Think

Question

Hi, teachersNice to see you. Here goes a question from a test paper by Chinese:.—I’ve got to go now.—Must you ?I ______you could stay for dinner with us.A. think B. thoughtC. have thought D. am thinkingThe given answer is B.I actually know that. The second speaker expressed the disappointment.My question is :how about A or D?Personally, A, which is present simple, means the second speaker never changes his or her mind, and that "you are allowed to stay but maybe you won't".D, presnet progressive, is a polite way to mean the same thing as A, but it suggests limited duration, with a message that "your decision may change my mind soon".Am I right?Would you kindly help me?Thank you in advance.

Norwolf · Accepted Answer

Hi, teachers

Nice to see you.

Here goes a question from a test paper by Chinese:
.—I’ve got to go now.
—Must you ?I ______you could stay for dinner with us.
A. think B. thought
C. have thought D. am thinking

The given answer is B.
I actually know that. The second speaker expressed the disappointment.

My question is :how about A or D?
Personally, A, which is present simple, means the second speaker never changes his or her mind, and that "you are allowed to stay but maybe you won't".
D, presnet progressive, is a polite way to mean the same thing as A, but it suggests limited duration, with a message that "your decision may change my mind soon".

Am I right?

If we added a conj to it, would it work?-----Must you? BUT I think you COULD stay.....

Would you kindly help me?
Thank you in advance.

Cool Breeze · Answer

Thought seems the only good choice to me. Think is grammatically possible but renders the speaker's words a little impolite and gives the impression that the speaker knows better than the person he is talking to what should be done in the situation. I thought you could stay for dinner with us implies that the speaker was under the impression that "you" could stay for dinner, which is the intended meaning.

The progressive I am thinking is wrong here as it doesn't convey an opinion. The progressive tense isn't used when an opinion is in question: I think it's good. (Not: I am thinking it's good.) You can of course say: I am thinking about him at this very moment. (= He is in my thoughts.)

CB

Avangi · Answer

I think the point may be that the present and present progressive (think; am thinking) would require the present "can," instead of "could."
However, "could" is often used as in A. and D. by native speakers, probably indicating possibility.

I should think you could find a way to help me.
I think you could do it if you tried.

CalifJim · Answer

I think (more often I should think) you could stay ... (if you were a true friend -- which it seems you are not) shows that the speaker is somewhat offended. Nothing in the context suggests that this would be an appropriate response.

I am thinking you could stay ... shows that the speaker is looking for a solution to a problem, and that your staying might be the solutiion that will work. Nothing in the context suggests that this would be an appropriate response.

CJ

Goodman · Answer

Hi Norwolf,

Idiomatically and logically, when we presumed about something , subliminally, we have started to believe that something will happen in the way we expected. i.e. When my wife's parents showed up last week, I was completely unprepared because I thought they were coming next week. So I thought is the correct answer to your question.

Grammatically, each one of the given choices is not wrong, However, if one chooses to use any one of the options other than "d", the sound of the statement could be taken negatively differnt.

—Must you ? I _am thinking _you could stay for dinner with us. This choice has a suggestively imposing tone to it. Why? because if you thought (before you have learned that your guest must go) he was staying for dinner, now you know that he couldn't stay, your presumption was corrected by your saying "oh I thought you could stay". BUt with the present progressive, "I am thinking you could stay for dinner"; for the sheer suggestive tone and, you are still firmly insisting that your guest stay. Did I make sense to you?

Avangi · Answer

norwolf I ______you could stay for dinner with us.
A. think
B. thought
C. have thought

D. am thinking
Cool Breeze The progressive I am thinking is wrong here as it doesn't convey an opinion. The progressive tense isn't used when an opinion is in question:
Hi CB. Did two threads get combined? Your post was hours ahead of mine, but it was nowhere in sight when I posted.
Re "I'm thinking X," this is quite popular in the US as a casual usage. Seems like it came on the scene fairly recently, but the way time flies, who knows.
I'm thinking she's going to be home when I get there.
I'm thinking she's going to be mad.
I'm thinking we should take the day off and go to the beach.

"I am thinking you could stay for dinner with us."
I'm not sure what you mean when you say this doesn't convey an opinion.
Also, it seems like your two captioned statements above are in conflict. Could you straighten me out?

Best rgdz, - A.

Norwolf · Answer

Hi, teachers.

I am so moved.

Thanks for all your conments for this topic. I have learnt so much from all of you.

I am thinking about this:

A beauty said to a wolf: " Must you? I thought you could stay......"

A wolf said to a beauty:"Must you? I think you could stay......."

Is that possible?

Avangi · Answer

norwolf A beauty said to a wolf: " Must you? I thought you could stay.."
A wolf said to a beauty:"Must you? I think you could stay.." I think it's possible.

When we switch to the past (thought) we can no longer use "can." We must use "could."
However, in the present, we can use either "can" or "could." The trick is that "could" can have a different meaning, perhaps involving an "if clause."

"I think you could stay if your wife doesn't mind." There's also, "I think you could stay if your wife didn't mind. However, etc."

But there's also, "I think you can stay, if your wife doesn't mind."

I think they're all possible, with different shades of meanings, in different contexts.

Norwolf · Answer

Thank you so much, Avangi.

Cool Breeze · Answer

AvangiRe "I'm thinking X," this is quite popular in the US as a casual usage. Seems like it came on the scene fairly recently, but the way time flies, who knows.
I'm thinking she's going to be home when I get there.
I'm thinking she's going to be mad.
I'm thinking we should take the day off and go to the beach.

"I am thinking you could stay for dinner with us."
I'm not sure what you mean when you say this doesn't convey an opinion.
Also, it seems like your two captioned statements above are in conflict. Could you straighten me out?

Hi Avangi

I'm sorry I haven't replied earlier. For some mysterious reason I never received an e-mail from any of the replies to this thread! I was under the impression that the notification system had been fixed. Apparently there are still some anomalies.

I believe what you say about the use of think in American English and stand corrected. Maybe what I had learned decades ago led me astray. Also, since a different verb is used in Finnish and Swedish for the meanings of think, this may occasionally subconsciously influence my thoughts and make me say things that are no longer true. Perhaps they never were!

CB

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