摘 要: | (A)ItissometimessaidthattheEnglisharepolitepeople.Thiscanmakelifedifficultforforeigners.SupposeaforeignboyasksanEnglishgirltogooutwithhimandshesays,“IfIfinishmywork,Illmeetyouinthecaféat7oclock.Isshesaying“yes”or“no”tohisinvitation?”Ingrammaticalterms,sheisusingtheconditionalstructure.Byusingtheconditional,speakersofEnglishcanavoidgivinga“yes”or“no”answertoaquestion.Itenablespeopletobediplomatic.Ifthegirldoesntwanttogooutwiththeboy,shewontturnupatthecafé.Shewilllethimunderstan…
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