Search results for 'tag:Modals tag:Sample' matching tags 'Modals' and 'Sample'

Re: Plz help me!

Clive — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:24:30 GMT

Hi,

WElcome to the Forum.

'Has/had/have' are not usually considered to be modals. Please try to provide a few sample sentences that we can comment on specifically.

Best wishes, Clive

can vs. could

Lunchbox — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 08:07:08 GMT

Hi!

I have a question about when to use can or could. Here's an example:

"While I get along with most people very well, I can see how not getting along with a co-worker could affect the workplace."

Can someone tell me why they used "could affect the workplace" there instead of "can affect the workplace"?

According to this page (http://www.englishpage.com/modals/could.html), "could" is used when expressing possibility, such as in "John could be the one who stole the money." Is this why "could" was used in my sample sentence and not "can"?

Here is another one:

Q: How would you handle a situation where a customer is angry at you or the company?
A: I would listen to the customer explain why they are upset and I would do everything I can to solve the problem and make sure they leave satisfied.

Why did they use "everything I can" instead of "everything I could"? Is it because "can" carries a meaning of "having the means to" or "to be able to" more so than "could," thus it was more appropriate to use can there? I think it sounds more natural to say "I would do everything I can to solve the problem..." but the reason for WHY that is, I have no idea.

Re: Two Conditional Clauses In A Sentence

just the truth — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 07:28:18 GMT

Is it correct to write the following sample sentence?

"I would go with you if you would pay for my movie ticket."

JTT: Yes, it's fine, Procrastinator. Here, 'if you would' is the volitional 'would', it's questioning the person's willingness to shell out for the ticket.

"I would go with you if you would [be so kind as to] pay for my movie ticket."

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Does the sentence contain two conditional clauses?
If you are to replace "would" by "should", would the sentence make sense because I learnt that "should" is the conditional form of "shall", just like "would" is the conditional form of "will"? "I should go with you if you should pay for my movie ticket."

JTT: You were mislead by whoever taught you this. All the modals are used in conditional sentences but they are not conditionals in and of themselves. There is no need to replace 'would' with 'should' though it's certainly possible.

'would' assumes a certainty, a 100% chance that the person is willing to pay for the ticket. 'should' weakens it slightly ['should' equates to 'probably']. Using 'will' or 'would' with 'if' makes it almost like a question, it questions the person's willingness to pay for the ticket.

'will' has the same meaning, 'would' is only more polite, more deferential because of its greater remote nature.

"I would go with you if you will pay for my movie ticket."

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Procras wrote:
In what other situations, besides the example, can you use this kind of sentence?

JTT: ENLs also use 'would' in some situations to add a more emotive feeling to some 'if' conditionals, both present and past.

If he wouldn't + present tense ----, S would ------ .

If she wouldn't have + PP ----, S would -------- .

Put "if they wouldn't" [you can use other pronouns like 'she/he'] into an exact word Google search and you can see how this structure is used.

Re: Needs or need

MrPedantic — Fri, 28 Jan 2005 08:04:06 GMT

They're interesting results. If we exclude 1a (small sample), they suggest 'person of verb by nearest preceding subject pronoun' â except 3. So 'me...is' jars less than 'us...is'; which takes us back to Paco's point about number.

But then, perhaps some instances here of 'need' are semi-modal, i.e. with no 'needs' form.

MrP

Modals + ('be') + '-ed' form

Mister Micawber — Mon, 09 Aug 2004 13:24:10 GMT

Sorry, deer--

Could you make a simple sample sentence for each case? What do you wish to do with the 'be'? Both use and omit it? For example:

'I have studied English for many years' vs. 'English has been studied by many Japanese'?

Is this what you wish to compare?