Hi,
Could you please tell me the difference between these two sentences:
I hope you enjoy your Christmas gift.
I hope you’ll enjoy your Christmas gift.
Thanks a lot,
Torsten[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, photographs: The oil refinery[YSaerTTEW443543]
Morning Torsten,
I’ll have a shot at this. I hope you enjoy seems to me to be quite general in meaning with the suggestion that this is just a throwaway remark very much in the style of someone saying: Have a nice day. All right it is meant well but is not really very personal. The other sentence: I hope you’ll enjoy is very much more sincere because in a way you are anticipating what the recipient will think of the gift and what they’ll do with it. In other words you are very interested in how they will get on with the gift and most importantly whether you’ve chosen the right present.
Alan
Hi!
I am totaly in on this Alan.
I am a student from Norway, that study ecconomics. And we learn about writing bussines letters to other places in the world. And so we learn about diffrent degrees of politeness. Example: not use short verb forms - use “I do not”, “We cannot”, and “We would like to” in stead of “I don’t”, “We can’t” and “We’d like to”. Although the meaning is the same. Is not this right…?
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It is not a matter of politeness, Tyggo-- it is a matter of formality. Contractions should be avoided in formal writing (including business letters) except for those that can no longer be reasonably extended, as with o’clock, etc.
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Torsten
There is a difference however it is mixed in your sentence.
Alan has the correct (ish) answer.
“I hope you enjoy your gift” is more of a polite remark like “I hope you enjoy your stay” for instance in a hotel. (but really for the situation “gift giving” may not be good enough if it is the giver that says it)
“I hope you WILL enjoy your gift” gives extreme emphasis that the speaker may hold reservations that maybe you will not!
another example " I hope you will be ok when you go to France, it is your first time" … Mum is very worried. As a warning for instance “I hope you will be earlier tomorrow” … a very strong warning.
Mixing “will” with “you” takes away a little of the emphasis and is typically used in situations as … warning for instance “I hope you’ll be earlier tomorrow” … a normal warning … " I hope you’ll be ok when you go to France, it is your first time". Mum is slightly worried.
“I hope you’ll enjoy your gift” is more really of a question. I am a little concerned you will not, but I am not extremely concerned because I think the chances are high you will.
Typical conversations …
I hope you’ll enjoy your gift … I am sure I will, thank you.
I hope you will enjoy your gift … don’t worry so much, it is loverly thank you.
I hope you enjoy your gift … (does not really work because its is not personal enough … the emphasis does not fit the situation) a better example would be …
I hope you enjoy your stay … thank you!
I am NOT going to check this for spelling … no time sorry (smile)
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I think Hamburg is perceiving differences where no clear or consistent ones really exist-- and not in situations where one might be considered ‘correct’ over the other. ‘I hope you/you’ll’ works fine for all his examples:
I hope you/you’ll enjoy your gift … I am sure I will, thank you.
I hope you/you’ll enjoy your gift … don’t worry so much, it is loverly, thank you.
As Alan says, there’s a touch more interest expressed in you’ll.
I do not think that you’ll find many native speakers saying (though they may write it) ‘I hope you will…’-- it is almost a tongue-twister, especially in an emotional state like the examples, where I would expect rather:
Oh, I hope you’ll be ok when you go to France-- it is your first time!! … Mum is very worried.
I bloody well hope you’ll be earlier tomorrow! … a very strong warning.
Of course, there are other structures beyond the ‘I hope you’ll/you’ where a full will appears-- in the main verb (I will arrive at 7:00), in other uses (He will be obstinate!), and of course where the main verb is elided (Will you be there? I will.)
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and this is the difference between us British and the Americans Mister Micawber!
The pronunciation of “will” separately in British English lends a much greater emphasis than “you’ll”
There are many very large differences between American and British English that include far more than just words.
Oh, I hope you’ll be ok when you go to France-- it is your first time!! … Mum is very worried. …
(If my Mum started that sentence with OH? I would definitely think she was not really interested, and, with additionally you’ll … maybe I would be a little worried if Mum was Mum!)
I bloody well hope you’ll be earlier tomorrow! … a very strong warning.
There is no need in British English to swear “bloody”. In the British native use of words, the singled out use of “will” can be much much stronger than any swear word!
We all swear at some time, but really it is not polite, and as my elders always taught me (God bless them), swearing shows weakness and not strength.
… and going back to my sentences above … “I would be worried”, because I am emphasising and therefore did not use “i’d” and again “I did not use” not “I didn’t use”. WHY, because I am making points and not in general conversation (smile)
Englisch ist eine veruckte Sprache !!! … and I am British !!
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Somehow, I have a feeling that you’re not a native English speaker, Ham.
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Well, Ham doesn’t appear to be a native speaker of German anyway, MM – otherwise I’d have expected to see the word verrückte rather than veruckte in Ham’s last post.
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Hmm. Curiouser and curiouser.
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What gives him/her away?
Sorry Mister Micawber
For my sins I am as British as they come. I think what is missing here is also intonation. My interpretation of the intonation in your sentence may not be the same intonation you mean’t. Maybe when we read/wrote the sentences we both had different pictures in our heads. Nevertheless, my point is correct in British native English.
Hey, I just noticed you have a website, could you link to my site at (sorry Torsten…smile) www.worldtoeic.com ?
Who said my German is bad (laughing) …
Wenn ich auf Deutsch rede, bin ich eigentlich nicht so schlecht. Es tut mir leit für den Fehler. (shiver …) Torsten hilf mir bitte !!!
Have a great day all.
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Fair enough. I’m glad you have a sense of humour, Ham.
(I’m still waiting for Alan’s take on ‘I hope you will’, though.)
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Hi,
I just joined this forum because of the sense of humour here ;-))
So would it be correct if I write on my homepage: “I hope you enjoy looking through the virtual window of my showroom” or would it be better if I’d say I hope you’ll enjoy…?
Thanks you all,
Goody
Hi Goody,
Glad you are enjoying the site. The ‘subtle’ difference is that ‘I hope you enjoy’ is simply a wish about what you may or may not do. ‘I hope you’ll enjoy’ has a more ‘positive’ approach because I assume you are going to do this very soon.
Alan
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Either will be fine, Goody.
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