't" isn't totally incorrect. It means "I never forget the bread" which is a reasonable response if B keeps saying that, when you always buy bread.
– Weather Vane
8 hours ago
@WeatherVane -- Your comment could the core of a good answer.
– Jasper
7 hours ago
@WeatherVane -- Your comment could the core of a good answer.
– Jasper
7 hours ago
1
1
I'm probably stating the obvious, but don't is a contraction of "do not" whilst won't is a contraction of "will not". So "No, I don't" is "No I do not" which, as @WeatherVane says may (or may not) be the appropriate response to "Don't forget the bread"
– Peter Jennings
7 hours ago
I'm probably stating the obvious, but don't is a contraction of "do not" whilst won't is a contraction of "will not". So "No, I don't" is "No I do not" which, as @WeatherVane says may (or may not) be the appropriate response to "Don't forget the bread"
– Peter Jennings
7 hours ago
@PeterJennings you are commenting the (not so) obvious answer imho.
– mcalex
13 mins ago
@PeterJennings you are commenting the (not so) obvious answer imho.
– mcalex
13 mins ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
So what you seem to be having trouble with are tenses. The present simple tense can be used for things that happen regularly, sometimes, or never, but also for commands.
- Don't do that!
- I sometimes do it.
- I never do so.
1 is a command, whereas 2 and 3 are not. "Don't forget the bread" is a command, just like 1.
Now, when the person listening to the command answered, he used the future simple tense to answer, "I will not", meaning he will not forget the bread on that specific day. "I don't" wouldn't be applicable here as you A can't command yourself, and B it doesn't provide any meaning regarding the timing. Nevertheless, if one would have wanted to use the present simple tense in that case, then the appropriate answer would be, "I never do."
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
In English, it's customary to use the simple future tense for making promises,
especially promises made on the spur of the moment.
Mother: Be careful driving the car
19-year-old son: I will, Mum.
Father: Don't be late back home.
17-year-old daughter: I won't, Dad.
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
add a comment |
The imperative in English uses the same form as the bare infinitive:
Play tennis!
Be good!
Don't watch TV.
You can see in the last example that when forming an imperative with a negative verb, the helping verb "do not" is used. All these imperatives are likely to be talking about future activities. When you say "Play tennis!" the action hasn't happened yet. If the person replies then they are talking about a future action, and so are likely to use one of the future tenses
Play tennis!
Okay, I will play tennis.
Be good!
I'm going to be good until Christmas.
Don't watch TV!
Okay, I won't watch TV.
You see that the indicative reply about the future action uses a future tense. There are several ways of talking about the future in English. In the last example you see why "I won't" is a correct reply to an imperative. It is because you are talking about the future.
Don't watch TV.
No, I won't.
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
So what you seem to be having trouble with are tenses. The present simple tense can be used for things that happen regularly, sometimes, or never, but also for commands.
- Don't do that!
- I sometimes do it.
- I never do so.
1 is a command, whereas 2 and 3 are not. "Don't forget the bread" is a command, just like 1.
Now, when the person listening to the command answered, he used the future simple tense to answer, "I will not", meaning he will not forget the bread on that specific day. "I don't" wouldn't be applicable here as you A can't command yourself, and B it doesn't provide any meaning regarding the timing. Nevertheless, if one would have wanted to use the present simple tense in that case, then the appropriate answer would be, "I never do."
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
So what you seem to be having trouble with are tenses. The present simple tense can be used for things that happen regularly, sometimes, or never, but also for commands.
- Don't do that!
- I sometimes do it.
- I never do so.
1 is a command, whereas 2 and 3 are not. "Don't forget the bread" is a command, just like 1.
Now, when the person listening to the command answered, he used the future simple tense to answer, "I will not", meaning he will not forget the bread on that specific day. "I don't" wouldn't be applicable here as you A can't command yourself, and B it doesn't provide any meaning regarding the timing. Nevertheless, if one would have wanted to use the present simple tense in that case, then the appropriate answer would be, "I never do."
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
So what you seem to be having trouble with are tenses. The present simple tense can be used for things that happen regularly, sometimes, or never, but also for commands.
- Don't do that!
- I sometimes do it.
- I never do so.
1 is a command, whereas 2 and 3 are not. "Don't forget the bread" is a command, just like 1.
Now, when the person listening to the command answered, he used the future simple tense to answer, "I will not", meaning he will not forget the bread on that specific day. "I don't" wouldn't be applicable here as you A can't command yourself, and B it doesn't provide any meaning regarding the timing. Nevertheless, if one would have wanted to use the present simple tense in that case, then the appropriate answer would be, "I never do."
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
So what you seem to be having trouble with are tenses. The present simple tense can be used for things that happen regularly, sometimes, or never, but also for commands.
- Don't do that!
- I sometimes do it.
- I never do so.
1 is a command, whereas 2 and 3 are not. "Don't forget the bread" is a command, just like 1.
Now, when the person listening to the command answered, he used the future simple tense to answer, "I will not", meaning he will not forget the bread on that specific day. "I don't" wouldn't be applicable here as you A can't command yourself, and B it doesn't provide any meaning regarding the timing. Nevertheless, if one would have wanted to use the present simple tense in that case, then the appropriate answer would be, "I never do."
