In Modals^x, American English^x, Verbs^x

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...

Hello JKB The first question is a controversial issue. It may be better for you yourself to read an article about it in The Columbia Guide to Standard American English Usually "often" comes at the middle position [before a main verb, after "is"/"have"/"modals". You can put it at the tail of...

CalifJim wrote: it seems that a few American English speakers do not distinguish between those uses Actually, the subjective/objective distinction is of extremely little importance to American speakers. Typically "must" is used as an epistemic modal almost exclusively in ordinary conversation,...

it seems that a few American English speakers do not distinguish between those uses Actually, the subjective/objective distinction is of extremely little importance to American speakers. Typically "must" is used as an epistemic modal almost exclusively in ordinary conversation, and...

Milky wrote: Anonymous wrote: In the sentence, "She has to eat salad every day," would "has to" be a helping verb for the action verb "eat?" Initially "to eat" looks like an infinitive, but isn't "has to" another way of saying "must," which would make it a helping verb? Thanks! ...

Anonymous wrote: In the sentence, "She has to eat salad every day," would "has to" be a helping verb for the action verb "eat?" Initially "to eat" looks like an infinitive, but isn't "has to" another way of saying "must," which would make it a helping verb? Thanks! "Have/has/had (to)" is not...

Can he be working at this time? No, he can't. Can he be working at this time? Yes, he __. Which modal verb should I use to fill in the blank?

Re: The tenseless modals verbs of English Posted: 13/02/2005 09:52 PM JTT wrote: Every modal verb in English can operate in past, present and future situations. Modals carry modal meaning into sentences, they do not carry tense. "operate", yes. I agree. Both statements are true. I...

Dear Jim, I have a very big problem. I' m not sure if the following sentences are correct.. I know that the wish structure requires a simple past, usually were, had and modals such as could. But what happen if I need to use other verbs such as go, buy and so on; Is it possible to say I wish I...

The idiom is "have got" in both American and British English. It is a purely idiomatic alternate for "have" and is not much used except in the present tense. That is, "have got" is the present tense of this idiom, even though "get" is the present tense form of "to get", and the past is "got"....