By Gerunds, Modals

Just one more thing before I go: conditionals are not considered real past tenses, so Milky's assertion, according to which must can not be in past negative, has not legs. Must not have contained is a past participle verb phrase, and in the context it means the words: participle, gerund......

arrrrgh. i'm confused! bear with me, there's a question here somewhere; i'm just not sure what i want to ask.... i managed to wade my way through participles and gerunds but seem to be at an impasse with infinitives. as i understand it, infinitive phrases function as nouns, adjectives, and...

CalifJim wrote:If a student points to some construction and asks me if it's the subjunctive or not, I can't reply, 'No, it's a monkey!'Now there you are wrong! You are the teacher and can say any dang thing you want! In fact a smart retort like that might go a long way toward making your...

1) Do May / Might NOT (like CANNOT) express an interdiction = must not ? ex: ? CJ

Hello Troy 1. I was passing by, and noticed your post. 2. I shall try to comply with Nona's request, though I too am no grammarian. 3. I shall also try to add a little to Roadrunner's and Paco's replies. 4. Luckily everyone else has gone out for the evening, 5. leaving me alone to listen to...

Hello Eladio I would distinguish between only 3 forms. Your extra forms relate to different tenses, rather than changes in the structure. There are some tenses you've omitted, too: 'I'm getting used to', for instance. Here's how I'd divide them: 1. Your first form: Adjectival use, meaning...

No. There is no rule. Unfortunately, you must memorize which verbs govern (must be followed by) a bare infinitive (take), which govern a full infinitive (to take), or a gerund (taking). You must also remember which patterns allow or require an object between the governing verb and the...

Actually, maj, they both mean different things. 1. is an instruction to discontinue the act of competing. 2. is an instruction to discontinue some other act in order to start competing. 2 actually implies "Stop to compete". I think the rule is that only linking verbs or modal auxilliary verbs...

Just change it into "I must go" - then it's easier to analyze: "go" here is the full verb that is in its infinitive and follows the modal auxiliary must - without to! I have to go: "have to" is the substitute form for "must", "go" again is the full verb in its infinitive. "Have to" here is a...

Always....No. Sometimes we use the gerund, that is, Verb+ING, after 'TO'. Many times the verb is in gerund (-ing form) after a preposition. I'm looking forward to SEEING you. Thank you for COMING. NOTE: 'TO' is not always a preposition. Sometimes it is the first part of an infinitive. Infintive...