Thread: a stupid question

Could you choose the right variant:

----------1--------------------
a. Have you a pencil
b. do you have a pencil
---------2----------
a. I havent a pencil
b. I don't have a pencil


thx !!!

(Because I saw both of them on the internet....though the grammar says that always "b" is correct... maybe "a" is kinda slang....)

Originally Posted by Chuvak

Could you choose the right variant:

----------1--------------------
a. Have you a pencil
b. do you have a pencil
---------2----------
a. I havent a pencil
b. I don't have a pencil


thx !!!

(Because I saw both of them on the internet....though the grammar says that always "b" is correct... maybe "a" is kinda slang....)

Когда ты встречаешь по-русски "памагите, самы ми не месные", это не сленг, это простая неграмотность.
ЗЫ. Помимо англичан в интернете на английском языке пишут индусы, китайцы, корейцы, русские, немцы, итальянцы и многие другие. Среди них бывают люди с довольно посредственным знанием английского языка (как я, например ). Так что не стоит считать, что всё, что ты встречаешь в интернете - есть грамотный английский язык.
Кстати, с русским у русских же, тоже весьма большие проблемы.

К ответу на твой вопрос - ответ b в обоих случаях (хотя я тоже не раз слышал альтернативу a для первого вопроса и гораздо реже - для второго).

The first versions are not incorrect. They sound old fashioned though. I can imagine some old pompous Englishman saying something like that.

Originally Posted by basurero

The first versions are not incorrect. They sound old fashioned though. I can imagine some old pompous Englishman saying something like that.

like me

Or Shakespeare.

Originally Posted by basurero

The first versions are not incorrect. They sound old fashioned though. I can imagine some old pompous Englishman saying something like that.

Seconded. I typically think of Brits saying it -- not so much an age thing, as a nationality thing, but that may just be my own misperception. You'd never hear that in the US afaik.

id say give me a damn pencil!

"Pardon me sir, but have you any Grey Poupon?"

This line is from an old TV commercial. Grey Poupon is a type of mustard (I may have spelled it wrong). When americans hear things like that they usually picture ancient brits in powdered wigs speaking. I'm not sure if its something a modern british person would say.

I haven't a clue about the grammatical definitions of which is right or wrong. But I have never heard the A answers except in old movies.

Originally Posted by chaika

I haven't a clue about the grammatical definitions of which is right or wrong. But I have never heard the A answers except in old movies.

You haven't the foggiest, eh? Crikey!

a. Have you a pencil
b. do you have a pencil
---------2----------
a. I havent a pencil
b. I don't have a pencil

well a. needs to be directed at a person for example have you a pencil amongst your person sir , this is an old form but more polite i think for english grammer was first based upon these laws of grammer and becomes a far better language to understand once you realise the old complexities. Otherwise do you have a pencil is correct but depends who you are asking and how you are asking for it gathering by your second statement you are asking someone for a pencil right in which case , do u have a pencil that i may .....enter doing word here eg. borrow , buy , use. for you could be saying Do you have a pencil and if someone says yes then you will need to say may I use it . the first one is correct i think in the old days for my friends are cheeky buggers and they play the fool and if i asked them do u have a pencil they would say yes . Then when I asked if I could use it they would say oh i have a pencil but its at home can you see what im getting at by all this or have i confused you completely. i tend to get carried away.

To mooman

Sorry about ; I want to ask you about your signature "its my opinion - but its flexible". Shouldn't it be "it's ... - but it's..."?

Originally Posted by 007

Sorry about ; I want to ask you about your signature "its my opinion - but its flexible". Shouldn't it be "it's ... - but it's..."?

Of course it should be. It's a very common error though, even for native speakers. Refresher:
its -- shows possession (e.g: The dog wagged ITS tail)
it's -- contraction of "it" + the verb "to be" (conjugated here as "is") (IT'S a nice day.)

lol im a poet normal rules dont apply lol it is is prehaps correct. Otherwise its my opinion lol hahahahaa

simple grammatical mistakes are a poet's worst enemy.

Originally Posted by mooman

lol im a poet normal rules dont apply lol it is is prehaps correct. Otherwise its my opinion lol hahahahaa

Point taken Don't be surprised then if I will ask you again and again if sholdn't be that or this - I only study English and when you deliberitely make mistakes (because you are a poet ), it confuses me.

His keyborad is just lacking for some keys.

the correct statement in all context would be it's my opinion but its flexible

Just say:

Formal - Do you have a pencil?
Informal - You got a pencil?

Formal - No, I do not have a pencil.
Informal - No, I haven't got one.

Or don't even say pencil if it's obvious what the object of the sentence is.



...

I want to start a petition about getting rid of that awful edit line...

Originally Posted by Rtyom

His keyborad is just lacking for some keys.

Well, that's his problem, right there! He's using a keyborad and not a keyboard! Silly backwards Russians!