In Modals^x, Clauses^x

Don t use at any given time when a modal such as can or could occupies the main clause Use at any time instead CJ

One such grammatical distinction causing much confusion is the use of the modal auxiliaries may and might When used in the present tense the two modals are almost transposable as the difference between the two is merely a very small degree of certainty However it has become common practice to use...

Rahul Malhotra wrote but i dont know why so many books on english grammar says that modals should not be used in the condition of conditionals and can only be used in the result Often this is caused by this situation where the above rule is correct would have for had In spoken English there is a...

In the first example if have to do means have in hand to do or have here to do in the sense to have something to do it s fine No it s haff to deontic have to that I m using there In the second example and in the first if have to do is deontic there is a slight incongruity of tone between the two...

Milky wrote How do you all figure this I must finish what I have to do and then I ll join you Milky wrote How about I have to finish what I must do and then I ll join you In the first example if have to do means have in hand to do or have here to do in the sense to have something to do it s fine...

Is am to be to not used in the US then It s used but it s more often found in the written form than in the spoken form For me there is a difference between am to and am going to there Right Sometimes we do substitute going to though Am to has the feeling of obligation So does must So does have to...

lt Clearly the subject you of the modal clause is obliged to go to bed Moreover the obligation is just as clearly speaker oriented the father specifies both his own authority I am your father and the fact that it is he I say who is imposing the obligation and no one else In which case must is a...

Milky wrote lt In which case just to clarify in your view no BrE speaker could use the following sentences in a subjective sense gt I wouldn t say that no BrEng speaker could ever do that Grammaticalization in the form of AmEng usage is rapidly taking hold of some parts BrEng usage We ll come...

http www englishforums com English Pleased hvdv Post htmhttp www englishforums com English Subjunctive gmkc Post htmIn both of the above posts miriam has explained the subjunctive in detail but it s all quite confusing to me I ve studied subjuctive from American Heritage and Columbian Guide and...

Thank you to all those who have posted their suggestions to my little imagination game Some have taken it very seriously thinking they would have to relearn English after the changes This was meant to be just a game not for those wo take everything seriously and of course in this game everybody...