In the first example (mild annoyance), he might have offered = he should have offered .* In Clive's example, he might have offered = it is possible that he would have offered . In my example, he might have offered = it is possible that he did

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,

"have" or "have to" is not a phrasal verb, though it does indicate necessity or obligation. An infinitive may complement a main verb, but in the traditional sort of analysis your class seems to be learning, the infinitive is never considered a

On further reflection, I believe that I have heard some Americans use the structure had've ( had have ), and I've seen it spelled had of . In any case, the origin of the structure has me curious. If we include the modals will and would ,

Swiss Jake wrote: 1. I wish he would stop complaining. 2.I wish he should stop complaining. I want to know that after the word "wish" which word I should use between "would"/"should". Hi, doesn't "to whish"

Yes, you're right. Apparently we do have different understandings of objective and subjective . But look at the bright side: We agree that the sentences do not illustrate deontic usage! On this whole topic I am in basic agreement with John

The conflation of two modals. Why don't you just get rid of one of them? This is not the conflation of two modals. It is a distinction in usage based on a different parameter from the one you may be used to. That is, the distinction is

The auxiliary "do" is used in questions, negatives, emphatic expressions, and tags. You liked her. Did you like her? You didn't like her. Didn't you like her? You did like her. You liked her, didn't you? You did like her, didn't you?

Example 1. 1. He may not have heard you. Call him again. 2. He might not have heard you. Call him again. "May" and "might" are used here as modals for conjecture. "May"(#1) is a bit stronger in the certainty of the conjecture. Example 2. 1. You

Hello Taka "Deontic" relates to the modal expression of an obligation, prohibition, recommendation, etc. Sometimes "should" is deontic: "You should say 'thank you!' when someone gives you a stuffed rhinoceros!" MrP