double negation makes any difference here?

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What is the difference between the following two sentences:
1) It's not so late that you can change your mind.
2) It's not so late that you cannot change your mind.

I have another question about the use of "assure". Can it be followed by a negative statement, like "If there is any hard work to do done, I assure you he won't come."

Many thanks!

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@yuantanren,

yuantanren wrote:

What is the difference between the following two sentences:
1) It's not so late that you can change your mind. doesnt make sense
2) It's not so late that you cannot change your mind. correct

I have another question about the use of "assure". Can it be followed by a negative statement, like "If there is any hard work to do done, I assure you he won't come."

Many thanks!

I have another question about the use of "assure". Can it be followed by a negative statement.

Yes

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@dadpad,

Then, why doesn't the sentence "It's not so late that you can change your mind" make sense? Is it because the main clause cannot be a negative statement in "so...that..." sentences?

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@yuantanren,

Quote:

What is the difference between the following two sentences:
1) It's not so late that you can change your mind.
2) It's not so late that you cannot change your mind.

" its not so late'" - in this sentence means we have not reached the time
'we have not reached the time that you can change your mind' - this means you can not change your mind now but will be able to in the future......this has completely reversed the meaning from 'we have not reached the time that you will not be able to change your mind', which is the original meaning.

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@yuantanren,

Quote:

I have another question about the use of "assure". Can it be followed by a negative statement, like "If there is any hard work to do done, I assure you he won't come."

I assure you he wont come - is acceptable because you are assuring him of a negative outcome.
If you were to say - I can not assure you he wont come - then it is also acceptable even though it seems to be a double negative they are in seperate clauses as "that" is understood between "you" and "he".
So all posibilities :
I can not assure you he wont come
I assure you he wont come
I assure you he will come
I can not assure you he will come
are all acceptable.

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You can assure another person that a negative outcome is certain. Why is there any doubt about this?

"If you make a boat with a hole in the bottom, I assure you it won't float."

"If you give my cat some cheese, I assure you that he won't eat it."

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double negation makes any difference here?

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