“If you don't do it, I'll”. Why does that sentence feel so awkward? [duplicate]
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Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction “it’s”?
Earlier today while writing a very informal email, I expressed:
If you don't do it, I will.
Upon looking at it, I realized that "I will" could be contracted to "I'll", however, this is completely unheard of and feels quite awkward. I am now quite curious, is there a reason why ending a sentence with "I'll" feels (or is) so inappropriate?
I understand that the use of contractions is generally an informal use of language so rules of usage can be a bit loose. Therefore, this is a case that to me doesn't make logical sense and I'm a bit confused. Why does it feel wrong when an "I'll" is placed at at that end of a sentence, even though such an expression is informal and not, technically, an incorrect usage of the contraction "I'll?"
contractions sentence-ends
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
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asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
marked as duplicate by RegDwigнt♦ Dec 20 '12 at 13:35
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Possible Duplicate:
Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction “it’s”?
Earlier today while writing a very informal email, I expressed:
If you don't do it, I will.
Upon looking at it, I realized that "I will" could be contracted to "I'll", however, this is completely unheard of and feels quite awkward. I am now quite curious, is there a reason why ending a sentence with "I'll" feels (or is) so inappropriate?
I understand that the use of contractions is generally an informal use of language so rules of usage can be a bit loose. Therefore, this is a case that to me doesn't make logical sense and I'm a bit confused. Why does it feel wrong when an "I'll" is placed at at that end of a sentence, even though such an expression is informal and not, technically, an incorrect usage of the contraction "I'll?"
contractions sentence-ends
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
marked as duplicate by RegDwigнt♦ Dec 20 '12 at 13:35
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Possible Duplicate:
Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction “it’s”?
Earlier today while writing a very informal email, I expressed:
If you don't do it, I will.
Upon looking at it, I realized that "I will" could be contracted to "I'll", however, this is completely unheard of and feels quite awkward. I am now quite curious, is there a reason why ending a sentence with "I'll" feels (or is) so inappropriate?
I understand that the use of contractions is generally an informal use of language so rules of usage can be a bit loose. Therefore, this is a case that to me doesn't make logical sense and I'm a bit confused. Why does it feel wrong when an "I'll" is placed at at that end of a sentence, even though such an expression is informal and not, technically, an incorrect usage of the contraction "I'll?"
contractions sentence-ends
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
Possible Duplicate:
Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction “it’s”?
Earlier today while writing a very informal email, I expressed:
If you don't do it, I will.
Upon looking at it, I realized that "I will" could be contracted to "I'll", however, this is completely unheard of and feels quite awkward. I am now quite curious, is there a reason why ending a sentence with "I'll" feels (or is) so inappropriate?
I understand that the use of contractions is generally an informal use of language so rules of usage can be a bit loose. Therefore, this is a case that to me doesn't make logical sense and I'm a bit confused. Why does it feel wrong when an "I'll" is placed at at that end of a sentence, even though such an expression is informal and not, technically, an incorrect usage of the contraction "I'll?"
contractions sentence-ends
contractions sentence-ends
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38
Community♦
1
1
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
asked Dec 20 '12 at 12:54
RLH
4465922
4465922
marked as duplicate by RegDwigнt♦ Dec 20 '12 at 13:35
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
marked as duplicate by RegDwigнt♦ Dec 20 '12 at 13:35
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
Contractions can only be used in English when the thing they're contracting does not have any sentence-level stress. (Sentences have stress in them much like words do.) In this sentence, the word I carries a heavy stress:
If she doesn't do it, I will.
Because of this, I cannot contract with any of its neighbors. The same thing explains why we don't use contractions in sentences of the following sort:
Do not go in there.
I would go to the store, but I have to study.
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
1
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
1
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
2
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
1
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
1
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
|
show 6 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
Contractions can only be used in English when the thing they're contracting does not have any sentence-level stress. (Sentences have stress in them much like words do.) In this sentence, the word I carries a heavy stress:
If she doesn't do it, I will.
Because of this, I cannot contract with any of its neighbors. The same thing explains why we don't use contractions in sentences of the following sort:
Do not go in there.
I would go to the store, but I have to study.
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
1
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
1
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
2
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
1
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
1
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
|
show 6 more comments
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
Contractions can only be used in English when the thing they're contracting does not have any sentence-level stress. (Sentences have stress in them much like words do.) In this sentence, the word I carries a heavy stress:
If she doesn't do it, I will.
Because of this, I cannot contract with any of its neighbors. The same thing explains why we don't use contractions in sentences of the following sort:
Do not go in there.
I would go to the store, but I have to study.
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
1
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
1
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
2
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
1
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
1
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
|
show 6 more comments
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
Contractions can only be used in English when the thing they're contracting does not have any sentence-level stress. (Sentences have stress in them much like words do.) In this sentence, the word I carries a heavy stress:
If she doesn't do it, I will.
Because of this, I cannot contract with any of its neighbors. The same thing explains why we don't use contractions in sentences of the following sort:
Do not go in there.
I would go to the store, but I have to study.
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
Contractions can only be used in English when the thing they're contracting does not have any sentence-level stress. (Sentences have stress in them much like words do.) In this sentence, the word I carries a heavy stress:
If she doesn't do it, I will.
Because of this, I cannot contract with any of its neighbors. The same thing explains why we don't use contractions in sentences of the following sort:
Do not go in there.
I would go to the store, but I have to study.
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
answered Dec 20 '12 at 13:05
JSBձոգչ
48k13141199
48k13141199
1
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
1
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
2
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
1
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
1
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
|
show 6 more comments
1
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
1
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
2
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
1
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
1
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
1
1
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
I get it. That makes perfect sense, however, "Don't go in there." doesn't at all feel incorrect. This is probably because I was born and raised in the South-East US where if you can contract it, you should at least try to. ;)
– RLH
Dec 20 '12 at 13:09
1
1
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
I don't think that this has anything to do with sentence stress, just the stress patterns in the sentences in the answer. "Don't go in there" means exactly the same thing as "Do not go in there": stress is on the negative. And "I'd go to the store, but..." means the same thing as "I would go..., but...", but the stress is on "I" more than on "would" in the contracted form, so the sentence is responding to a different complaint: "Why do I have to go?" instead of "Why don't you go to the store (now)?"
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 13:18
2
2
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
@BillFranke Actually your second example suggests that this answer isn't quite right. In the case of "I'd go...", you can indeed stress the contraction I'd and get emphasis on the "I". So why doesn't that apply to I'll? Well, it does at the beginning of a sentence ("I'll go..."). So it looks like it's really to do with sentence location that causes the problem, not the contraction.
– Jez
Dec 20 '12 at 13:23
1
1
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
@StoneyB: "He has, but I haven't" seems fine to me. "He isn't, but I'm" is impossible.
– user21497
Dec 20 '12 at 14:40
1
1
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
@BillFranke: So, you wouldn't say, "He isn't, but I'm"? Perhaps you wouldn't, but I'd. (just kidding, of course; I'd not say either of those, except to provide another example)
– J.R.
Dec 20 '12 at 15:29
|
show 6 more comments
