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Is it right to say in poem

'You don't ever learn to fly if you won't try'

Is it right to use 'don't ever' here or is the construction wrong?

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    No, it should be "You won't ever learn to fly if you don't try."
    – user3169
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 0:54
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    P.S. This is not subjunctive, Tanya, this is a conditional sentence, with a protasis (the "if-part") and an apodosis (the "then-part"). For a rough description, you might google "First, Second, and Third Conditional".
    – CowperKettle
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 4:40
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    It isn't the way we would generally talk most of the time. But in the end I don't think it's really so objectionable, and for a poem it's less so.
    – shawnt00
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 5:57

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It's the other way round. You don't use the if-clause in the future. In this sentence the if-clause should be in the present with the main clause in the future. As commented by user3169, the correct sentence is:

You won't ever learn to fly if you don't try.

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  • Does "you won't ever learn to fly ........." means the same as "You can't learn to fly ....."?
    – Yunus
    Commented Jul 25 at 13:14

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