Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 23-Jul-2008, 10:33
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Country: China
Posts: 41
Current Location: Jiangxi ; Shanghai
First Language: Chinese
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
henz988 is on a distinguished road
Default modal verbs: must/could/can/will

---- When shall we hold the meeting?
---- It ____ be better to put it off until next week.
A. must
B. could
C. can
D. will
The answer is B

Is choice B the only answer?


Many many thanks in advance

Last edited by henz988; 23-Jul-2008 at 10:56.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 23-Jul-2008, 11:18
Soup's Avatar
Key Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 3,606
Current Location: Shanghai, China
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 28
Thanked 1,296 Times in 1,181 Posts
Soup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud of
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

Choice B. could sounds awkward to me in that context. Other posters might not have a problem with it. Let's await their responses. In the meantime, here are two alternatives:
When shall we hold the meeting?
It might be better to put it off until next week.

When shall we hold the meeting?
It would be better to put it off until next week.


Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 23-Jul-2008, 21:08
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Country: canada
Posts: 1,450
Current Location: canada
First Language: english
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 4
Thanked 305 Times in 291 Posts
2006 is a jewel in the rough2006 is a jewel in the rough2006 is a jewel in the rough2006 is a jewel in the rough
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

Quote:
Originally Posted by henz988 View Post
---- When shall we hold the meeting?
---- It ____ be better to put it off until next week.
A. must
B. could
C. can
D. will
The answer is B

Is choice B the only answer?


Many many thanks in advance
I would choose "will", as I am interpreting the question as calling for a definitive answer. (I don't like any of the other choices.)
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 23-Jul-2008, 23:44
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Country: China
Posts: 41
Current Location: Jiangxi ; Shanghai
First Language: Chinese
Member Type: Student or Learner
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
henz988 is on a distinguished road
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

I'd appreciate it very much if you would explain each choice briefly to me---I just want to know what you may feel when you hear the second sentence with the choices respectively, and thank Soup for having given me an expected response to the first sentence.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 24-Jul-2008, 01:31
Key Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Country: UK
Posts: 3,243
Current Location: UK
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1,163 Times in 1,039 Posts
David L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud of
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

I would choose "will", as I am interpreting the question as calling for a definitive answer. (I don't like any of the other choices.)

The use of 'better' indicates that this is advice or a suggestion, hence, 'will' is incorrect - it must be 'would'.

I'd appreciate it very much if you would explain each choice briefly to me---I just want to know what you may feel when you hear the second sentence with the choices respectively,
It ____ be better to put it off until next week.

If 'must' was used, I would expect the sentence to run, "It must be better than....."
As the two sentences stand, and using 'must' : "It must be better to put it off until next week.", my reaction as the listener is that I've come into a heated debate part way through. There has been some argument about the best time to hold the meeting. Finally, somebody virtually asks, "So, what are we deciding? When shall we hold the meeting?" The next speaker is only partly responding to him, and partly responding to a previous speaker who suggested something like, 'end of this week' - he comes in and says, "But it must be better to put it off till next week (because, like Paul said, most people won't be finished exams until then)."
As you can see, that's reading a hell of a lot into it just to make the word 'must' fit the sentence! Not a good choice.

We can't use 'will' for the reason I gave above - we would use 'would' in that sentence, and 'would' is not a choice.

That leaves 'can' and 'could', with 'could' being used instead of 'can' to :
. to indicate possibility :
• used in making polite requests
• used in making suggestions
• used to indicate annoyance because of something that has not been done
• used to indicate a strong inclination to do something

The sentence "It ...be better to (do this not that)" is making a suggestion, a recommendation, so 'could' is appropriate.

Last edited by David L.; 24-Jul-2008 at 01:57.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 24-Jul-2008, 05:18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Country: canada
Posts: 1,450
Current Location: canada
First Language: english
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 4
Thanked 305 Times in 291 Posts
2006 is a jewel in the rough2006 is a jewel in the rough2006 is a jewel in the rough2006 is a jewel in the rough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by David L. View Post
The use of 'better' indicates that this is advice or a suggestion, hence, 'will' is incorrect - it must be 'would'.

I don't agree that "better" makes it a suggestion. And in any case
"will be better" is a strong statement of fact. (at least in the mind of the second speaker)

Further, the first speaker asks "When shall we hold.....?', not 'When do you think we should hold.....?' So that is why I felt a strong answer is appropriate, and "will" is the only strong choice that fits the sentence.

Again, to my reading of this short conversation "could" is a very weak, actually a quite meaningless, answer.
'It could be better to put it off...' of course carries the equal possiblity that it might not be better.
Any more opinions? Maybe it's a poor test question, especially for lower or middle level students.

Last edited by 2006; 24-Jul-2008 at 05:36. Reason: correct punctuation
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 24-Jul-2008, 12:06
Soup's Avatar
Key Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 3,606
Current Location: Shanghai, China
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 28
Thanked 1,296 Times in 1,181 Posts
Soup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud of
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

  • When shall we hold the meeting?
  • It ____ be better to put it off until next week.
A. must
B. could
C. can
D. will
To me, would works well because (i) the phrase it would be better is a fixed phrase, (ii) its conditional sense, and (iii) the function of the structural subject It:
Conditional
It would be better if we put it off ...

Existential-it
It would be better to put it off until next week.
Putting it off until next week would be better.
Cf. pronominal-it
It will be better when you see a dentist.
Your tooth/Life will be better when you see a dentist.
The key (B. could) is probably a typo and should read B. would.
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 24-Jul-2008, 17:25
Key Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Country: UK
Posts: 3,243
Current Location: UK
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1,163 Times in 1,039 Posts
David L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud ofDavid L. has much to be proud of
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

We didn't write these test questions. We just have to try to use what's there to clarify some of the original poster's confusion. Of all the poor choices, he/she is the one going into the exam and having to pick one!
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 25-Jul-2008, 14:04
Soup's Avatar
Key Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 3,606
Current Location: Shanghai, China
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 28
Thanked 1,296 Times in 1,181 Posts
Soup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud ofSoup has much to be proud of
Default Re: modal verbs: must/could/can/will

Quote:
Originally Posted by henz988 View Post
I'd appreciate it very much if you would explain each choice briefly to me---I just want to know what you may feel when you hear the second sentence with the choices respectively, and thank Soup for having given me an expected response to the first sentence.
Henz988, you're most welcome.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Modal verbs Manas Ranjan Mallick Ask a Teacher 6 14-May-2008 02:47
Modal verbs and Modal auxiliary verbs zoobinshid Ask a Teacher 2 26-Sep-2005 07:59
modal verbs Anonymous Ask a Teacher 1 22-Oct-2003 03:28


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 10:58.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com