Sentence inquiry

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Is this sentence correct?May the new year bring you all happiness, joy and blessings.Also, does 'bring you all' mean the same as 'all of you'?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

AnonymousIs this sentence correct?

Yes.

AnonymousAlso, does 'bring you all' mean the same as 'all of you'?

Yes.

CalifJim · Answer

AlpheccaStarsAnonymousAlso, does 'bring you all' mean the same as 'all of you'?Yes.

I was asked the same question by the same OP, and, being a stickler for detail, I said no.

If 'bring you all' means 'all of you', then the following two sentences mean the same thing.

I'll bring you all some cookies.
I'll all of you some cookies.

I suppose this is going to give rise to one of those exchanges that we sometimes have here when someone posts the same question twice. "Well, so-and-so said X and you said Y, so either you or so-and-so made a mistake. I demand an explanation".

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AlpheccaStarsAnonymousAlso, does 'bring you all' mean the same as 'all of you'?Yes.I was asked the same question by the same OP, and, being a stickler for detail, I said no.If 'bring you all' means 'all of you', then the following two sentences mean the same thing.I'll bring you all some cookies.I'll all of you some cookies.I suppose this is going to give rise to one of those exchanges that we sometimes have here when someone posts the same question twice. "Well, so-and-so said X and you said Y, so either you or so-and-so made a mistake. I demand an explanation".CJ

Hi CJ, I had originally posted this question, but no one responded so I asked you for help.

Joe

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousHi CJ, I had originally posted this question, but no one responded so I asked you for help.

OK. I assume you had no way of deleting this question after I answered it on the other thread.

Sometimes you have to wait a while for an answer, especially on New Year's Eve. Everybody is partying!

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousHi CJ, I had originally posted this question, but no one responded so I asked you for help.OK. I assume you had no way of deleting this question after I answered it on the other thread.Sometimes you have to wait a while for an answer, especially on New Year's Eve. Everybody is partying!CJ

True!

I thought I would take the opportunity and ask you since we were talking about the same topic. Plus, I like your teaching style.

I hope you had a wonderful party!

P.S. Is 'I thought I would take the opportunity' correct and in the past tense (specifically, the word 'take' after would)?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous Is 'I thought I would take the opportunity' correct

Yes, but 'took', not 'would take', is the past tense of 'take'.

Any modal verb with the plain verb can simply be called a "modal tense". (can take, may take, should take, would take, must take, etc.)

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim Anonymous Is 'I thought I would take the opportunity' correctYes, but 'took', not 'would take', is the past tense of 'take'.Any modal verb with the plain verb can simply be called a "modal tense". (can take, may take, should take, would take, must take, etc.)CJ

Thanks. Yes, 'took' is the past of 'take', but it would not work in that sentence. I am really not sure about all the grammar terms including the ones you mentioned above.

Unfortunately, I just go with what sounds right. I quickly read about them. Does the modal tense mean that it works as a present or past tense depending on the sentence it is used in, such as our example above?

Also, the entire sentence is in the past, which includes 'would take' in it, right?

CalifJim · Answer

"I thought I would take the opportunity and ask you since we were talking about the same topic."

AnonymousDoes the modal tense mean that it works as a present or past tense depending on the sentence it is used in, such as our example above?

In general, yes.

AnonymousAlso, the entire sentence is in the past, which includes 'would take' in it, right?

Right. More accurately, the sentence has a past point of view. This may include the past tense, the past perfect tense, and modal constructions with 'would', 'could', or 'might'.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimIn general, yes.

Thanks, great.

CalifJimRight. More accurately, the sentence has a past point of view. This may include the past tense, the past perfect tense, and modal constructions with 'would', 'could', or 'might'.

I see, so a sentence with a past point of view or talking about the past is determined by these three factors, past tense, past perfect, and the modal constructions with would, could, or might, right?

The other modal constructions with can, may, should, or must are used in present point of view (maybe 'should and must' can be used in past as well). Am I right?

I Have one more question regarding the past perfect. When would it be appropriate to use it. I think the only appropriate time is when talking about a past event that is prior to another past event in which the order of events are not clear, but if the order is clear the past can be used instead of the past perfect. Right?

Here are examples that I would like you to tell me which of them are correct:

I had posted this question before I asked for your help. (I think this is correct)
I had posted this question before asking for your help. (Also correct)
I posted this question before asking for your help. (Also correct)
I posted this question before I asked for your help. (Not sure if the order of events is clear, but may be correct)

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous1. I see, so a sentence with a past point of view or talking about the past is determined by these three factors, past tense, past perfect, and the modal constructions with would, could, or might, right?
2. The other modal constructions with can, may, should, or must are used in present point of view (maybe 'should and must' can be used in past as well). Am I right?

1. Mostly right, but it isn't quite accurate to say "determined by these three factors". That is too exact. It's just that in general, often, most of the time, sentences with a past point of view contain these tenses and/or modal verbs. Sometimes these modals are borrowed into a sentence that's in a present point of view. ('might', for example, is more often used in the present point of view. Maybe I should have listed it there instead.) And modals other than the three I listed may, on a rare occasion, be used in a sentence that's in a past point of view. 'should' and 'must' are only rarely borrowed from the present into the past.

2. Yes. The present point of view is associated with the present tense, the present perfect tense, and the modals 'will', 'can', 'should', 'may', 'might', and 'must'. Though it is almost never used, 'shall' belongs here as well, and 'would' and 'could' can be borrowed from the past point of view to use in the present point of view.

Since there is so much borrowing of modals from one point of view to another, it's not a good idea to rely on them exclusively as signals of the time frame of a sentence. This is not precise and mathematical. You mostly have to go by meaning.

CJ

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