Thread: How It works

I saw that phrase in C# Reference and I was a little abashed, because they ommited the aux. verb does: It must be "How does it work".
Maybe, someone knows why they cut off the aux. verb?

Originally Posted by Chuvak

I saw that phrase in C# Reference and I was a little abashed, because they ommited the aux. verb does: It must be "How does it work".
Maybe, someone knows why they cut off the aux. verb?

To make it sound better. OK, that's a bad explanation!
"How it works" is usually how you phrase it when it's a title or a heading, like in the book you described. You COULD use the full "how does it work" in such cases, but it sounds a bit clunky. I don't really know how to explain it in a logical fashion -- I'm sorry. In newspaper headlines and titles of things, a lot of times they'll omit parts of the "proper" English wording -- perhaps to save room or just to make it roll of the tongue easier. Here are a couple examples; maybe they'll make it a bit clearer?
"Bush to Mexico: 'No Visas Needed' "
"Man Shoots Four; Fifth Missing"

All of this of course, makes for some funny, unintentional sentences (those "extra" words were there for a reason after all). Here are a coupled google produced:
"Iraqi Head Seeks Arms"
"Milk drinkers are turning to powder"

I cannot imagine hearing or reading "how does it work" and not taking it as a question missing a question mark. "How it works" could never be a question, though.

Originally Posted by Seventh-Monkey

I cannot imagine hearing or reading "how does it work" and not taking it as a question missing a question mark. "How it works" could never be a question, though.

Tru dat, homey. So essentially, ignore my lengthy answer and read these 2 sentences...

Originally Posted by Seventh-Monkey

I cannot imagine hearing or reading "how does it work" and not taking it as a question missing a question mark. "How it works" could never be a question, though.

How does it work?

Is the sort of heading you'd have in a very dumbed down thing

How it works

Is less dumbed down.

How is works is a contraction of "This is how it works"

It's the difference between an explanation and a question

How you open the door (explanation)
How do you open the door? (quesiton)

How to eat five circular objects in five minutes (explanation)
how does one (/do you) eat five circular objects in five minutes? (question)

How the economy survives a nuclear blast (explanation)
How does the economy survive a nuclear blast? (question)

ясно?

Originally Posted by Barmaley

Originally Posted by Seventh-Monkey

I cannot imagine hearing or reading "how does it work" and not taking it as a question missing a question mark. "How it works" could never be a question, though.

Tru dat, homey. So essentially, ignore my lengthy answer and read these 2 sentences...

Oh, no, your answer was useful too .