"Is it possible that I can lift this box?"
An ESL book that I'm going through has the following phrase: "Is it possible that I can..."
And the sample sentences it gives for this phrase are as follows:
"Is it possible that I can lift this box?"
"Is it possible that I can cut this wood?"
"Is it possible that I can go up on the roof?"
These don't sound right to me, but they also seem grammatically sound, so I'm assuming that it's just unnatural speech that's throwing me off here. When describing or speaking about a person's abilities in this context, I want to replace "that I can" with "to".
Example: "Is it possible TO lift... TO cut... TO go up..."
Will someone confirm that the book's use of the first expression is technically correct, and/or is there some rule(s) regarding how the verbal phrases are being used in the contexts of the above sentences? Thanks in advance.
Top answer
These don't sound right to me, but they also seem grammatically sound Yes, they are, so I'm assuming that it's just unnatural speech that's throwing me off here. Yes When describing or speaking about a person's abilities in this context, I want to replace "that I can" with "to" . eg Is it possible to lift this box?
- These don't sound right to me, but they also seem grammatically sound Yes, they are, so I'm assuming that it's just unnatural speech that's throwing me off here.
- Yes When describing or speaking about a person's abilities in this context, I want to replace "that I can" with "to" .
- eg Is it possible to lift this box?
- This is fine, but if you want to focus on your own ability, say eg Is it possible for me to lift this box?
- However, more natural is eg Can I lift this box?
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These don't sound right to me, but they also seem grammatically sound Yes, they are,
so I'm assuming that it's just unnatural speech that's throwing me off here. Yes
When describing or speaking about a person's abilities in this context, I want to replace "that I can" with "to".
eg Is it possible to lift this box? This is fine, but if you
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