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Seagull Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
may well not be at home
Hello there. I have a couple of questions.
Regarding the following three sentences:
(A) Probably, he is not at home right now.
(B) I am pretty sure that he is not at home right now.
(C) He may well not be at home right now.
I think that (A) and (B) are similar in meaning. Then, how about (C)? Can we say (C) to mean about the same as (A) and (B)? Also, does (C) sound natural to native speakers? What would you say to express this idea if you had to use a modal verb?
Regarding the following three sentences:
(A) Probably, he is not at home right now.
(B) I am pretty sure that he is not at home right now.
(C) He may well not be at home right now.
I think that (A) and (B) are similar in meaning. Then, how about (C)? Can we say (C) to mean about the same as (A) and (B)? Also, does (C) sound natural to native speakers? What would you say to express this idea if you had to use a modal verb?
Top answer
All 3 are very similar. #3 is more formal and less common. I'd likely say He's probably not home right now.
- All 3 are very similar.
- #3 is more formal and less common.
- I'd likely say He's probably not home right now.
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6 Answers
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All 3 are very similar.
#3 is more formal and less common.
I'd likely say
He's probably not home right now.
#3 is more formal and less common.
I'd likely say
He's probably not home right now.
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seagullCan we say (C) to mean about the same as (A) and (B)?Sure. (C) (may well) means "it's quite possible that". That's about the same as "probably".
seagulldoes (C) sound natural to native speakers?Not so much with the negative 'not'. The affirmative sounds more natural to me. He [may/might] well be at hom
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I understand.
Thank you so much indeed, CalifJim.
It seems even to me, a nonnative speaker, that "He's probably not at home" is most often heard in a case like this.
I just ran across an English question that requires test-takers to express this idea using a modal verb. I'll answer it, "He may well not be at home right now," but I'll bear it in mind that you don't usually expres
Thank you so much indeed, CalifJim.
It seems even to me, a nonnative speaker, that "He's probably not at home" is most often heard in a case like this.
I just ran across an English question that requires test-takers to express this idea using a modal verb. I'll answer it, "He may well not be at home right now," but I'll bear it in mind that you don't usually expres
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seagullI just ran across an English question that requires test-takers to express this idea using a modal verb. I'll answer it, "He may well not be at home right now,"That's probably the best choice if you must use a modal verb.
Or should I say "That may well be the best choice if you must use a modal verb"?
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Thank you for your answer, CalifJim.
CalifJim Or should I say "That may well be the best choice if you must use a modal verb"? CJYeah. I think we may well be confused when we must solve such a difficult question.
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