[Grammar] if all of it will not fit at the end of a line

In Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's English Dictionary, it says:

Dots within headwords show the places where you can break a word and add a hyphen if all of it will not fit at the end of a line of print or writing.
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Why does it use if-clause with will?

I found the following in Practical English Usage 3rd. Does it fit my question? I think 260.2 fits my question. Am I right?
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260

We normally use a present tense with if (and most other conjunctions) to refer to the future .
But in certain situations we use if ... will.

1 results
We use will with if to talk about what will happen because of possible future actions - to mean 'if this will be the later result'. Compare:2 'If it is true now that .. .'
We use will with if when we are saying 'if it is true now that .. .' or 'if we know now that ...'.
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Why does it use if-clause with will?​

The dictionary author cannot know about your margins or how your words might fill the space, as your writing comes later. Hence, the use of if/will looking to a possible future. To simplify the sentence: "...break if it will (not) fit..."

Actually, 260.1 fits your example better: "...what will happen because of possible future action..."

J&K Tutoring said:

Why does it use if-clause with will?​

The dictionary author cannot know about your margins or how your words might fill the space, as your writing comes later. Hence, the use of if/will looking to a possible future. To simplify the sentence: "...break if it will (not) fit..."

Actually, 260.1 fits your example better: "...what will happen because of possible future action..."

Click to expand...

But I would think that "if all of it will not fit ..." happens first, and that "you can break a word and add a hyphen" second. :shock:

J&K Tutoring said:

"you can break a word and add a hyphen" is a general statement about something you can do at any time, so present tense is used.​

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I would think it is the following:

... you can break a word and add a hyphen if all of it (= a word) will not fit at the end of a line of print or writing.

... you can break a word and add a hyphen if all of it (= a word) does not fit at the end of a line of print or writing.
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Is anything wrong? Could you tell me? :shock:

kadioguy said:

I would think it is the following:

... you can break a word and add a hyphen if all of it (= a word) will not fit at the end of a line of print or writing.

... you can break a word and add a hyphen if all of it (= a word) does not fit at the end of a line of print or writing.
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Is anything wrong? Could you tell me? :shock:

Click to expand...

Both of your examples mean more or less the same, but I prefer "will not fit".

kadioguy said:

260
1 results
We use "will" with "if" to talk about what will happen because of possible future actions - to mean 'if this will be the later result'.

Click to expand...

Teacher J&K Tutoring
Do you think "... if all of it will not fit at the end of a line ..." is "the later result'?
I am afraid I don't think so.
I think it happens first, so it doesn't fit 260.1. :shock:
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I mean:

"... if all of it will not fit at the end of a line ...", so "you can break a word and add a hyphen".

"... (if it is true now that or if we know now that) (260.2) all of it will not fit at the end of a line ...", "you can break a word and add a hyphen".

Do you think "... if all of it will not fit at the end of a line ..." is "the later result'?​

No. The time has no bearing on the words fitting the space. The words would not have fit the space even before (or after) the dictionary author wrote the instructions.

To me, 'will' does not indicate futurity, so the rule doesn't apply. "If the words won't fit ..." means "If the words don't fit ...".

Compare: "I keep trying, but the car just won't start." That is not a statement about the future, but about the recent past and present.

J&K Tutoring said:

Let's compare:
I'll give you £100 if I win the lottery. to:
If you see that the words will not fit the space, then you can break the word.

I win the lottery. = You see that the words will not fit the space.
I'll give you £100. = You can break the word.

Click to expand...

Raymott said:

To me, 'will' does not indicate futurity, so the rule doesn't apply. "If the words won't fit ..." means "If the words don't fit ...".

Compare: "I keep trying, but the car just won't start." That is not a statement about the future, but about the recent past and present.

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Yes, so 260.1 doesn't fit my question, do it?

kadioguy said:

Yes, so 260.1 doesn't fit my question, do it?

Click to expand...

No, it doesn't.

kadioguy said:

Yes, so 260.1 doesn't fit my question, does it?

Click to expand...

Note my correction above.

jutfrank said:

No, it doesn't.

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Do you think 260.2 fits my question?

kadioguy said:

Do you think 260.2 fits my question?

Click to expand...

No. I agree with post #9.

Does the following fit my question?
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will
modal verb

used for stating what is true or possible in a particular case

This jar will hold a kilo.
The door won't open!

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/will_1?q=will

kadioguy said:

Does the following fit my question?
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will
modal verb

used for stating what is true or possible in a particular case

This jar will hold a kilo.
The door won't open!

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/will_1?q=will

Click to expand...

Yes, that's it.

jutfrank said:

Yes, that's it.

Click to expand...

Can I say the following?

This jar will hold/can a kilo.
The door won't/can't open!
... the places where you can break a word and add a hyphen if all of it will not/cannot fit at the end of a line of print or writing.
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(update)
This thread was a little complicated and no native speaker replied this question, so I am posting a new one here.

kadioguy said:

This jar will hold/can a kilo.

Click to expand...

This jar will/can hold a kilo.
;-)
(I don't think "The door won't open" and "The door can't open" are necessarily interchangeable.)

Raymott said:

To me, 'will' does not indicate futurity, so the rule doesn't apply. "If the words won't fit ..." means "If the words don't fit ...".

Compare: "I keep trying, but the car just won't start." That is not a statement about the future, but about the recent past and present.

Click to expand...

Practical English Usage 3rd.

260
We normally use a present tense with if (and most other conjunctions) to refer to the future.

I'll phone you if I have time. (NOT ... if I will have time.)
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So I don't know why sentence (1) uses if ... will instead of a present tense with if.

I would think sentence (2) refers to the future, isn't it?
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(1) ... the places where you can break a word and add a hyphen if the words will not fit at the end of a line of print or writing.

(2) ... the places where you can break a word and add a hyphen if the words don't fit at the end of a line of print or writing.
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PS - I know I have spent too much time on this, but I just want this question to be answered. Can anyone help me, please?

Piscean said:

People have been trying throughout this thread.

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Yes, I totally agree with you.
And I have a feeling that this problem is almost going to be solved.
Can someone help me again, please?