In Modals^x, Simple past^x

It was thought (by many) to have been written by Michael.In the above sentence: ''It'' is used as a subject.''was'' is an auxiliary verb showing simple past tense and ''thought'' is a past participle serving the function of the main verb with reference to some past action. ''to have been'', as CB...

In the early Church, Christians would celebrate the anniversary of a martyr's death for Christ (known as the saint's "birth day") by serving an All-Night Vigil, and then celebrating the Eucharist over their tomb or place of martyrdom. In the fourth century, neighbouring dioceses began to transfer...

why can't we expect the third sentence ...? Be patient. The real answer to this doesn't come until the end of this post. Because modals don't work the same way as other verbs, especially in the perfect tenses. A modal perfect tense is in many ways equivalent to a past tense. The simple...

CalifJim wrote:1. In those days, for stealing a sheep." refers to the past, then why can't we expect the third sentence "3. You might kill yourself with that gun" to refere to past as well as to the present. Is it just because we have no time indicators such as "Yesterday, you might kill...

Some grammarians do not recognize the modals as ever having any tense at all. (I say that for the sake of completeness.) As it happens, I don't subscribe to that theory. Now to the question. 1. In those days, for stealing a sheep. No difference in meaning. 1. Both have the simple...

Hi Bokeh, Becasue of your reply, it made me take a second look at the original question. I also did some research and found this paper written on the subject of Semantic Composition of Subjunctive Conditionals by Michela Ippolito of MIT/Tübingen University. I am not completely sure if I...

HelloI have trouble explaining modal auxiliaries to German speakers.He must be drunk.to put this into the past = He must have been drunk. She should see the doctor.this into the past = she should have seen the doctor.But ....He can play the pianointo the past =? #1. he can have played the...

I verified the Google results on I wish I had have and I wish I have had, and I must say that I was astonished. In standard English the only possibilities after I wish (that) (with subject pronoun or noun) are would (with the bare infinitive), could (with the bare infinitive), had (with the...

MrPedantic wrote: Anonymous wrote: 2. I think of it as a past subjunctive; but I wouldn't refer to it as such, because the next question would be "how can I distinguish the past subjunctive from the simple past, if they look the same?" It seems safer to say that the past tense can be used...

1. 'If only she would contact me'. This sentence uses 'if' but there's only one clause so what type of sentence is this? You wouldn't call it a conditional, would you? 2. The above sentence is about a wish and therefore we don't use 'will'. Also, in other such sentences we use the simple past to...