Existential presupposition

1. “I lost my grammar book yesterday.’

→ I had a grammar book.
2. “It took us two days to come back from Hanoi by train.”
→ They once came to Hanoi.
3. “I think I will have good result for the examination.’
→ There is an examination
4. “He couldn’t find his old friend’s address in this street.”
→ He has an old friend.
5. “I have to hand in my assignment today.”
→I has an assignment to hand in.
6. “On the occasion of my friend’s birthday, I intend to buy her a new vase.”
→ My friend’s birthday is coming soon.
7. “Why did you steal my car?”
→ The speaker had a car.
8. “Morpheus has stopped drinking wine for breakfast.”
→ Morpheus has once drunk wine.
9. “Walther’s niece bought a white rabbit again.”
→Walther has a niece and his niece once bought a rabbit.
10. “If only she had not returned there.”
→ She had been there at least once.
__________
11. “Don’t do that again.”
→The hearer knows what “that” refers to.
→The hearer did that at least once.

12. “When did she start writing her research paper?”

→The hearer knows who “she” refers to.
→She has a research paper to write.
→She had not written the research paper before.
→She started writing her research paper.

13. “Joan no longer wrote her former basketball teammates?”

→The hearer knows who “Joan” is.
→Joan used to play basketball in a team.
→Joan used to write to her former basketball teammates.

14. “I can’t remember where I put my bag.”

→The speaker has a bag.
→The speaker put his/her bag somewhere.

15. “Barbana is a better linguist than Anne.”

→The hearer knows who Barbana and Anne are.
→Anne is a linguist, too.

16. “My Dad can cook better than my Mon.”

→My Mom can cook, too.

17. “I didn’t manage to answer his letter immediately.”

→The hearer knows who “he” refers to.
→He wrote the speaker a letter.
→The speaker tried to answer his letter.

18. “Dick has begun to do a share of the chores.”

→The hearer knows who “Dick” is.
→Dick had not done a share of the chores before that.

19. “You shouldn’t have had such high hopes.”

→The hearer had very high hopes.

20. “ Isn’t it surprising that he continues to go out with her after being let down so many
times?”
→The hearer knows who “he” and “her” refer to.
→He has been let down many times.
→He has been going with her.
→He continues to go out with her after being let down so many times.
21."Your car is nice."
→The hearer knows what car refers to.
→The hearer has a car.

22."Mary’s dog is cute."

→The hearer knows who “Mary” refers to.
→Mary has a dog.
23. "I wish I were rich."
→I am not rich.

24."We regret telling her the news."

→The hearer knows who “we” and “her” refer to.
→We told her the news.

25."I won’t do it again."

→The hearer knows what ‘it’ is.

→The speaker did it at least one before.

26."Where did you see that film?"

→The hearer knows what “film” it was.
→The hearer saw the film somewhere.

27."Can you stop playing with your cat?"

→The hearer knows who “cat” refers to.

28."John sent his application to Mary’s company."

→The hearer knows who “John” and “Mary” refer to.
→John was applying for a job
→Mary works at company.

29."Did they talk to her?"

→The hearer knows who “they” and “her” refer to.

30."Don’t do it again."
→The hearer knows what “it” refers to.
→The hearer did it at least one before.

31."He returned there."

→The hearer knows who “he” refers to, and where “there” refer to
→He had been there at least once before.

32."Have you seen John’s new car?"

→The hearer knows who “John” is.
→John has a new car.

33."It’s a shame that you lie again."

→It’s shameful that the hearer has lied at least once before.
→It’s shameful that the hearer lies again.

34."I regret sending that letter to you."

→The hearer knows what “that letter” it was.
→The speaker sent that letter to the hearer.

35."They act as if they were my parents."

→The hearer knows who “they” refer to.
→They are not my parents.

36.“The exam is not so difficult”

→The hearer knows what the exam refers to.
→There is an exam.

37."Could you drive me to the airport?"

→The hearer knows where the airport is located.
38.“It is going to rain for a long time.” (a rediction)
→It is raining now.

39.“I am going to have a final examination in Semantics.”

→The hearer knows what “a final examination” refers to.
→I haven’t taken the final examination in Semantics yet.

40.“We are going to be teachers of English.”

→The hearer knows who “we” refer to.
→We haven’t been teachers of English yet.