Using DID instead of WOULD/SHOULD/COULD ?

Question

I have asked this question on many places but every time I get the answer stating the basic usage of ‘did, could, should and would’. However, that’s not what I need. I already know all that. I hope people here can help me out.

So, the question is :- While reading historical novels many a time I stumbled upon sentences where DID is used in places where we normally might use COULD/WOULD/SHOULD.
Few examples of such sentences are :-

1. How did (should/could) he tell her this ?

(This second is the main sentence that had we squirming in my seat) 2. She prayed they didn’t (wouldn’t) come around the corner and see her.

Now, if you can help explain to me what is the grammar pattern here. How DID fits in these above lines, I’ll really appreciate it a lot. Can you provide examples of your own ??

Oh, and is this right to say :- He might have saved her from one devil, but he could as like as not be another. (Or should it be – ‘he could as like as be another’)

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousWhile reading historical novels many a time I stumbled upon sentences where DID is used in places where we normally might use COULD/WOULD/SHOULD.

This is not surprising. You will occasionally run into this usage, and a historical novel is probably the most likely place to find it. This substitution is not so common in modern English.

Anonymous... had me squirming in my seat ... She prayed they didn’t (wouldn’t) come around the corner and see her.

Exactly. A substitution of 'did' for 'would'. There's nothing more complicated about it. There is no "grammar pattern" to explain here. Verbs like "pray" are more likely to be used in this pattern.

As she came in the door I hoped she didn't notice the damaged chandelier.
(wouldn't more usual in modern English)
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Anonymousis this right to say :- He might have saved her from one devil, but he could as like as not be another. (Or should it be – ‘he could as like as be another’)

It's right, and your rewrite is wrong. The parsing is thus: He could [ as like(ly) as not (like(ly)) ] be another ( devil ).

... from one devil, but he could be another ( devil ). (It would be just as likely as not likely for him to be another devil. In other words it was a 50-50 chance -- 50% probability that he was another devil; 50% probability that he was not another devil.

The expression is "as like as not", or, more often in modern English "as likely as not".

The man looks suspicious. He seems as likely as not to be a criminal.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

You see for sentence #1, you'd use could becuase it deals with the past. In sentence #2 you'd use wouldn't because it has to do with something someone would not do. In terms of historical writing, there tends to be different word usage than in modern day English.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi C.J,
I understood almost everything you wrote , but the last question with 'Like' in it. Could you plz tell me if 'as like as not' and 'like as not' mean the same thing ? If yes, can we use them indiscriminately in similar sentences ?

Also, plz check the below line one more time :-

He might have saved her from one devil, but he could as like be another.

Thanks Alot for your precious time and insight !

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI understood almost everything you wrote , but the last question with 'Like' in it. Could you plz tell me if 'as like as not' and 'like as not' mean the same thing ?

They do. You can omit the first "as".

AnonymousIf yes, can we use them indiscriminately in similar sentences ?

We should never use any words indiscriminately!

You'll have to give examples of similar sentences. I don't know how similar you mean without examples.

Anonymouscheck the below line one more time :-He might have saved her from one devil, but he could as like be another.

It doesn't say the same thing as the original, which has "as not".
It's all right for an older style of English, but it doesn't seem natural for modern English.

To express this idea, a native speaker would probably say
..., but he could just as [well / likely / easily] be another.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, i'm very interested in Old Style of English.
Thanks ALOT for the reply. I had asked a few places the same questions, but their answers were never more clear to me !!

There are few more questions on the line. Am i suppose to make new threads for them, or is it alright if i ask here ?
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And Anonymous, if you're still reading this Thanks to you too for your attempt at helping me.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousa few more questions

Yes. Start new threads. Don't append more here. Thanks.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

You're right. Have a good life.

Using DID instead of WOULD/SHOULD/COULD ?

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