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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

May well/might well/could well

1) "It could aggravate the situation."/"It might aggravate the situation."
2) "It may aggravate the situation."
3) "It could well aggravate the situation."/"It might well aggravate the situation."
4) "It may well aggravate the situation."

I'd like to know whether "well" in #3 and #4 are used so as to stress very much the degree of the surmise compared with the simple speculation like #1 or #2.
And I'd like to know whether my examples are in ascending order according to the degree of the surmise.

Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

park sang joon I'd like to know whether "well" in #3 and #4 are used so as to stress very much the degree of the surmise compared with the simple speculation like #1 or #2. Yes, that is right. park sang joon And I'd like to know whether my examples are in ascending order according to the degree of the surmise.

— Mister Micawber

  • park sang joon I'd like to know whether "well" in #3 and #4 are used so as to stress very much the degree of the surmise compared with the simple speculation like #1 or #2.
  • Yes, that is right.
  • park sang joon And I'd like to know whether my examples are in ascending order according to the degree of the surmise.
  • As hard as some grammar books and teachers try to assign those modal auxiliaries to a linear hierarchy, they don't really form one.
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2 Answers
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park sang joonI'd like to know whether "well" in #3 and #4 are used so as to stress very much the degree of the surmise compared with the simple speculation like #1 or #2.
Yes, that is right.
park sang joonAnd I'd like to know whether my examples are in ascending order according to the degree of the surmise.
As hard as some
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Thank you, Mr.Micawber, for your very helpful answer and opinion. Emotion: smile
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