In Modals^x, Clauses^x

Peaceblinkfriend wrote:Hi,If I hadn't passed my exam, I wouldn't have gone to Cancun. = This is a conditional clause and in this instance, it is being used to talk about something that might have happened in the past, but did not in fact happen. In this sort of conditional clause, you use the...

Taka wrote:Remember, just because the modal verb 'would' appears in the main clause, this doesn't mean that the verb in the if clause must be in the subjunctive if the content of that clause is not presupposed to be false.The above is related to the following example sentence: He would always...

Yankee wrote:Hi TakaIn case you haven't found this yet, here is a link to what the American Heritage Book of English Usage has to say about the subjunctive:http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/061.htmlGood, Yankee. Thanks for the URL. And I was particularly interested in these parts.First, this part:...

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...

Hi BrummelWelcome to the forums. Your reasoning regarding can and could is right, and what causes further problems is the fact that can has a number of meanings.He can play the piano can be put in the past by simply replacing can with could especially if the reference is to skill, ability or the...

You can use only one modal in a clause, that is, one of these: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must. You have both may and will in the first sentence, and you have both might and will in the second. So both sentences are incorrect. CJ

1. would is the modal used for the consequent clause of a conditional structure. If that suit were navy blue, I would buy it. If that suit were black with gray pin stripes, I would like it better. If it were gray, I would like that suit better. The condition (if-clause) is implicit - not...

Jackson6612 wrote:I hope this sentence is correct. Your teacher may have discussed the sequence of tenses. Can we use might in place of may? If we cannot do that then please let me know the reason. Your teacher might have discussed the sequence of tenses. Hi Jackson 6612All defective...

CalifJim wrote:Don't use at any given time when a modal such as can or could occupies the main clause. Use at any time instead. Purely observational. The distribution of the phrases at any time and at any given time seems to me to be connected with the use of modals, but the exact reason...

CalifJim wrote:Don't use at any given time when a modal such as can or could occupies the main clause. Use at any time instead.Any reasons, CJ? Thanks.