http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3614.32638)http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#849298Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:48:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:849298Anonymous0http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#849298http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-849298.xmlHello! I hope I can answer some of your questions! The past modal is something that we use when we make assuptions of past event. As we are making assumptions, we may be more or less sure about it, therefore you have the probability (more sure) and possibility (less sure).http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216701Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216701Lcchang1http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216701http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216701.xmlThanks, Paco. You are such a wonder teacher. You must have answered most of my questions. Best regards, LCChanghttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216612Sun, 24 May 2009 13:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216612paco20042http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216612http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216612.xmlLcchang wrote: It seems to me that a present auxiliary "may" is used for the past event. That has confused me for a while. She may have forgotten our invitation. Other than being used for degrees of certainty for the events that was happened in the past, can "may" also be used for opinions and advice? You may have reminded him of the time. And last, can we consider both situations kind of conditional sentences? She may have forgotten our invitation. (It was possible for her to leave earlier, but actually she didn't leave earlier.) You may have reminded him of the time. (In fact I didn't remind him of the time.) Hello Chang I think we cannot use "may have done" in the context the speaker knows the said event...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216488Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216488Lcchang3http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216488http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216488.xmlI see, Paco. What about "may"? It seems to me that a present auxiliary "may" is used for the past event. That has confused me for a while. She may have forgotten our invitation. Other than being used for degrees of certainty for the events that was happened in the past, can "may" also be used for opinions and advice? You may have reminded him of the time. And last, can we consider both situations kind of conditional sentences? She may have forgotten our invitation. (It was possible for her to leave earlier, but actually she didn't leave earlier.) You may have reminded him of the time. (In fact I didn't remind him of the time.) LCChanghttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216486Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216486Lcchang4http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216486http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216486.xmlI can get there now. Thanks, Thethenothere123 .http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216365Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216365paco20045http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/2/cjnlw/Post.htm#216365http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216365.xmlLcchang wrote: Does the past modals uesd here mean something happened in the past? If it is true, then why can "may" be used here since it is a present modal? Can we consider all the sentences above to be conditoinal sentences because they all look like in past perfect tense here? Appendix In the case of the modals belonging to "the possibility", the event the speaker think about is a 'counter-fact' (unrealized) past event, when &lt;modal + have + V&gt; is used. (EX) He could have left earlier. =I think it was possible for him to leave earlier, but actually he didn't leave earlier. (EX) He shouldn't have stayed so late. =I think it was better for him not to stay so late, but actually he stayed so late. (EX) He...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216360Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216360paco20046http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216360http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216360.xmlModals are auxiliary verbs to express in what way or how the speaker thinks NOW about some event. (1) When the event is the one that is happening now or in future, you use the form &lt;modal+V&gt;. (EX) Mr. Chang speaks good English. He must study English hard now. He must study English hard now. = I think it is highly probable that he studies English hard now. (2) When the event is the one that happened in the past, you use the form &lt;modal+have+V-ed&gt;. (EX) Mr. Chang speaks good English. He must have studied English hard in the past. He must have studied English hard in the past. = I think it is highly probable that he studied/(has studied) English hard in the past. pacohttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216335Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216335Lcchang7http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216335http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216335.xmlHi Paco, Thanks for your explanation and the materials you've found for me. I really appreciate that. I guess, by reading the information you gave here, that "probability" is bit more to the ultimate truth than "possibility" since it has to come with evidence. Therefore, when using must in a sentence, people have some kind of evidence in mind so their tone become more affirmative. Could you also help me with the rest of the questions? Thanks for your help. Does the past modals uesd here mean something happened in the past? If it is true, then why can "may" be used here since it is a present modal? Can we consider all the sentences above to be conditoinal sentences because they all look like in past perfect tense here?...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216174Sun, 24 May 2009 13:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216174paco20048http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216174http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216174.xmlLcchang wrote: Can any teacher help, please? Hello Chang I guess you are asking rather the semantic difference(s) between "possible" and "probable". Right? I found a good site online to explain this. Here they say like below. Christianlogic.com wrote: Difference between Possible and Probable All of us can confuse these important ideas: (1) what is impossible, (2) what is possible, and (3) what is probable. Let’s explain the difference. (1). Something is "impossible" if there is no way that it could be true. (EX) Jack realized he'd made a revolutionary discovery. When you add two plus three underwater, you always come up with seven. Every math textbook must be rewritten! (2). Something is "possible" if there is a chance...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216057Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216057rishonly9http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216057http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216057.xmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_logichttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216030Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:216030Thethenothere12310http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#216030http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-216030.xmlHmm, it works fine for me. Did you try copying the link and pasting it into the "navigation bar" of your internet browser?http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#215916Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:215916Lcchang11http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#215916http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-215916.xmlI can't link to this page. Somethig wrong with the URL. LCChanghttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#215736Sun, 24 May 2009 13:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:215736Thethenothere12312http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#215736http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-215736.xmlThis doesn't directly address your questions, but it might be helpful nonetheless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_logichttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#215726Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:215726Lcchang13http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htm#215726http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-215726.xmlCan any teacher help, please?http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htmSat, 24 Jan 2009 14:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:215211Lcchang14http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastModals/cjnlw/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-215211.xmlDear teachers, I would lile to ask you some big questions, and please be any help. I read in my text book about the use of past modals for degrees of certainty and opinions and advice. For degress of certainty, the book says: Probability: She must have left already. She must not have wanted to come. She couldn't have forgotten the party. Possibility: She may have forgotten our invitation. She might have forgotten the time. Her car could have broken down. She may not have wanted to come. She might have remembered the time. My questions: What is the difference between probability and possibility ? Why "must" and "could" are for probability but "may",