2. Would it be wrong if 'never' were replaced by 'did not'?

no..................

MontereyJack wrote:

no..................

Thanks, MontereyJack.

NOTE: Please ignore the post just above this. I have bolded 'shortly' to make question #1 clearer.

My questions are numbered 1 and 2, but you have answered only the second question with no................... Hence, the first question has not been answered.

The waiter said, “My manager will be here shortly,” but he never came.
The waiter said, “My manager will be here shortly”, but he never came.

1. In British English, should the comma be inside or outside the inverted commas?
2. Would it be wrong if 'never' were replaced by 'did not'? no..................


Thanks.

1. In British English, should the comma be inside or outside the inverted commas?

2. Would it be wrong if 'never' were replaced by 'did not'?

tanguatlay wrote:

1. In British English, should the comma be inside or outside the inverted commas?

Outside. The comma is not part of what the waiter said.

tanguatlay wrote:

2. Would it be wrong if 'never' were replaced by 'did not'?

Yes, because "he did not came" is wrong, but "he did not come" would be OK.

The waiter said, “My manager will be here shortly”, but he never came.

In the above sentence, should it be "but he never came" or "but he did not come"?

What I meant was should I use "but he never came" or "but he did not come"? Or is there no difference at all?

tanguatlay wrote:

What I meant was should I use "but he never came" or "but he did not come"? Or is there no difference at all?

There is no difference. They are equally acceptable.