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Liron IlayevLiron Ilayev
1686 bronze badges
1686 bronze badges
New contributor
Liron Ilayev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
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add a comment |
add a comment |
In English, it's customary to use the simple future tense for making promises,
especially promises made on the spur of the moment.
Mother: Be careful driving the car
19-year-old son: I will, Mum.
Father: Don't be late back home.
17-year-old daughter: I won't, Dad.
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
add a comment |
In English, it's customary to use the simple future tense for making promises,
especially promises made on the spur of the moment.
Mother: Be careful driving the car
19-year-old son: I will, Mum.
Father: Don't be late back home.
17-year-old daughter: I won't, Dad.
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
add a comment |
In English, it's customary to use the simple future tense for making promises,
especially promises made on the spur of the moment.
Mother: Be careful driving the car
19-year-old son: I will, Mum.
Father: Don't be late back home.
17-year-old daughter: I won't, Dad.
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
In English, it's customary to use the simple future tense for making promises,
especially promises made on the spur of the moment.
Mother: Be careful driving the car
19-year-old son: I will, Mum.
Father: Don't be late back home.
17-year-old daughter: I won't, Dad.
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
15.4k7 gold badges44 silver badges83 bronze badges
add a comment |
add a comment |
The imperative in English uses the same form as the bare infinitive:
Play tennis!
Be good!
Don't watch TV.
You can see in the last example that when forming an imperative with a negative verb, the helping verb "do not" is used. All these imperatives are likely to be talking about future activities. When you say "Play tennis!" the action hasn't happened yet. If the person replies then they are talking about a future action, and so are likely to use one of the future tenses
Play tennis!
Okay, I will play tennis.
Be good!
I'm going to be good until Christmas.
Don't watch TV!
Okay, I won't watch TV.
You see that the indicative reply about the future action uses a future tense. There are several ways of talking about the future in English. In the last example you see why "I won't" is a correct reply to an imperative. It is because you are talking about the future.
Don't watch TV.
No, I won't.
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
add a comment |
The imperative in English uses the same form as the bare infinitive:
Play tennis!
Be good!
Don't watch TV.
You can see in the last example that when forming an imperative with a negative verb, the helping verb "do not" is used. All these imperatives are likely to be talking about future activities. When you say "Play tennis!" the action hasn't happened yet. If the person replies then they are talking about a future action, and so are likely to use one of the future tenses
Play tennis!
Okay, I will play tennis.
Be good!
I'm going to be good until Christmas.
Don't watch TV!
Okay, I won't watch TV.
You see that the indicative reply about the future action uses a future tense. There are several ways of talking about the future in English. In the last example you see why "I won't" is a correct reply to an imperative. It is because you are talking about the future.
Don't watch TV.
No, I won't.
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
add a comment |
The imperative in English uses the same form as the bare infinitive:
Play tennis!
Be good!
Don't watch TV.
You can see in the last example that when forming an imperative with a negative verb, the helping verb "do not" is used. All these imperatives are likely to be talking about future activities. When you say "Play tennis!" the action hasn't happened yet. If the person replies then they are talking about a future action, and so are likely to use one of the future tenses
Play tennis!
Okay, I will play tennis.
Be good!
I'm going to be good until Christmas.
Don't watch TV!
Okay, I won't watch TV.
You see that the indicative reply about the future action uses a future tense. There are several ways of talking about the future in English. In the last example you see why "I won't" is a correct reply to an imperative. It is because you are talking about the future.
Don't watch TV.
No, I won't.
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
The imperative in English uses the same form as the bare infinitive:
Play tennis!
Be good!
Don't watch TV.
You can see in the last example that when forming an imperative with a negative verb, the helping verb "do not" is used. All these imperatives are likely to be talking about future activities. When you say "Play tennis!" the action hasn't happened yet. If the person replies then they are talking about a future action, and so are likely to use one of the future tenses
Play tennis!
Okay, I will play tennis.
Be good!
I'm going to be good until Christmas.
Don't watch TV!
Okay, I won't watch TV.
You see that the indicative reply about the future action uses a future tense. There are several ways of talking about the future in English. In the last example you see why "I won't" is a correct reply to an imperative. It is because you are talking about the future.
Don't watch TV.
No, I won't.
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
answered 4 hours ago
James KJames K
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
53.7k1 gold badge61 silver badges128 bronze badges
add a comment |
add a comment |
Paul K is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Paul K is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Paul K is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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2
"I don't" isn't totally incorrect. It means "I never forget the bread" which is a reasonable response if B keeps saying that, when you always buy bread.
– Weather Vane
8 hours ago
@WeatherVane -- Your comment could the core of a good answer.
– Jasper
7 hours ago
1
I'm probably stating the obvious, but don't is a contraction of "do not" whilst won't is a contraction of "will not". So "No, I don't" is "No I do not" which, as @WeatherVane says may (or may not) be the appropriate response to "Don't forget the bread"
– Peter Jennings
7 hours ago
@PeterJennings you are commenting the (not so) obvious answer imho.
– mcalex
13 mins ago