On Wed, 2003-10-15 at 02:20, Manoj Srivastava wrote: > I think you need a better grammar book.
I think you need a grammar book published after 1908[1] The English spoken in 1908 is not the English spoken today. And getting weird of weird rules is certainly a nice improvement --- English has FAR too many. I suggest trying [2]. Hey, that page even says that the traditional rules say to use "will" in the second person, unless you intend it to be a command --- and I have no idea why it would be. [3] also notes that the distinction is obsolete, especially in en_US. [4] and [5] give similar comments about non-usage in en_US, and alternate meanings in en_US. Considering the number of clearer, alternate ways to express the same thing, I don't see the sense in sticking with using "shall" in that sentence. FOOTNOTES 1. As opposed to the one cited in http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2003/debian-vote-200310/msg00030.html 2. The American HeritageŽ Book of English Usage http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/056.html 3. Guide to Grammar and Style http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/s.html 4. http://ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/auxiliary.htm 5. http://www.grammarmudge.cityslide.com/page/page/226236.htm#8280
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