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/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57415Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57415MrPedantic0http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57415http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57415.xmlIt all goes on behind closed doors, Jim. On the outside—surly, damp, ill-fed. On the inside—a seething mass of righteous indignation. Off to order some paper clips now, goddammit.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57292Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57292CalifJim1http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57292http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57292.xmlWhen I visited the UK I had the impression it might be a fun place to live, but I had no idea it was that much fun!http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57214Wed, 27 May 2009 05:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57214MrPedantic2http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57214http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57214.xmlMaking a strong demand or giving someone a direct order is very 'un-British'. And can only lead to umbrage. Etiquette requires horrible embarrassment on both sides, as each party shuffles nervously round the Request In Question, till (at last!) someone else walks in, or the fire alarm goes off, or the world ends, and everyone can stop interacting and get back to the serious business of the paper-clip order ('paper-clip suggestion'?). Needless to say, the Requesting Party is never quite sure whether the request has been successfully 'lodged', and so generally tends to go off and do it himself anyway. Meanwhile the 'requestee' has also performed whatever task was required, though slightly wrongly, since it would have been far...http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57171Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57171King3http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57171http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57171.xmlAnd that would be the NICE way of saying it.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57169Wed, 27 May 2009 05:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57169CalifJim4http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57169http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57169.xmlUnlike us Americans, Nona! Instead of "Do you want to stop for a coffee?", we say "Get your butt in that coffee shop right now and be quick about it if you know what's good for you!" Does that ring true as the British impression of Americans?http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57112Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57112nona the brit5http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57112http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57112.xmlOn the same theme, another way of making a request is to say 'I wouldn't mind...' or 'Do you want/would you like/shall we ...' which actually mean 'I want... I wouldn't mind popping into Tescos/going the other route/borrowing that book/climbing that mountain mean I really want to pop into Tescos/go that way/read that book/climb that mountain. Likewise, Do you want to stop for a coffee? can mean that my feet are killing me and I want to go and sit down and have a coffee in that shop right there, right now. Would you like to watch that film on TV before we go shopping? means I want to watch that film. Shall we go that way? means I want to go that way. Making a strong demand or giving someone a direct order is very 'un-British'.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57097Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:57097CalifJim6http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#57097http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-57097.xmlThere are social conventions in English (and probably in other languages) in which we don't say literally what we mean. We leave it to the listener to figure out the implications of the words we use instead of saying what we really mean. The purpose of such conventions is to avoid always ordering people around! Two concepts which are frequently used this way are in fact opposites of one another. Asking someone if he has the ability to do something when it is obvious he does is a way of saying "Do this!" Asking someone if he has a need or obligation to do something when it is obvious that he does not is a way of saying "Don't do this!" Can you pass the salt? Could you pass the salt? Can you reach the salt? Could you reach the...http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#56987Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:56987MrPedantic7http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htm#56987http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-56987.xmlHello Jacklong 'Must you do that?' here = 'is it necessary for you to do that?' - with the implication 'I can see no rational reason for you to do that, therefore the only explanation is that you have no choice in the matter!' I suppose there is a element of sarcasm buried deep in the phrase. 'Should you be doing that?' would be a more polite way of putting it. MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htmFri, 27 Mar 2009 06:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:56981jacklong8http://www.englishforums.com/English/MustReallyAnnoying/lkcx/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-56981.xmlCould anyone give me an explanation about the above sentence which I came across in my dictionary, especially the Modal Verb " must" here? Could I replace " Must " with some other Modal Verbs like "Could " or "Should" which I think more suitable here. Thank you for any concerns and information about this post in advance.