A special usage of Future simple tense?

duc · Thu May 08, 2008 8:52 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Choose the correct answer :
1.My dog 's being very difficult at the moment,I don't know what the trouble is,but he just .... not eat.
A.shall B.will C.may D.has
Seeing that the other answers than B don't make sense,I have no choice but to choose B and the key in my book is also B.But I don't understand very clearly about the tense in that sentence.I think it should be '' he isn't eating'' or ''he doesn't eat'' or anything else...
because the speaker said ''my dog IS BEING very difficult'' ,it's the present and not in the future.
Please explain it for me.
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Molly · Thu May 08, 2008 9:04 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

will not

"To refuse" to do something can be expressed as "will not".

duc · Thu May 08, 2008 9:05 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Can you give me an explanation ?
Thanks in advance.

Alan · Thu May 08, 2008 9:16 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Hi Duc,

You have to remember that there is no future tense in English as there is in some other European language. English has therefore to 'make do' with ways of expressing a future idea and it often falls back on using the auxiliaries 'will' and 'shall' - I have tried to explain the ways that are used: The Future Tense in English

'Will' has a meaning in its own right suggesting determination or, as Molly explained in its negative use, 'refusal'. It's easy to see how 'determination' indicating what you are going to do, fits conveniently into a future idea.

Alan
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duc · Thu May 08, 2008 9:29 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

So why isn't it ''doesn't eat'' or ''isn't eating'' ?

Alan · Thu May 08, 2008 9:35 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

The indication is that the dog refuses to eat. Saying ''doesn't eat'' or ''isn't eating'' doesn't convey the idea that there is a problem with the dog and that the only explanation is that it is determined not to eat.

Alan
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duc · Thu May 08, 2008 9:53 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Oh i got this,is it true that ''doesn't eat'' or ''isn't eating'' just merely indicates a negative action in contrary to ''it does eat'' ? ''Will not eat'' indicates refusal.That is the difference?

Alan · Thu May 08, 2008 9:54 am *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Yes.
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duc · Thu May 08, 2008 17:16 pm *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Molly · Thu May 08, 2008 17:28 pm *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

duc · Thu May 08, 2008 17:31 pm *A special usage of Future simple tense?*

Can you give me some examples ?

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