Attention : English Grammar Experts

by asilentone 13 Replies latest jw friends

  • asilentone
    asilentone

    He did not lie to me means he did not lie to me recently. Right?

    He does not lie to me means he has never lied to me. Right?

  • White Dove
    White Dove

    The word "did" in the first question seems to specify a time, whereas "does" in the second one is not specific to a particular time. I think you are right.

    He did not lie to me then.

    He never does lie to me.

  • White Dove
    White Dove

    Oh, and I'm no expert, just a know it all (with lots of painful English comp. and lit. classes behind me)

  • blondie
    blondie
    Forms of To Do
    Present Past Perfect
    Form
    Continuous
    Form
    I / you / we / they dodidhave / had doneare / were doing
    he / she / it doesdidhas / had doneis / was doing
  • Simon
    Simon

    "Hey, have you had a haircut?"

    "no"

    "what ... never?!

    I really don't think "did" or 'does" really specifies a time period ... both sentences are interpreted with some assumptions on meaning but you would need to use more specific language to clarify.

    It's why legal documents always seem some overly complex ... they are attempting to avoid any alternative interpretations on meaning.

  • White Dove
    White Dove

    English sucks.

  • Caedes
    Caedes
    He did not lie to me means he did not lie to me recently. Right?

    It would depend on the context of the question, it could mean that on a specific occasion or on a specific subject the person in question did not lie.

  • Black Sheep
    Black Sheep
    He did not lie to me means he did not lie to me recently. Right?

    It has nothing to do with grammar. It has everything to do with religion.

    "He did not lie to me....." means he does not intentionally lie to you, or, more correctly, what he says is not a lie, because it is ok for him to say that, even though he knows otherwise, because to say anything else would be to contradict the Faithful and Stinking Slave.

  • wobble
    wobble

    "They did not lie to me", an example of a statement that cannot be made about the GB/FDS.

    love

    Wobble

  • snowbird
    snowbird
    He did not lie to me means he did not lie to me recently. Right?

    Correct.

    He does not lie to me means he has never lied to me. Right?

    It means that he does not routinely lie to you.

    Sylvia

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