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: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486277Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:486277Pter0http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486277http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-486277.xmlThank you very much again, Jim. It is very clear to me now.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486202Mon, 25 May 2009 20:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:486202CalifJim1http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486202http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-486202.xmlone more option ... might ... Does it mean MAY may carry the meaning that the situation is under my control, but I just don&#39;t want to commit? If you are working with someone in North America, any distinction involving differences in uncertainty between may and might will be lost on the listener. In AmE, to my ear, might is just a bit more casual and may a bit more formal, but the meaning is the same. These words are neutral with regard to whether you are in control or not and whether you want to commit. All that you are saying (with may or might ) is that it is possible that it will take a few months to complete. You are saying that the probability of completion in a few months is non-zero . It&#39;s non-commital in the sense...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486042Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:486042Pter2http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486042http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-486042.xmlThanks Marius. I should have asked the following instead - Does it mean MAY may carry the meaning that the situation is under my control, but I just don&#39;t want to commit? I know MAY just suggests that an outcome is possible. Maybe I&#39;m pushing it too far. What I actually meant is that would someone interpret my statement as &quot;you just don&#39;t want to commit&quot;. And to avoid the chance of being interpreted this way, should I better use option 2? I forgot one more option: It might take a few months to complete. To me, may, might, would, could , all carries a certain degree of uncertainty. Sometimes, I really find it difficult to choose the right (best) word for the right situation.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486012Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:486012Marius Hancu3http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#486012http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-486012.xml&gt;Does it mean MAY carries the meaning that the situation is under my control, but I just don&#39;t want to commit? No. It may or may not be under your control. You must come up for all alternatives with extra context in order to clearly define the expectations. Just the choice of a modal verb won&#39;t do. May just says that an outcome/result is possible , under the influence of factors which may have to be dependent or independent of you.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#485976Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:485976Pter4http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#485976http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-485976.xmlLanguage is not mathematics. Your approach is completely wrong in my opinion, even though certainty does figure into some of these expressions, particularly the last. Thank you very much indeed, Jim, for your excellent reply. You have replied to my question in a way that I wished but that I haven&#39;t asked. I did think of asking the question in a different way but not sure how. After reading your answers, I realized that these are exactly the impressions I got from these sentences, but didn&#39;t know how to put them into words. And as a non-native speaker, I am not completely sure if my impressions are right. You helped me to confirm my understanding of these statements. I am quite sure about 4 and 5. They definitely shouldn&#39;t...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#485947Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:485947CalifJim5http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#485947http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-485947.xmlIs it better to add &quot;up to&quot; before &quot;a few months&quot;? Adding up to gives the message that you may be able to complete the task sooner than a few months but that, on the other hand, if things don&#39;t go well, the full amount of time estimated will be necessary. It seems to be that the problem you&#39;re facing is not a grammar problem, but an interpersonal communications problem! It seems that you&#39;re bargaining. Set your time high and see what kind of reaction you get! Say &quot;It will take 10 months.&quot; See what they say. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#485942Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:485942CalifJim6http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htm#485942http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-485942.xmlrank the degree of certainty in these statements Language is not mathematics. Your approach is completely wrong in my opinion, even though certainty does figure into some of these expressions, particularly the last. 1. It may take a few months to complete. 2. It could take a few months to complete. 3. It would take a few months to complete. 4. It should take a few months to complete. 5. It will take a few months to complete. As listed, 1, 4, and 5 are more or less in order of ascending optimism. 2 hints at problems (to my ear), so it might be considered even less optimistic than 1. 3 seems to require more context involving the conditions. Otherwise 3 is just a more tentative version of 5. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htmSat, 25 Apr 2009 20:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:485938Pter7http://www.englishforums.com/English/DegreeCertaintyCouldWould-Will/znphk/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-485938.xmlWould you please help me to rank the degree of certainty in these statements: 1. It may take a few months to complete. 2. It could take a few months to complete. 3. It would take a few months to complete. 4. It should take a few months to complete. 5. It will take a few months to complete. Context: I am given a task, the complexity of which I am not able to determine at this moment. To set the expectation, I want to get the message across that a few months is required in very complicated cases. Simple cases may take just a few days but I don&#39;t want to emphasize the trivial cases. Which of the above statements is most suitable for this situation? Is it better to add &quot;up to&quot; before &quot;a few months&quot;? Thank you very...