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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Need some help

Hi,

I have a couple of doubts:

1) All he has to do is wait and then the problem will subside of its own accord, although it may also lead to further complications.

If we translate this into past tense: All he had to do was wait and then the problem would subside of its own accord, although it might also lead to further complications.

Is the above correct? Or, must I treat 'would' and 'might' as auxiliary verbs instead of past tense forms of will/may?

2) It is likely that X could become president.
Again in past tense: it was likely that X could have become president.
In this sentence, I am assuming could is auxiliary because the word 'likely' expresses a possibility. So in past tense, it becomes 'could have.' Am I right?

Thank you.
  

Top answer

Anonymous 1) All he has to do is wait and then the problem will subside of its own accord, although it may also lead to further complications. If this is a conditional, which is the way I read it, then restatement in the past would be: All he had to do was wait and then the problem would have subsided of its own accord, although it may have also led to further complications. If is is not a conditional, that is a factual statement in the past, then write: All he had to do was wait, and the problem subsided of its own accord, although it may have led to further complications.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Anonymous 1) All he has to do is wait and then the problem will subside of its own accord, although it may also lead to further complications.
  • If this is a conditional, which is the way I read it, then restatement in the past would be: All he had to do was wait and then the problem would have subsided of its own accord, although it may have also led to further complications.
  • If is is not a conditional, that is a factual statement in the past, then write: All he had to do was wait, and the problem subsided of its own accord, although it may have led to further complications.
  • #2 - I agree with you!
  • Regards.
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2 Answers
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Anonymous1) All he has to do is wait and then the problem will subside of its own accord, although it may also lead to further complications.
If this is a conditional, which is the way I read it, then restatement in the past would be:

All he had to do was wait and then the problem would have subsided of its own accord, although it may have also led to
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Thanks.
AlpheccaStarsIf this is a conditional, which is the way I read it, then restatement in the past would be:
All he had to do was wait and then the problem would have subsided of its own accord, although it may have also led to further complications.
Shouldn't it be 'might have' if it is past tense?
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