Modal verbs (such as can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, and must) combine with verbs in the bare infinitive to express information about the verb such as possibility or necessity.
2
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0answers
44 views
“…must be running”
I'm trying to understand the meanings of must with a lexical verb in present continuous.
Usually "must" means the judgement of the speaker (epistemic modality).
Can it have a non-epistemic meaning ...
-1
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0answers
10 views
Use of Modals “would” and imaginative situations [migrated]
Which of the following sentence is correct or both of them are correct?
If i were a bird, i had flown in the sky.
If i had been a bird, i had flown in the sky.
Also please tell how to express the ...
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vote
2answers
275 views
Are modal verbs finite or non-finite?
According to Oxford Dictionaries Online,
finite ... 2 Grammar (of a verb form) having a specific tense, number, and person.
non-finite ... Grammar (of a verb form) not limited by tense, ...
8
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2answers
276 views
Dare + have done
Here is an example from an old book. I know it’s old but it can’t be simply discarded, I hope.
"I never dare have spoken — never dare have told you that my love for you was killing me"
So, I ...
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votes
1answer
74 views
“I may know where it is” vs. “I know where it may be”
I am wondering if the following two sentences have different meanings.
I may know where it is.
I know where it may be.
1
vote
1answer
101 views
Are “could I have been able to cope with” and "could I have coped with” the same?
I am a bit confused with the formation of this sentence. My lines are:
What if I were a girl? Would I have been able to cope with the ordeal that women and girls live through every day?
But I ...
3
votes
4answers
154 views
Is the structure “can have verb-ed” possible?
I have seen and heard sentences like these:
He could have gone too far.
John can't have eaten all the cake.
But I don't seem to encounter this structure:
She can have done the work.
I ...
1
vote
1answer
269 views
Use of “would” in the specific situation
A man asked a question to his friend, “Why was it the best time for
Bilal to be in his home?”
His friend replied, “It would be the best
time for Bilal to be in his home because his uncle ...
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1answer
148 views
“To have to” vs. “should” [closed]
I wonder which one to choose here:
My father should drive carefully when it’s raining.
My father has to drive carefully when it’s raining.
1
vote
0answers
34 views
The verb “should” as a conjunction [duplicate]
Here is the phrase from Wikipedia:
CFO Peter Klein has said that Microsoft has no alternate plan should its current mobile strategy fail.
Another example:
Should Microsoft’s tablet and phone ...
-4
votes
1answer
74 views
'What may it be'/ 'what may be it' which one is correct? [closed]
I think,saying 'what may it be' is correct in the sense of something that i did not see before,it is new to me and on my hand.and i am saying this sentence "what may it be"/"what may be it".which one ...
11
votes
3answers
309 views
Strange grammar in Dracula
There is a place in Bram Stoker’s Dracula where I can’t quite parse the grammar:
8 May. — I began to fear as I wrote in this book that I was getting too
diffuse. But now I am glad that I went ...
0
votes
2answers
94 views
“I stay in Canada” vs. “I will stay in Canada” [duplicate]
Situation: I am in Canada and will go back to Hong Kong next week. So, I want to tell my friends that "I will stay in Canada until the 6th of March".
Question: I do not know if the word will should ...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
counterpart of “Shall I/we …” in written English
See my title. I am looking for a word or expression to replace the way of "Shall I/we ...?"
The context is I am asking for permission or suggestion but it is not in conversation. I want to apply such ...
1
vote
1answer
99 views
Is “he should be seventeen” correct?
Is the following sentence correct to describe a young man?
He should be seventeen.
My colleague was absolutely sure it was correct. I disagreed, so we had a bit of an argument. I would agree on ...
4
votes
2answers
217 views
could versus be able
Let me start by saying what is written in grammar books on this issue and after that I will put my question. (Take heed that this usage of "could" ONLY refers to the past and ONLY to affirmative ...
