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Native English speakers only, how to say "you must test if the computer works"?
How would you say the sentence below? I think it is incorrect because "test" cannot be followed by a whether clause. Thanks.
1. Before the repairman leaves, you must test if the computer works.
12 Answers
- Trevor HLv 73 years ago
1. Before the repairman leaves, test the computer to see if it is working properly.
- Loo.TennantLv 73 years ago
As a native English Speaker, I wouldn't say that at all.
I would reword it to:-
1. Before the repairman leaves, you should test the computer for fault, or faults!
'Must' is incorrect here, because that would suggest a life or death situation. It isn't!
- ?Lv 73 years ago
"test to see if the computer works"
or
"test whether the computer works"
Most people would probably say "check to see that the computer works".
- Anonymous3 years ago
Wrong.
It should be “whether”.
Test can be followed by a whether clause.
- Anonymous3 years ago
Why do you think that "test" "cannot be followed by a whether clause"? Where the hell did you get that idiotic idea?
- Anonymous3 years ago
I would say:
Before the repairman leaves, you must test that the computer works.
or
Before the repairman leaves, test that the computer works.
- PoseidonLv 73 years ago
You don't need a comma.
To be honest you should not have to test the computer that is the repairman's job (Lol)
- ?Lv 73 years ago
Normally (informally) you would say
- Before the repairman leaves you must test to see if the computer works.
or
- Before the repairman leaves you must test and see if the computer works.
More formally you might say
- Before the repairman leaves you should test the computer to make sure it works.
or (better)
- Before the repairman leaves you should test the computer to make sure it is functioning correctly.