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Angel girl1 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Help with modal sentences.
Dear professors,
Could you please correct these sentences?
I'm trying to provide the negative counterpart of the underlined modals.
1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me.
He says hello to me. He can't be angry at me.
2. I must not eat this food because it's spoiled.
I can eat this food because it isn't spoiled.
3. This letter cannot be from John Smith.
This letter must be from John Smith.
4.I should water my house plants. I ought to give them a better care.
I needn't water my house plants. I don't have to give them a better care.
5. May all your dreams come true!
May not all your dreams come true!
6.I needn't read all these grammar books to pass the exam, but I do.
I have to read all these grammar books to pass the exam, but I didn't.
7.John must be trying a lot of letters in his office.
John can't be trying a lot of letters in his office.
8. James must contact the teacher immediately for his evaluation test.
James doesn't have to contact the teacher immediately for his evaluation test.
9.I needn't walk all this way to let him a message, and I don't.
I have to walk all this way to let him a message, and I do.
10. You'd better travel early in the morning, it is too hot today.
You needn't travel early in the morning, it is not too hot today.
Thanks.
Could you please correct these sentences?
I'm trying to provide the negative counterpart of the underlined modals.
1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me.
He says hello to me. He can't be angry at me.
2. I must not eat this food because it's spoiled.
I can eat this food because it isn't spoiled.
3. This letter cannot be from John Smith.
This letter must be from John Smith.
4.I should water my house plants. I ought to give them a better care.
I needn't water my house plants. I don't have to give them a better care.
5. May all your dreams come true!
May not all your dreams come true!
6.I needn't read all these grammar books to pass the exam, but I do.
I have to read all these grammar books to pass the exam, but I didn't.
7.John must be trying a lot of letters in his office.
John can't be trying a lot of letters in his office.
8. James must contact the teacher immediately for his evaluation test.
James doesn't have to contact the teacher immediately for his evaluation test.
9.I needn't walk all this way to let him a message, and I don't.
I have to walk all this way to let him a message, and I do.
10. You'd better travel early in the morning, it is too hot today.
You needn't travel early in the morning, it is not too hot today.
Thanks.
Top answer
Hi, In most of these examples, you can simply add (or remove) 'not'. eg 1. He does not say hello to me.
- Hi, In most of these examples, you can simply add (or remove) 'not'.
- eg 1.
- He does not say hello to me.
- He may be angry at me.
- He says hello to me.
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11 Answers
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Hi,
In most of these examples, you can simply add (or remove) 'not'.
eg
1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me.
He says hello to me. He may not
In most of these examples, you can simply add (or remove) 'not'.
eg
1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me.
He says hello to me. He may not
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CliveIs there some reason that you don't want to do this?Well, I think yes.
For example:" 1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me./He says hello to me. He can't be angry at me."
In the above example I used "can't" as the negative counterpart of "may" because the original sentence shows deduction in the possibility and
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I am not a professor.
The only negation of yours that is wrong is 5; it should be "May all your dreams not come true." There are other errors, though.
I must not eat this food, because it's spoiled.
I ought to give them better care.
John must be [???] a lot of letters in his office. (typing?)
I needn't walk all this way to g
The only negation of yours that is wrong is 5; it should be "May all your dreams not come true." There are other errors, though.
I must not eat this food, because it's spoiled.
I ought to give them better care.
John must be [???] a lot of letters in his office. (typing?)
I needn't walk all this way to g
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7.John must be trying a lot of letters in his office.
John can't be trying a lot of letters in his office.
The modals are OK, but the verb "trying" is wrong.
9.I needn't walk all this way to let him a message, and I don't.
I have to walk all this way to let him a message, and I do.
Same problem with the verb "let".
5. May
John can't be trying a lot of letters in his office.
The modals are OK, but the verb "trying" is wrong.
9.I needn't walk all this way to let him a message, and I don't.
I have to walk all this way to let him a message, and I do.
Same problem with the verb "let".
5. May
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Hi,
I suppose it depends on what you mean by the negative counterpart.
To me, the negative form of
1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me.
is, as I said,
I suppose it depends on what you mean by the negative counterpart.
To me, the negative form of
1. He does not say hello to me. He may be angry at me.
is, as I said,
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Thanks. I understood what you mean.
But "He says hello to me. He can't be angry at me."
Here I deduce/conclude from the fact that he says hello to me, that He can't be angry at me.
Thanks a lot.
Cliveeg He is angry at me. eg I think he is angry at me.Yes in this form it shows possibility.
But "He says hello to me. He can't be angry at me."
Here I deduce/conclude from the fact that he says hello to me, that He can't be angry at me.
Thanks a lot.
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angel girl1He says hello to me. He can't be angry at me.I think there's confusion here because there are two kinds of negation with modals.
It's sometimes confusing whether "a negation" is the negation of the modality or a negation of the residue.
Karen [has to / must] stay.
Negation of the modality: Karen [doesn't have to / n
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CalifJimIt's sometimes confusing whether "a negation" is the negation of the modality or a negation of the residue.I mean the Negation of the modality.
So,
Did i express the negation of modality correctly in my sentences?
Thanks
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angel girl1Did I express the negation of modality correctly in my sentences?For the most part, yes. I've already commented on them above, as have others.
I've already mentioned this.
5. May all your dreams come true!
May none of your dreams come true!
_________
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