1
vote
3answers
189 views
Are there other verbs that work like “dare” and “need”? [duplicate]
The verbs dare and need do not require auxiliaries when used in the interrogative; for example, “need I?” is as acceptable as “do I need?”
Excluding the auxiliaries themselves (like be, do, have),
...
1
vote
3answers
148 views
Saying about many related events in the future
My question relates to these questions :
Conditionals in the future
Future tense in conditional clauses
“If I go..” vs. “If I will go..” referring to the future
About two mutually related, future ...
6
votes
4answers
518 views
“need to do” vs “need do”
Consider:
I need to do this.
I need do this.
My English grammar knowledge tells me that "need" doesn't have the same status as the modal verbs "may", "can", "should" and what not. Hence the second ...
4
votes
1answer
154 views
Why are 'preterite presents' called so?
While reading about 'defective verbs' on Wikipedia, I came across this term – preterite present verbs.
The most commonly recognized defective verbs in English are auxiliary verbs — the class of ...
32
votes
7answers
2k views
What is the infinitive of “can”?
Like the title says: I don't think "to can" is right :)
I mean "can" as in to be able to. I'm aware of other meanings.
I can't find the answer here. (There's What is an "infinitive"? which ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
“He was so desperate that he would have given anything” vs. “that he did give anything”
A: I heard he promised to buy her anything she wants.
B: Right. He was so desperate that he would have given anything to win her over.
In sentence B, instead of "would have given," is "did ...
1
vote
3answers
216 views
Is there a rule for “wouldn't” used to mean “didn't want”?
I have seen the sentences in books where wouldn't seems to have been used in the meaning of didn't want, and I wonder if such a rule exists. For instance,
I wanted to participate, but he wouldn't ...
0
votes
0answers
10 views
“Could someone please” versus “Can someone please” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” or “could”?
Is either “can” or “could” more polite?
“Can” vs. “could” in asking a question
“Can I have one apple from your box?” vs “Could I have one ...
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votes
2answers
646 views
Is it “What should he have done?” or “had he done”?
What should he have done?
What should he had done?
Could you tell me which one is correct? (If any.)
6
votes
4answers
3k views
What is the difference between 'can', 'could', 'may' and 'might'?
I'm a native English speaker and I've been doing some research into English grammar for a programme I'm working on. However, on looking into modal verbs, I've only just come to appreciate how subtle ...
2
votes
4answers
118 views
“Would” in a reported statement
I am teaching some students changing original quotes into reported speech. Well, one of my students asked how the following quote can be changed into reported speech:
I would like to swim.
From ...
0
votes
2answers
352 views
question about the future tense
In a sentence like
How do you get to the train station?
What would be an appropriate answer (tense wise)? Could you say both of these two:
I’ll drive you.
I’m going to drive you.
...
14
votes
2answers
706 views
When did periphrastic tenses stop being tenses?
English sometimes has several different ways of expressing the same thing. For example, it can form a possessive either by using an old case inflection:
The dog’s tail was always wagging.
Or it ...
0
votes
2answers
482 views
Is there any difference between “He won't do something” and “He wouldn't do something”? [closed]
I have read somewhere that He won't do something means He refused to do something and also He wouldn't do something has the same meaning.
Now I'd like to know, what is the difference in usage of ...
-4
votes
0answers
59 views
“can I speak to Mr Tom” or “May I speak to Mr Tom” which one is correct [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can/May/Will you help me with this?
Difference between “can” and “may”
Can I speak to Mr Tom?
May I speak to Mr Tom?
Which one is correct?
My thinking is ...
7
votes
3answers
223 views
“He grew up around cars that would later become classics.”
My question is about the use of would in the following sentence.
He grew up around cars that would later become classics.
The use of would in this particular sense always looks confusing to me ...
6
votes
1answer
415 views
Question about the future “tense”
My daughter, who is in the 4th grade, was asked to answer questions about the following sentence:
What time can you meet us at the school on Tuesday?
