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Taka Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Can

Do these mean the same?

It's possible that he is pretending not to know the truth.
He can be pretending not to know the truth.
  

Top answer

Yes, or 'could', I think, is more common.

— Mister Micawber

  • Yes, or 'could', I think, is more common.
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12 Answers
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Yes, or 'could', I think, is more common.
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Good. Related question.

Do these mean (almost) the same?

I strongly believe that he knows it.
He must know it.
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Yes, that's right.

I presume that you recognize the difference in meaning of 'must' between
He must know it.
and
He must learn it.
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Yes, I was thinking about that kind of difference.

But in certain context, 'He must know it' could mean 'He is required to know it', couldn't it?
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Yes, of course, but that is not what we are speaking of, is it?
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Mister MicawberYes, of course, but that is not what we are speaking of, is it?
Right. Just a little off the track, out of interest.

Do you think it's safe to say that 'must know' could be interpreted either way, but 'must learn' only means one thing: 'required to learn'?
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I think that each verb (in general) has its own likelihood of being interpreted this way or that in ambiguous situations.
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I see. So 'must' of 'must learn' could not only mean a requirement; it could also mean a strong possibility, in certain context?at the moment, I cannot come up with such context, though.

Thanks, MM!
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Taka So 'must' of 'must learn' could not only mean a requirement; it could also mean a strong possibility, in certain context
I'm not saying that—and I'm not searching for an example. Maybe that likelihood is 0.
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Emotion: surpriseYou were not? So your 'likelihood of being interpreted this way or that' didn't refer to the interpretation of 'must' of 'must le
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