http://www.englishforums.com/English/FrequentlyAskedEnglishQuestions-AnswersArchivedPosts/Forum31.htmArea designed to store the most commonly asked questions and their accepted answers.enXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htm#67841Tue, 26 May 2009 19:49:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:67841CalifJim0http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htm#67841http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments31-67841.xmlModality in English is a complex topic. You might want to start with this, which just scratches the surface. The modal expressions of English fall into two major groups, the modals of logic and the modals of interpersonal volition. Each of these groups can be subdivided according to a property we may call "constraint", which when "unconstrained" relates to possibilities (in the world of logic) and freedom to act (in the social world), and when "constrained" relates to what is necessarily so (logically) and to lack of freedom to act (in the social world). The possibility of "weakly constrained" modality also exists. It relates to what is probably so (logically) and to what is advisable (in the...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htm#67832Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:49:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:67832Piopio1http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htm#67832http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments31-67832.xmlCan I take you for dinner ? Capacity or permission Could I take you for dinner, if you were not sick ? Could is hypothetical He can do it : he has the power to, the capacity He could do it : under certain circonstences Shall we meet : Will we meet (it is sure that we meet, or do we want to meet ) Should we meet : Do we have the duty to meet He must : obligation, no choice He has to : still a choice He must not do it : no choice He doesn’t have to do it : he doesn’t need to, doesn’t matter He will do it if I ask : hypothetical futur He would do it if had asked. : hypothetical present Would you please get me the check : the check which is in your hand, would you gice it to me now ? Willy ou give me the check, please :...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htm#64769Tue, 26 May 2009 19:49:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:64769Mister Micawber2http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htm#64769http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments31-64769.xmlShe shall do it / She shall not do it. ONLY USED FOR THREATS AND PROMISES. She shall have done it / She shall not have done it. ONLY USED FOR THREATS AND PROMISES. Have I to assemble here? YES, THIS IS FINE, IF RATHER FORMAL. He has had to do it / He hasn't had to do it. All the other sentences are fine, Ezfred.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htmThu, 26 Mar 2009 20:49:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:64659ezfred01313http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/ncmw/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments31-64659.xmlHi friends, I need your help on the following. I don't think my English is all that bad, but I frequently get confused when trying to use the following verbs. A detailed description with examples is as follows: ------- may might ------- May I come in? Might I come in? She may do it / She may not do it. She might do it / She might not do it. She may have done it / She may not have done it. She might have done it / She might not have done it. ------ can could ------ Can I take you for dinner? Could I take you for dinner? He can do it / He can't do it. He could do it / He couldn't do it. He can have done it / He can't have done it. He could have done it / He couldn't have done it. ------- shall ...