more modal

1 2    Share on Facebook

	Inchoateknowledge  #246627  Tue, 18 Jul 06 03:31 PM You can not have seen her: she has been  dead for 1 year. You could not have seen here: she has been dead for 1 year. Which is correct? I think both mean the same. I need confirmation.    Inchoateknowledge Joined on Wed, May 3 2006 Senior Member (2,515)

	Goodman  #246661  Tue, 18 Jul 06 05:06 PM You could't possibly have seen her. She has been dead for a year.    Goodman Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005 Calif. USA Senior Member (3,091) The name says it all!

	pieanne  #246662  Tue, 18 Jul 06 05:09 PM "You couldn't", perhaps? (Sorry!  )    pieanne Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005 South of France ...But I'm Belgian! Veteran Member (7,512) I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...

	Inchoateknowledge  #246675  Tue, 18 Jul 06 05:49 PM Thanks. I believe where an indefinite article may be used, the use of  'one' is justifiable too. My use of colon is acceptable too. 'Possibly' emphasise the degree of  the probability. I was particularly interested in the use of modals. Thank you once more.    Inchoateknowledge
Select Tags... SaveCancel Articles, Modals, Colons, Indefinite articles, Definite articles

	Inchoateknowledge  #246676  Tue, 18 Jul 06 05:51 PM (Sorry!  "> ) ? Only could not? Thanks    Inchoateknowledge

	pieanne  #246680  Tue, 18 Jul 06 05:57 PM I think "you can't have seen her" is correct too. (my rose was for Goodman's typo    )    pieanne

	Inchoateknowledge  #246682  Tue, 18 Jul 06 06:12 PM http://home.no/vavika/25.gif    Inchoateknowledge

	pieanne  #246683  Tue, 18 Jul 06 06:18 PM LOL!  Thanks     pieanne

	Goodman  #246687  Tue, 18 Jul 06 06:38 PM  Inchoateknowledge wrote: You can not have seen her: she has been  dead for 1 year. You could not have seen here: she has been dead for 1 year. Which is correct? I think both mean the same. I need confirmation. I have to admit, my typing needs much improvement. Thanks for pointing out my missing ‘N”. Technically, 1 year and a year mean the same thing. However, I find it more natural to use “a” than “one” in the context of your sentence.     On a side note, the colon looked odd in this sentence. It wasn’t the right punctuation in my opinion.        Goodman
Colons, Punctuation