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worried that

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arthurvv vart

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Feb 19, 2024, 6:17:53 PMFeb 19
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Can one use:
1) I am worried that he is dead.
instead of:
2) I am worried that he might be dead.

I don't know that he is dead. I am worried he might be.

--
Gratefully,
Navi

Lost in the Twilight Zone of the English language
Interested in strange constructs
Obsessed with ambiguity

Jerry Friedman

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Feb 19, 2024, 6:35:22 PMFeb 19
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On Monday, February 19, 2024 at 4:17:53 PM UTC-7, arthurvv vart wrote:
> Can one use:
> 1) I am worried that he is dead.
> instead of:
> 2) I am worried that he might be dead.
>
> I don't know that he is dead. I am worried he might be.

I prefer 1, since it's always true that he might be dead as far as
I know, unless I'm looking at him or talking to him on the phone
or something. However, an ngram search suggests that "worried
that he might be" is a bit more common than "worried that he is"
+ "worried that he's".

--
Jerry Friedman

Mark Brader

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Feb 19, 2024, 7:07:44 PMFeb 19
to
"Navi":
> Can one use:
> 1) I am worried that he is dead.
> instead of:
> 2) I am worried that he might be dead.
>
> I don't know that he is dead. I am worried he might be.

Yes, correct either way.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "I deny the allegations and I defy the alligators."
m...@vex.net | --Allan Lamport

arthurvv vart

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Feb 19, 2024, 7:29:59 PMFeb 19
to
Thank you both very much,

Is it possible to replace 'worried' with 'concerned' in '1'?
1a) I am concerned that he is dead. (instead of 'might be dead')

Or would that give the impression that he is already dead?

HenHanna

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Feb 20, 2024, 10:35:40 PMFeb 20
to
arthurvv vart wrote:

> Can one use:
> 1) I am worried that he is dead.
> instead of:
> 2) I am worried that he might be dead.

> I don't know that he is dead. I am worried he might be.



pick more realistic example(s) (phrases) and Search thru News articles !


_______________________________________________


Fox Business
Logan Paul, $1M-a-month YouTube star, says he may be going broke

YouTube megastar and host of Impaulsive podcast, told FOX Business on Monday he's worried that he may be going broke.

Jul 23, 2019


_______________________________________________

Daily Mail
Lionel Scaloni hits back at Angel di Maria after he called for Messi and Aguero to be dropped

'I am not worried that he is angry': Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni hits back at Angel di Maria after the PSG star demanded he drop fellow...

Sep 27, 2020
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