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Inchoateknowledge Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
'might' to express annoyance
He might have offered to pay.
Does the sentence suggest annoyance because he did not offer to pay?
Does the sentence suggest annoyance because he did not offer to pay?
Top answer
Yes it does. It shows that you think he should have offered to pay, but failed to.
- Yes it does.
- It shows that you think he should have offered to pay, but failed to.
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5 Answers
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Yes it does. It shows that you think he should have offered to pay, but failed to.
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Hi guys,
In the right context and with the right tone of voice, I agree that this sentence suggests annoyance.
But in other circumstances, it does not.
I took Tom out to lunch today, because it is his birthday. I didn't tell him that I got fired yesterday. He might have offered to pay.
Best wishes, Clive
In the right context and with the right tone of voice, I agree that this sentence suggests annoyance.
But in other circumstances, it does not.
I took Tom out to lunch today, because it is his birthday. I didn't tell him that I got fired yesterday. He might have offered to pay.
Best wishes, Clive
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And then there's
-- Susan finds The Elegant Fisherman a completely overpriced restaurant. She never goes there.
-- That's news to me. I saw her there with Tom last week.
-- He might have offered to pay.
CJ
-- Susan finds The Elegant Fisherman a completely overpriced restaurant. She never goes there.
-- That's news to me. I saw her there with Tom last week.
-- He might have offered to pay.
CJ
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In the first example (mild annoyance), he might have offered = he should have offered.*
In Clive's example, he might have offered = it is possible that he would have offered.
In my example, he might have offered = it is possible that he did offer.
Oh, the joys of modal verbs!
CJ
*The first example is one of a general category of mo
In Clive's example, he might have offered = it is possible that he would have offered.
In my example, he might have offered = it is possible that he did offer.
Oh, the joys of modal verbs!
CJ
*The first example is one of a general category of mo
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