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I was watching Lost (again) yesterday and someone said:

" - Well, then. I guess I won't have to convince you after all."

" - I'm not going to kill -spoiler-, Ben. You are."

My question is: I was expecting the end of the sentence not with a "You are", but with "You will". Why they say "You are"? Is "You will" incorrect?

Thanks!

CarinaPilar
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    Conjunction Reduction deletes the end of the second sentence by identity with the end of the first sentence. The first sentence was I am not going to VP, so the second sentence must have been You are going to VP. The identical part is going to VP, leaving you are behind. If the first sentence had been I will not VP, then Conjunction Reduction would work on a second sentence You will VP, leaving you will behind. But it has to be in both clauses. – John Lawler May 29 '15 at 17:33
  • The first sentence uses the progressive construction, so the second does, too. I am not >>> you are – StoneyB on hiatus May 29 '15 at 17:34

1 Answers1

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The quote, if you take out the contraction is:

I am not going to kill -spoiler-, Ben. You are.

This is correct and idiomatic.

It's echoing... am --- are

If it had read:

I will not kill -spoiler-, Ben.

Then it would read:

You will.

Catija
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