He’ll come before supper if he comes at all. (Michael Swan, Practical English Usage)
In the above sentence, does the phrase “at all” implies that he probably will not come?
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It means that if actually does come, he will come before supper. It also means that he might not come.
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The use of ‘at all’ here strengthens the force of ‘if’ . In fact it would have the same sense of -’ if indeed he comes’.
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Yes, the author is not sure that he will come.
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