Dear friend, 'should go' is a single verb phrase containing a modal auxiliary verb should . This operator is more specifically known as a central modal , because it shares all the features pertaining to modal auxiliary verbs. 'need to

Hello everyone, I wish it would stop raining – I know ‘wish’ and ‘would’ are the key to the construction - but I don’t know what the tense is… Subject + wish + it (what is it?)+ would (modal auxiliary verb) + verb + gerund Hi, You

Hello everyone, Would anyone mind having a read through my answers below to see if i'm on the right tracks? I'm looking at the meaning/function and form of the sentence/underlined words! With many thanks!! Fiona is very

dare is a marginal modal auxiliary. It can be used as a modal auxiliary with bare infinitive and without the inflected forms or as a main verbs with or without to inf and with inflected forms. He dare(s) (to) go. Dare you go? He dared

Anonymous wrote: I have seen similar putative sentences. "I am suprised that he should feel lonely."(1) "I am suprised that he feels lonely." I don't remember the exact sentences in Quirk's "A Comprehensive English Grammar". I wonder if the first

I think here "let" is a modal auxiliary, and except for "ought to", they are followed by a bare infinitive. You'll find the same construction after "help", "make" (causative), and perhaps others, but I don't know the explanation for it, just that

I would have said past tense and infinitive. I would also say that 'used to' and 'use to'-in-'didn't use to' are effectively pronounced the same, but written differently because they are in fact different forms. I'm

Because, of course, it isn't. The positive and negative senses ... enough to both that you can get away with it. I'm familiar with your and Professor Lawler's point of view, but I'm also aware that it collapses in the face of

Tony Mountifield (Email Removed) writes: John Lawler (Email Removed) writes: 3) *He doesn't may/can be home. I wondered if the * was put in anticipating the insertion of a footnote which was then forgotten, explaining that may and can

What books would you recommend to learn more about the modal verbs? I've written here, on alt.english.usage and on uk.culture.language.english; ... I would need some reliable reference based on grammar (correct usage), and actual current usage