[Grammar] "Though the market may be falling"

[David L.]

So. I wake up and look out the window and say, "It is raining."
'is raining' tells the listener that, as I speak, rain is coming down. It implies that the rain started to come down before I spoke, whether 5 minutes ago, or all night; and that the rain will continue for some unknown period, whether minutes, or all day.
Hence, if I say "The market is falling", I am asserting the fact that share prices started to fall before I spoke, and will continue to fall.
What say I am not so certain? Are lower share prices just the normal day to day fluctuation, and tomorrow they will rise?
If 'is falling' says, definitely, in my opinion, share prices will continue to go down, then I express the possibility that share prices are falling and will continue to fall with the construction 'may be falling'.

Note that 'is' is one inflection of the verb 'to be'. Just like I say "He is" but not "I is", I can't write 'may is falling' - I use the infinite 'be'.

[hsb]

Hi David L.,

Thank you very much for replying.It is of grate help to me.Could you please tell me if the following sentences are right?

"Though the market may be falling, you can still make money with a good stock" (present)

""Though the market may have been falling, you could have still made money with a good stock" (past)

Please help me.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by hsb

"Though the market may be falling, you can still make money with a good stock" (present)

""Though the market may have been falling, you could have still made money with a good stock" (past)

Those are good sentences. (I might have more time to comment later.)

[David L.]

"Though the market may be falling, you can still make money with a good stock" (present)

""Though the market may have been falling, you could have still made money with a good stock" (past)


WOW! Top of the class.

My one suggestion would be: with the verb form 'may have been falling", I would change the position of the adverb, from
'you could have still made money'
to
'you could still have made money' - (the voice would put stress on 'still')

'may have been falling' : these things happen. So what. So, what if the market is falling. that shouldn't deter you. 'you could' = introduces the idea that something is possible. Then, by using the adverb 'still' next, we are saying, 'it is not too late, it really is still possible' - then the rest tells us what is still possible: 'have made money with good stock.'
Understand, though, that as long as you put the stress on 'still', a native speaker might say either.

[hsb]

Hi David L.,

Thank you very much for replying.I am grateful to you.