By Modals, Regards

Let's spread out the issue a little bit: ____ O ____ Type 2. Basic forms. a. If we caught the 10 o'clock train, we would (could, might, etc.) get there by lunch-time. b. If I came into a fortune, I would give up smoking. c. If I knew how it worked, I could tell...

Peaceblinkfriend, the modal expression 'have to' is used in the continuous form. I think you know what meaning it carries. Best regards.

Thank you Mr Pedantic. So is this the translation you like . “How is Patrick?” Catherine asked. “I haven’t seen him for weeks.” “Neither have I. But he is fine,” Thomas answered. “He called me this morning to tell me he was going to work in Ireland, as soon as he'd finished his...

They all look fine to me with regard to reported speech. Your reasoning for choosing each structure seems quite sound. On other matters, I only saw one tiny mistake: We say buy me a beer, never pay me a beer. CJ

Sabyakgp wrote: Dear Friends, I would like to how "Would" can be used in future perfect as a modal verb. For Example. Analysts predicts that world population would have risen considerably by 2010. (Prediction can be wrong, so using "Would" instead of "Will" means this sentence is less...

Dear Friends, I would like to how "Would" can be used in future perfect as a modal verb. For Example. Analysts predicts that world population would have risen considerably by 2010. (Prediction can be wrong, so using "Would" instead of "Will" means this sentence is less directive than the below...

Thanks a lot again for all your help. "Would" seems to be the most confusing modal verb in English grammer and trying hard to learn the correct usages of this mysterious word . As Nona said. they might have used "Would have had to" to express the uncertainty, in that case, Can we use "had had...

Hi Sabyakgp, As Nona rightly points out, in your first example the modal verb "would" is used to express how the described conditions are related to a previous decision taken by his minders. But while Nona interprets the would as expressing uncertainty about what actually happened, I am more...

MrPedantic wrote:..."Must" expresses a strong sense of that necessity; and perhaps a strong sense of personal commitment to the act of making an appointment for Wednesday a.m. with little Melissa... Do you really think 'must' expresses that strong a necessity? Even personal commitment!? I...

<Although he regards them as idiomatic, he claims that in these expressions "the speaker imposes upon himself the necessity" to say, admit, etc. (Note this is not in the section labeled must, Epistemic.)> Even he was not perfect. The whole expression is/was/are/were "I feel I must say..."...