Would

Question

I wouldn't that you could come to me now.I didn't will that you could come to me now.The sentences above made me confused: which one is correct?Would you teachers help me please?Thank you in advance.

Ahelaumakani · Accepted Answer

Hmmm....neither of those sentences makes sense. Can you maybe explain what you're trying to say?

I wouldn't want you to come to me now.
I didn't ask if you could come to me now.

For example, both of these make grammatical sense but they mean different things. So try to clarify the meaning of your sentences and I will see if I can help.

CalifJim · Answer

norwolfThe sentences above made me confused: which one is correct?

They made me confused too. Where did you get them?

CJ

Norwolf · Answer

I just wonder if "would" is an auxiliary.<img src="http://www.EnglishForward.com/emoticons/emotion-10.gif"/>

CalifJim · Answer

norwolfI just wonder if "would" is an auxiliary.

Yes. It's a modal verb. That is, it is one of several verbs called "modals".

will, would, can, could, shall, should, may, might, and must are the modals.

They are always followed by the bare infinitive form of a verb.

will do, would know, can see, could find, ...

Thus, they can be followed by the bare infinitive have.

should have, would have, may have, ...

If followed by have, the next verb form can be a past participle.

should have done, must have seen, will have been, might have thrown, ...

CJ

Norwolf · Answer

Dear Califjim, thank you very much.
But I still have another question:
In "I would that you could come to me now", if "would" is a modal verb, grammatically, there is a main verb there. I know "that you could come to me now" is object clause and not main verb.
My question is what is the main verb in the sentence.

CalifJim · Answer

norwolf"I would that you could come to me now"

This sentence is not idiomatic in modern English. Where did you find this sentence? Was it in a text that was written hundreds of years ago?

In the English of centuries ago, would was used as a main verb, not just as a modal. This old way of speaking is translated into modern English like this:

I wish that you could come to me now.

So the main verb of that sentence is would, but nobody speaks that way these days.

CJ

Norwolf · Answer

I am grateful to you so much, CalifJim.
I took it from BNC:

Date	(1985-1994)
Title	Lady's maid. Forster, Margaret. London: Chatto & Windus Ltd, 1990, pp. ??. 1725 s-units.

Expanded context:
so much to bear. I weep to hear of this latest affliction and so unexpected with him in the prime of his life and never an illness and being a big strong man. I do not rightly understand how the medical men could not save him after the accident since you say the cut seemed small and did not appear to trouble him but I have heard that for the blood to be poisoned it takes only a pin-***** and that a cut where there is manure about can have this effect if not noticed. Ellen, I would that you could come to me now that you are alone and would ask you to consider it seriously. What is there to keep you in that sorry place? It is not your real home, you have no family together. We are only two of us now and we ought to be closer. Think, Ellen, what Mother would have advised. Why not, dear, sell the house and come with Oreste to us? It was the perfect solution. Eagerly, Wilson waited for an answer, quite convinced of

CalifJim · Answer

Lady's Maid is a historical novel, so the author imitates the way people used to speak long ago. In this case, the novel takes place during the time of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who was born more than 200 years ago. Much of the passage you quoted contains very old-fashioned ways of speaking and writing, such as I weep to hear ... and We are only two of us.It may be interesting reading for you, but I don't advise using it as a model of how to have an ordinary conversation in today's world!!!

CJ

Norwolf · Answer

get it. Thank you again.

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