Questions tagged [modality]
91 questions
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Use and meaning of "wouldn't" in "you wouldn't" and "a speaker wouldn't"
I have asked many questions about "would" both in ELL and ELU. But I still have a question about the use of "would". I have recently asked a question which @Jay also answered.
He used "wouldn't" in the following sentences:
Here, you wouldn't…
yubraj
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Then is time vs it is time
At the end of the movie Rise of the Guardians the guardians say to Jack Frost:
Then is time you take the Oath.
I have two questions concerning this sentence.
The first one is if then is time is identical to it is time.
And the second is if the…
Fatimahon
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Negation with modality
There are two ways of negating a modal sentence:
A) negation of modality: you [need not] go there
B) negation of proposition: you must [not go there]
With deontic modality we can either deny a permission to do something:
(1) You [may not] stay with…
Vsevolod IV
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have to : "used to say that something is very likely"
[i] He has to be foolish. [ii] They all have to be Englishmen.
(From a Korean English-grammar book)
The book says both examples above are wrong, for ‘have to’ cannot be used for guessing something. But the reason itself seems to be not true,…
Listenever
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Do I suspect he is regretful now, or I guess he will be regretful in the future in saying "He may regret having quit his job"?
He may regret having quit his job.
Does this mean
It is possible that he now wishes he hadn't quit his job.
or
It is possible that he will eventually wish he hadn't quit his job.
?
Aki
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2
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you could say vs you would say
What's the difference in the meaning between "you could say" and "you would say"? when something is in specific context and If that (something) is usual, we use would instead of could? I'm not sure but I think "you would say" is used to speculate,…
yubraj
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"be obligated to do" versus "have to"
Is it possible to say something like
The employees were obligated to work in the previous weekend.
I deliberately didn't use have to in the sentence. So, is it?
Dmitrii Bundin
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Subject + am/is/are + to + verb
Could anybody clear it to me whether these two sentence are grammatically equal? If not, what is the difference?
1) They must use some methods...
2) They are to use some methods...
Majid
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Can for possibility with time markers
I'm reading a book on modality where the author gives the following examples of possibility with "can":
It can be cold in Stockholm in winter - okay
It can be cold in Stockholm now - wrong
It can be cold in Stockholm tomorrow - wrong
Why 2…
Vsevolod IV
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Is it possible for MUST to say a situation in future
The meanings of MUST of Epistemic is the speaker or author has evidence or knowledge that warrants a particular conclusion. And the meanings of SHOULD of epistemic is a speaker or writer makes a supposition about a future situation on the basis…
龚诗豪
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Modal Remoteness
I hope you are having a great day.
A Student’s Introduction to English Grammar says that there are two modal construction, open, where we should use the present and remote, where we should use the preterite.
My question concerns the use of the past…
AN24
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Is this a correct usage of "could"?
Sorry if this question is too simple. Someone wrote a sentence in which he used the word "alacrity" and asked whether he used it correctly. A native speaker replied:
I have a feeling many people could not define alacrity.
Does "could not" sound…
Mohammad
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modal: could have passed the exam
In the following sentence, does "could" refer to possibility or ability?
If he had studied harder, he could have passed the exam.
Apollyon
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Can VS May for possibility
We use "might/may" to indicate probability:
Example 1:
This trip might be dangerous
We use "can" for something certain, for an objective possibility:
Example 2:
Who knows, it can go either way
Then what is the difference between the following…
Vsevolod IV
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Would come vs will come
I'm not sure but I think the following sentences are related to the certainty or uncertainty of the fact that he will come or not.Or I think would come indicates some kind of uncertainty than will come.so, If the speaker were certain he would use…
yubraj
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