By Conversations, Modals

Re: Could and can

I'm not into modals, but I think both can and could denote physical capability. I can lift this box. I could lift this box. (with or without implied conditions) With polite questions people often don't say what they mean, because they don't want to put the person addressed in a...

Re: Confused with verbs

Marius Hancu wrote: Goodman wrote: Can i say: It is essential that we be informed of your plans. Yes! Help him understand - OkIt is essential that we should be informed of your plans. We insist that he must be on time There are those who use modal in subjunctive which in my opinion is...

Re: may, might and could - what's the difference

I am trying to formulate guidelines for learners of English as a foreign language with regards the use of may/might/could to express possibility. It seems to me that you can use these three modals (almost) interchangeably when expressing possibility. For example, 'Where's Mary?' 'I'm not sure....

Re: could have been and would have been

Believer wrote: My try: Hi, 1. I think the modal verb 'could' could be used as a past form of the modal verb 'can' and the modal verb 'would' can be used to express the sense of past-ness. Yes. Can you tell me if these uses are correct? When I was fifeen years old, I could do many push-ups....

could have been and would have been

Hi, 1. I think the modal verb 'could' could be used as a past form of the modal verb 'can' and the modal verb 'would' can be used to express the sense of past-ness. Can you tell me if these uses are correct? When I was fifeen years old, I could do many push-ups. Now, if I ask someone about his...

Re: 'Can't +S+V' & 'Can+s+not+v' ?

Modal/Auxiliary + subject-pronoun + not + V ... ? This is a lesser used grammatical pattern. It is used for rhetorical effect. It makes the speaker more like a teacher making a pronouncement rather than an ordinary person having a normal conversation. It may give a haughty or pompous...

Re: subjunctive or past conditional

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...

Re: Conditionals and modals in reported speech

Hello Kooyeen 1. I'd like to go to Jenny's party ----> He said he would like to go to Jenny's party (I would say this is ok only if Jenny hasn't had the party yet) — It's also possible that someone would say this, if the party had already happened; but I think your interpretation is more...

Re: Plesae explain this.

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...

Re: About Tenses

Hi, Then what modal perfect tense is? Can you explain it more? Actually the whole sentence is in a conversation, "The Duchess! The Duchess!" he muttered, "oh! my dear paws! Oh, my fur and whiskers! She's going to get me executed! Where could I have dropped these things?" Thanks. Mag