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.
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5answers
708 views
'You can' or 'You may' in online instruction text?
I need to add a small piece of help text to a search field in an online form.
The placeholder text (grey text inside the text field) says "Type at least three characters". Then directly under the ...
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1answer
517 views
“Dare” with and without “to”
To my surprise, there's a missing question about this particularly interesting verb, dare. All I know about it is the fact it can be in two forms, as an auxiliary (without to: "I dare not mention ...
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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 ...
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2answers
191 views
“how soon I get” vs. “how soon I will get”
What is the difference between the following:
It depends on how soon I get my visa.
It depends on how soon I will get my visa.
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3answers
1k views
How would you use “can” in a future sentence?
If you purchase this then you will be able to do that.
How can I write the above statement using "can"?
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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 ...
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2answers
465 views
Using 'would' to form reasons
In the following examples:
Why would anyone want to eat something so horrible?
Who would live for forever?
Why would I ever lie to you?
Is 'would' being used to refer to time in future or past Or ...
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2answers
853 views
“shall” vs. “will” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
'shall' and 'will'
Is there any difference at all between these two sentences?
What will we talk about?
What shall we talk about?
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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),
...
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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 ...
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2answers
2k views
“It could/might/may be funny” — what is the correct usage?
What is the difference in meaning in these three sentences?
it might be funny
it could be funny
it may be funny
The answer was partially touched on in this post.
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1answer
271 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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2answers
382 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 ...
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3answers
297 views
“One way would be” vs “One way will be”?
What is the difference between "One way would be" and "One way will be"? Can both of them be used for future actions?
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1answer
453 views
Rule for when to use “could” as a helper?
It would be helpful if you could provide us further details.
Is the use of could wrong here? Should it be
It would be helpful if you provide us further details.
What is the rule when should ...
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3answers
599 views
“Can I have one apple from your box?” vs “Could I have one apple from your box?” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” or “could”?
I was doing some reading on usage of can and could. I understand that can is used when asking for ability, and could for willingness.
I ...
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2answers
167 views
When should I use “can” and when should I use “will”?
This sentence talks about capability.
I can never do that.
This sentence talks about a choice. A personal preference maybe?
I will never do that.
Is this correct or can we use it ...
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1answer
690 views
“It's important that he should know” vs. “… shall know”
Which sentence is right?
It's important that he should know this.
It's important that he shall know this.
Is the shall/should auxiliary or modal verb?
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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 ...
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1answer
379 views
“It will depend on what I [will] see”
I want to refer to the future. When someone asks me: "what are you going to do when you have a chance to look at [something]?". How should I reply?
Basically, the question is which one is correct (or ...
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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 ...
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1answer
894 views
What are “modal-verbs”?
Are they the same as the "verbs-of-being" I was forced to painstakingly memorizetaught in Middle School? I.e.
Be
Am
Is
Are
Was
Were
Being
Been
Have
Has
Had
Shall
Will
May
Can
Might
Could
Should
...
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2answers
6k views
How to use would or could in English? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should we use “can”, “could”, “will”, “would”?
I am not a native English speaker and this would/could thing always ...
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1answer
269 views
Is the word “will” some conjugation of the verb “to be”?
I have the impression that the phrase "will be" is using the verb "to be" twice. Is that correct?
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2answers
307 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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3answers
995 views
Definition and meanings of “shall not”
I am looking for all the meanings of "shall not".
Is it closer to "must not" or "might not"?
In this example:
The circuit-breaker shall not trip.
does this mean must not happen or might not ...
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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 ...
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1answer
2k views
Must had vs must have [closed]
If someone says that they had been to Florida on a recent trip, which one of the following would be a correct respone:
That must had been fun.
That must have been fun.
Or is there a ...
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4answers
3k views
What's the difference between “should” and “could” (in the present tense)? [closed]
I am not referring to could as a past tense of can
What is the difference between the following sentences?
You should do it.
You could do it.
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2answers
353 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.
...
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2answers
484 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 ...
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2answers
179 views
Omission of “to” with deontic “have to” [closed]
In the following sentence from The New Yorker (emphasis added)
Sarkozy [...] has spent much of his campaign trying to woo voters away from Le Pen [...] and he is only going to have grovel for them ...
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1answer
392 views
Meaning of sentence with 'would'
The sentence is:
What would the people eat?
Can it mean "What are the people going to eat?" in future Or, "What were the people going to eat?" talking about future from past Or, both?
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1answer
133 views
Is it right to say “Is John lie?” [closed]
So is it right to say "Is John lie?"?
If yes, why not "Does John lie?" or "Is John lying?". Sorry if it sounds stupid, but I'm a bit confused.
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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2answers
566 views
“Would” vs “Will”
In the following context is the word 'would' correct at all or do we have to use 'will'?
Some countries grow hashish, and sometimes they would smuggle it to other countries.
Some countries ...
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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
1answer
75 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.
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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 ...
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2answers
647 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.)
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4answers
127 views
Don't understand the connotation of the modal verb “may”
In the sentence
there may be no legitimate form of reasoning to the best explanation understood as an alternative to inductive reasoning.
does may be no mean
that it is possible that there ...
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votes
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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1answer
416 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 ...
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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 ...
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1answer
428 views
Questions with 'would' [closed]
Why most questions in English get asked with 'would'? Grammar books say that it's used for making a polite request, but doesn't talk about the grammar of the 'would' part.
Do we have to answer ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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votes
3answers
399 views
“Do you know where I might find them” VS “Do you know where I may find them” [closed]
What is the difference among the following questions:
Do you know where I might find them?
vs
Do you know where I may find them?
vs
Do you know where I could find them?
vs
Do you ...
