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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Dear all,
I would like to ask a question on modal verbs. I would like to know what "cannot" means (as regards its modality, not the translation) in this paragraph: "Placing a long distance call: Students who live on campus cannot dial direct long distance from their room phones. To make a long distance call you must do one of the following: (...)" Does it mean that "it is impossible for the students to dial direct long distance" or that "they are not allowed to"? For me, the second option is better. However, as it says "they cannot dial...", it may imply that it is not possible.
Thank you very much,
Marcela.
I would like to ask a question on modal verbs. I would like to know what "cannot" means (as regards its modality, not the translation) in this paragraph: "Placing a long distance call: Students who live on campus cannot dial direct long distance from their room phones. To make a long distance call you must do one of the following: (...)" Does it mean that "it is impossible for the students to dial direct long distance" or that "they are not allowed to"? For me, the second option is better. However, as it says "they cannot dial...", it may imply that it is not possible.
Thank you very much,
Marcela.
Top answer
Under normal circumstance, they are not able to dial direct long distance from their room phones. In order to make it; they must do one of the following; ... So without doing those following things, It's impossible to dial direct long distance.
- Under normal circumstance, they are not able to dial direct long distance from their room phones.
- In order to make it; they must do one of the following; ...
- So without doing those following things, It's impossible to dial direct long distance.
- But in general It does not seem to be impossible.
- So I'm a bit confused here.
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1 Answers
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Under normal circumstance, they are not able to dial direct long distance from their room phones. In order to make it; they must do one of the following; ...
So without doing those following things, It's impossible to dial direct long distance. But in general It does not seem to be impossible. So I'm a bit confused here. Second option sounds better to me also.
So without doing those following things, It's impossible to dial direct long distance. But in general It does not seem to be impossible. So I'm a bit confused here. Second option sounds better to me also.
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