grammar: "rather - was/were - don't/doesn't - that"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

I read this sentence on perezhilton.com today :slight_smile: and I had a questions about it:
“We would much rather this turn into a “slanging war”!”
Why is this placed before turn?
Could someone explain that? thanks!

I also have some questions about the use of was/were
I know that if you say ‘if I were a boy’, I have to use were instead of was.
Now I wondered what you have to use in sentences like:
“I wish I was/were a boy.”
What’s correct?

Another question:
At school, I’ve learned that it’s “it doesn’t”, but in for example lyrics, I often hear “it don’t”. What’s correct?

My last question is about the use of ‘that’.
In a sentence like:
“Thinks are always different than the way that they seem.”
Do you have to use ‘that’ or can I say ‘than the way they seem’ as well?

thanks a lot!

2

If I face such questions and have no choice but to answer all, my answers will be as follows:

Q1-Why is ‘this’ placed before ‘turn’?

Answer:

this= Demonstrative pronoun acts as a subject,
turn= verb

Q2-“I wish I was/were a boy.”
What’s correct?

Answer: I wish I were…

Q3- At school, I’ve learned that it’s “it doesn’t”, but in for example lyrics, I often hear “it don’t”. What’s correct?

Answer: Grammar is not always taken into account in poetical contexts. Thus, “it don’t” can be ok.

Q4-Do you have to use ‘that’ or can I say ‘than the way they seem’ as well?

Answer: Yes you can say so. “that” here is optional.

Regards

3

thank you!

4

I quite agree with Iraqi’s explanations. Ideally, it should be “I wish I were,” this classic, however, in everyday life you can hear" I wish I was"; it is acceptable now, as far as I know. But as I said before, the classic variant is I wish I were, it is still more correct, at least in documents and more formal papers.
“He dont” or many other examples, such as “my love don’t mean a thing,” “my boyfriend don’t mind it,” you are- I are", “does not mean nothing “are just the examples of very poor "art” work if it is possible to call it ART at all.
“Things are always different from the way they (that) seem.” Iraqi is right again:):slight_smile: “That” in such sentences is possible ,but is usually omitted, so you do not have too many extra words.

Cheers,

5

And I quite agree with Natasha’s agreement with me. :wink:

6

You are funny,Kamal:):slight_smile: What is the time over there in Qatar? Are you at work??
Do svidaniya:):slight_smile:

7

It is now 7:10 am. I have just sat on my office chair. The chair is black. Black is one of my country’s flag colours. My county is one of the richest but poorest countries in our galaxy. Galaxy means…ooooops, what’s wrong with me?

O, tell me. ‘Does’ you ‘speaks’ Russian?

By the way, Russian is the language spoken in Russia. (Just a valuable piece of info for free) :evil:

Do svidaniya :roll:

8

Dont know… have you had your morning coffee yet?

9

See your PM box

10

Please help me anybody
When use was and were

11

In case Alan, Jamie or other Masters don’t show up to give you a much better answer, then you may consider mine:

was: past- singular

were: past- plural

N.B: ‘Were’ is used with singular to express hope/wish, hypothesis, etc.

E.g: I wish I were a bird to fly to you.

12

thanks everyone!
I just don’t really understand the first one…
“We would much rather this turn into…”
isn’t there a verb missing? like “we would much rather see this turn…”?