Subj : Contractions and Phrases
To   : Mike Powell
From : Dallas Hinton
Date : Sat Jun 21 2025 18:37:47

Hi, Mike -- on Jun 21 2025 at 10:08, you wrote:

MP> I was having some deep thought this morning.  In English, certain
MP> phrases only sound "correct" when a contraction is is used.

MP> "Can't/Don't you see..." sounds correct, but "Can not/do not you
MP> see..." most certainly sounds wrong.

Actually, in formal English the expression would be "Can you not see" -- strange I know, but the verb is "not see" and the contraction to "Can't" really doesn't work if expanded literally! :-)


Cheers... Dallas

--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: The BandMaster, Vancouver, CANADA (1:153/7715)

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