She was asked questions about the usage of ...
0
votes
2answers
306 views
Why “should be doing” and not just “should do” in the following sentences?
What is the difference between "should X" and "should be Xing" in the following contexts? Or are they interchangeable?
10 Things you should do to improve the health of your hair.
10 Things ...
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votes
3answers
200 views
“Can” or “may” and “have to” or “must” [closed]
There are two typical situations: when someone asks for a permission or for a obligation. I am totally confused, because there seems to be two ways to ask and to reply, and I don't know which one is ...
61
votes
10answers
8k views
How many tenses are there in English?
Do we have 16 tenses in English?
With
future
present
past
future in the past
in these forms
simple
continuous
perfect
perfect continuous
Can we manipulate these together to create English ...
1
vote
2answers
380 views
“I wouldn't ever” vs. “I would never”
The two expressions from the title, “I wouldn't ever” and “I would never”, are very similar. But are they completely equivalent or do they bear any subtle differences? If so, how do they differ in ...
-1
votes
3answers
154 views
“Fortunately I could get into the next bus” vs. “fortunately I managed the next bus”
Which of the following sentences is more acceptable in the meaning "fortunately someone get into or was able to catch the next bus"?
Fortunately I could get into the next bus.
Fortunately I ...
3
votes
2answers
437 views
When is “will” used in an “if” clause?
Given the following sentences that use will in the if clause (which is seldom with if-clauses and therefore, I'm not sure they all are even grammatical or not).
If you will/would kindly lend me ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
“Can’t help but” vs. “can help but”
Is "can’t help but" considered to be a confused mix of the expressions "can but" and "can’t help"? If not, what is the difference between "can help but" and "can’t help but"?
2
votes
1answer
2k views
When to use “cannot” versus “can't”?
When is it best to write "can't" versus writing "cannot"? Are they interchangeable in every situation?
4
votes
4answers
449 views
Can “be” be used with the modal verb “do”?
These two sentences are both valid
I write this sentence.
I do write this sentence.
Are these both valid?
I am writing this sentence.
I do be writing this sentence.
9
votes
3answers
3k views
Why to use “May” before using “May God bless you”?
I heard it many times but I haven't really pondered on that. We can hear these following sentences in our daily lives:
May God bless you.
May God be pleased with you.
May God accept your ...
21
votes
5answers
3k views
Why should I use “ought to”?
Is "ought to" still used in modern English? If yes, in what contexts is it used, and is it used more in formal or informal cases?
2
votes
1answer
740 views
Would certainly have or certainly would have?
I have these confusions sometimes. Firstly, which among the following are grammatically correct to use in sentences-
She would certainly have loved that.
She would have certainly loved ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Using “so that” without modal verbs
I know that usually with "so that" there is a modal verb. However, I do not know if this is correct because there is not a modal verb.
I will wake him up so that he does not (will not) miss the ...
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votes
1answer
415 views
How to create a questions from past modal verb sentences
I have no idea why my question was closed as it was pretty clear (at least for a person of average intelligence) so I am trying again:
There is a sentence, e.g:
He could have seen that.
Will the ...
6
votes
2answers
497 views
Why is “can” such an odd verb?
The English verb can is very strange for several reasons:
It drops the to on any infinitive verb forms that follow it. That is, unlike in the verb want in the sentence I want to eat, you would not ...
1
vote
2answers
247 views
Can I drop 'might' in this sentence without changes in meaning?
I was interested in the following sentence which appeared in an article titled “Rethinking the Afghanistan War’s What-Ifs" by David E. Sanger in The New York Times (July 31, 2010).
The British ...
0
votes
4answers
195 views
“It might not be adequate and worsen” vs. “it might not be adequate and worsens”
The problem is this sentence:
It might not be adequate in some cases and worsen the results.
Is it correct or should I write "worsens the results"? If the effect of might not is propagated to ...
