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Grammar
Q & A Newsgroup
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Member Posts: 1082
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Posted
(1)He won't help you every time you are in trouble.
(2)He won't help you whenever you are in trouble. Do both above sound natural as English, and do they both have the same meaning? This message has been edited. Last edited by: Taka, |
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Member Posts: 15236
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Posted
Both sentences are correct, Taka.
"Whenever" and "every time" have similar meanings. "Every time," however, emphasizes each singular time -- time after time. "Whenever" does not refer so much to discrete and repeated events as "every time" does. Rachel This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rachel, Moderator, |
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Member Posts: 1082
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Posted
So they are both natural. Good. Thanks, Rachel.
Doesn't the first one imply that 'he won't always help you (in other words, he will sometimes help you)' whereas the second one means 'he won't help you at all'? This message has been edited. Last edited by: Taka, |
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Member Posts: 15236
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Posted
Yes, Taka, I think that you are right.
"Every time" can mean that some of the times he might help you. If we want it to mean each separate time, that clause goes better at the beginning of the sentence: Every time you are in trouble, he's not going to help you -- he's going to ignore you each and every time. Rachel |
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Member Posts: 8500
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Posted
My impression is that "whenever" isn't used too much in negative contexts such as (2), thus I wouldn't have used it there.
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Member Posts: 15236
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Posted
I have the same impression, Jerry. "Whenever" does not seem as comfortable here with the negative as "when" would.
Rachel This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rachel, Moderator, |
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Member Posts: 8500
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Posted
Thank you for the confirmation, Rachel.
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