May / would / could (Guest:Lamboo)

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#3425 Mon, 04 Aug 03 05:01 PM

Could someone explain the difference in the follwing sentences with one exapmles (if patience permitting)
he may come
he may have come
he would come
he would have come
he might come
he could come
he could have come

Guest

hitchhiker

#3501 Tue, 05 Aug 03 02:48 AM

he may come = he may come tommorow
he may have come = he may have come today, but I didn't see him!

he would come = he would come to the party if you asked him.
he would have come = he would have come to the party if you had told him where it was!

he might come = hey may come (almost the same)

he could come = he could come, but he'd need you to lend him money (or) he could (might) (may) come, I just don't know.

he could have come = he may have come (again!)

hitchhiker

Joined on Mon, Nov 18 2002

Richmond, UK

Senior Member (3,519)

"They obstinately persisted in their absence." —HGTG

Woodward

#3509 Tue, 05 Aug 03 03:39 AM

he may come = he might come
(both mean - it is possible but we aren't sure)

he may have come = he might have come
(both mean - perhaps something happened in the past)

he would come = Conditional....imagining a situation or an action
(sometimes depending on if another situation happens)
e.g. He would come if he had enough time.

he would have come = intention in the past
(we intended to do something in the past or were ready to do it but it DID NOT happen)

he could come = possibility in the present or the future
e.g. I could win the competition
ALSO
he could sing very well = it was possible in the past, he had the ability to sing well inthe past.

he could have come = possibility in the past which didn't happen
e.g. It could have rained but fortunately it didn't.

Woodward

Joined on Tue, Jun 24 2003

A New Zealander in Chile

Senior Member (2,807)

<hint> Don't let schooling interfere with your education.</hint> www.woodward.cl

Conditionals

Orpheus

#3587 Wed, 06 Aug 03 03:46 AM

he could have come = he could come (he had the time, etc) but he did not.

Orpheus

Joined on Tue, Jun 17 2003

Jakarta, Indonesia

Regular Member (570)

'Truth is Subjectivity' - Kierkegaard

moijelesuis

#4558 Sat, 16 Aug 03 12:03 PM

he may come (1-it is possible, sometime in the FUTURE, that he will come OR 2-subjuntive/hope/uncertainty i will give him money so that he may come)

he may have come (it is possible, that sometime in the PAST, that he did come... but we/i do not know)

he would come (1-repeated past action, habitual ex. everyday he would come to the office at 8AM on the dot OR 2-conditional/hypothetical he would come IF someone invited him)

he would have come (past conditional - failed action he would have come IF someone HAD INVITED him - but no one did)

he might come (1-same as he might come-future, maybe he will, maybe he won't OR 2-subjunctive, to express ability/empowerment: i gave him some money so that he might come, but there is still doubt whether he will or not)

he could come (same as he might come)

he could have come (1-expressed ability, but failed action - he did not come and it is too late now, it was entirely possible for him to have come, but he chose not two OR 2-past/failed hypothetical - he could have come IF someone had offered him a ride)

moijelesuis

Joined on Sat, Aug 16 2003

usa/canada

Full Member (116)

Subjunctives, Conditionals

Gill0419

#11061 Sat, 18 Oct 03 06:55 AM

he may come (to ask for or to give permission)
he may have come (to show possibility & form in past)
he would come (to indicate a repeated action in the past)
he would have come (to show advisability after the fact)
he might come (to show possibility)
he could come (to suggest a possibility or to give an option)
he could have come(to show a past opportunity)

Gill0419