Conditional with Modal Verbs

[Casiopea]

1a. If she has time, she could go to the party. (Modal; potential)

1b. If she has time, she can go. (Verb: present; permission)
1c. *If she has time, she could go. (Verb: past; permission) *ungrammatical

2a. *If she has time, she would go to the party. (Modal; past intention)
2b. If she has time, she should go o the party. (Modal; obligation)

3a. If she had time, she might go to the party. (Modal; past)
3b. If she has time, she may go to the party. (Modal; present)

Also, North American English, If she has time, she might go.

[jack]

Thanks.


1c. *If she has time, she could go. (Verb: past; permission) *ungrammatical
1. How do you know if 'could' is not a modal? How do you know if it is in past tense?

1a. If she has time, she could go to the party. (Modal; potential)
2. 'Could' is a modal here? How do you know that? Why isn't it past tense like #1c?
3. Is #1a correct? If so. why? Why is #1c incorrect and #1a is correct?

2a. *If she has time, she would go to the party. (Modal; past intention)
4. Isn't 'would' a modal here? How come it doesn't work? How do you know if it is past tention?
2b. If she has time, she should go o the party. (Modal; obligation)
5. Why is #2a incorrect and #2b is correct?

Are these correct?
6. If she had time, she could go to the party.
7. If she had time, she could go. (Why is this correct and #1c is incorrect?)

[Casiopea]

If 'could' is interpreted as the past tense of 'can', meaning ability, then 1c. is incorrect. But if 'could' is interpreted as the modal 'can', potential or permission, then 1c. is correct.

1c. If she has time, she could go.

has (verb, present); could (modal, present); can (verb, present)

Note, can means ability; informally can means potentially:

a) She can go (verb, present, ability)
b) She can go (verb, present, potential)
c) She could go (verb, past)
d) She could go (modal, potentially)

a) and b) look the same, but they differ in meaning. c) and d) are look the same, but as part of a sentence, say, 1c., only d) is possible:

1c. If she has (present)..., she could (modal, potentially) go.
Cf. *If she has (present)..., she could (verb, ability) go.

The second one is ungrammatical (*) because the verbs do not agree in time. 'has' is present, whereas 'could' meaning, ability, is past. If we assume that 'could' is a modal, then the sentence is fine. Semantics, or meaning is how the speaker knows which 'could' is possible and which 'could' is not possible. For example:

She could. (if past, then it means, ability, and if non-past, it means, potentially)


As for the rest, please study up on modals. You should try to use the sites that we've recommended. Once you've had a chance to review the basics, let us know and we'll start up the discussion again.

[jack]

Thanks.
Are these correct? What do they mean?
1. I would love to help you but I can't. (If this is right, why? It is because this is not a conditional statement?)
2. I would love to help you but I couldn't. (This is right but this is not what I'm am trying to say? How can I repair it?)

3. I will love to help you but I couldn't. (Is this wrong? Is it because 'couldn't' is in past tense here? How come #1 is correct?)
4. I will love to help you but I can't.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

Thanks.
Are these correct? What do they mean?
1. I would love to help you but I can't. (If this is right, why? It is because this is not a conditional statement?)
2. I would love to help you but I couldn't. (This is right but this is not what I'm am trying to say? How can I repair it?)

3. I will love to help you but I couldn't. (Is this wrong? Is it because 'couldn't' is in past tense here? How come #1 is correct?)
4. I will love to help you but I can't.

Well, which ones do you think are correct, and why?

[jack]

Well, which ones do you think are correct, and why?

1. #2 and #4 are correct?

But how come sometimes I hear people say this:
2. I would love to help you but I can't. (Is this incorrect?)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

1. #2 and #4 are correct?

But how come sometimes I hear people say this:
2. I would love to help you but I can't. (Is this incorrect?)

Maybe you should read up on modals one more time. 2. and 4. are incorrect. As for 2. above, it's correct.

[jack]

Thanks.

1. I would love to help you but I couldn't. (So 'would' is a suggestion right here for the future? So I have to use 'can't' and not 'couldn't'?

2. I will love to help you but I couldn't. (Why is this one wrong?)
3. I will love to help you but I can't. (Why is this one wrong?)

Are these correct?
4. I would love to help you.

5. I would love to help you but I can't. (correct)
6. I would love to help you if you needed help.
7. I would love to help you if you need help. (Is this wrong? If so, why? How come #5 is correct? )

What do these mean?
8. I will love to help you.
9. I would love to help you.

Are these correct? What do they mean?
10. We wouldn't be surprised if soon we see this.
11. We won't be surprised if soon we see this.

Thanks in advance.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

Thanks.

1. I would love to help you but I couldn't. (So 'would' is a suggestion right here for the future? So I have to use 'can't' and not 'couldn't'?

Your explanation is correct. Try,

1a. I would love to help you if I could, but I can't.

2. and 3. are incorrect because 'will' expresses the intention that you will definitely help.

4. is correct.

6. is incorrect for the same reason as 1.
7. is correct.
8. is incorrect for the same reason as 2. and 3.
9. is correct.

Both 10. and 11. are incorrect. The clause 'if soon we see this' doesn't make sense.

You're welcome.

[jack]

Thanks.

Both 10. and 11. are incorrect. The clause 'if soon we see this' doesn't make sense.

http://www.digital-daily.com/video/g...adeon_9550_pe/

Are these correct? What do they mean?
1. We wouldn't be surprised if soon we see boards on the base of the ATI Radeon 9550 chip with the memory bus width cut down to 64 bit in the price lists of computer companies.
2. We wouldn't be surprised if soon we saw boards on the base of the ATI Radeon 9550 chip with the memory bus width cut down to 64 bit in the price lists of computer companies.

3. We won't be surprised if soon we see boards on the base of the ATI Radeon 9550 chip with the memory bus width cut down to 64 bit in the price lists of computer companies.
4. We won't be surprised if soon we saw boards on the base of the ATI Radeon 9550 chip with the memory bus width cut down to 64 bit in the price lists of computer companies.