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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
modal 'could': suggestion or conditional
Hi,
I am not sure whether it is a conditional pattern or a suggestion. Could it be both? Is there such a term as "conditional as of can" in reference to the function of the modal "could"?
What is this, conditional or a suggestion or both?
1. You could have gone to Japan this past summer.
2. You could spend your time in Japan this past summer.
On a second thought, how could it possibly be a suggestion if the first one is in the past-time frame as seems to be indicated by the use of "could have + participle"?
I am not sure whether it is a conditional pattern or a suggestion. Could it be both? Is there such a term as "conditional as of can" in reference to the function of the modal "could"?
What is this, conditional or a suggestion or both?
1. You could have gone to Japan this past summer.
2. You could spend your time in Japan this past summer.
On a second thought, how could it possibly be a suggestion if the first one is in the past-time frame as seems to be indicated by the use of "could have + participle"?
Top answer
The conditional is indeed often used in many languages to translate could. Without context, which is often required to make an English sentence exact, the first sentence could be a complaint about something that didn't happen. In other words, someone didn't go to Japan even though the speaker thinks it would have been a good idea to have gone there.
- The conditional is indeed often used in many languages to translate could.
- Without context, which is often required to make an English sentence exact, the first sentence could be a complaint about something that didn't happen.
- In other words, someone didn't go to Japan even though the speaker thinks it would have been a good idea to have gone there.
- Sentence 2 is bad English.
- You spent your/some/a lot of time in Japan this past summer is better.
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2 Answers
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The conditional is indeed often used in many languages to translate could. Without context, which is often required to make an English sentence exact, the first sentence could be a complaint about something that didn't happen. In other words, someone didn't go to Japan even though the speaker thinks it would have been a good idea to have gone there.
Sentence 2 is bad English. You s
Sentence 2 is bad English. You s
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AnonymousHi,
I am not sure whether it is a conditional pattern or a suggestion. Could it be both? Is there such a term as "conditional as of can" in reference to the function of the modal "could"?
What is this, conditional or a suggestion or both?
1. You could have gone to Japan this past summer.
2. You could spend your time in Japan this pas
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