how come
Asking for a Reason
How come asks why, normally followed by statement order: How come you never call? The tense and negation in the following clause carry their own local meanings.
How It Works
How come asks for a reason and usually keeps the following clause in statement order. How come you never call? asks why the relevant call did not happen. The local never reading must be understood from that occasion.
How come can express neutral curiosity, concern or a challenge. Avoid reading annoyance into every example. It is not a request for a method of coming: the expression works as a whole. A why question remains available too, but its word order need not be copied into every how come clause.
Examples (4)
- How come the door locked?
Why is the door locked?
- How come you never call just now?
Why did you not call earlier?
- How come she still waiting?
Why is she still waiting?
- How come this one so expensive?
Why is this one so expensive?
How It Connects
Learn This First
Recognize a local information question before using a fixed reason-question expression.
Practice how come in Bubblegum
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