Using "will" for persistent habit.

M56   Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:28 am GMT
Using "will" for persistent habit.

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In my variant of English, "will" (non-future use) is used to talk about a persistent habit or characterstic behaviour. Can you do that in your variant?

Examples:

He will bite his nails so.

If you will keep nagging him, it's no wonder he gets up and leaves.

She'll just sit there for hours staring into space.

The difference is, wild rats will kill and eat a mouse, starting with its liver first, a domesticated rat will kill a mouse and start eating it brain first.
Guest   Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:48 am GMT
This one: "She'll just sit there for hours staring into space." works, but it's not so sure the other sentences would communicate persistent habit without a bit more of a background.
Guest   Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:54 am GMT
Not even the "bite his nails" one?
Guest#3   Mon Dec 12, 2005 3:20 am GMT
I'd say that the 3rd and 4th examples describe characeristic behavior, but not the 1st or 2nd (which actually sound a bit strange to me).

(Northeast USA)
andre in usa   Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:32 am GMT
"The difference is, wild rats will kill and eat a mouse, starting with its liver first, a domesticated rat will kill a mouse and start eating it brain first."

Uhhh.......
runCDfirst   Mon Dec 12, 2005 7:59 am GMT
"She'll just sit there for hours staring into space". sounds good for me as a sentence indicating a 'persistent habit'.
M56   Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:10 am GMT
<"The difference is, wild rats will kill and eat a mouse, starting with its liver first, a domesticated rat will kill a mouse and start eating it brain first."

Uhhh....... >

Cruel facts of life, Andre

;-P