Modal verbs

Hello! I have some questions on modal verbs. Firstly I'd like to know whether these sentence contain any mistake connected with modal verbs.

The job interview was a disaster; I could only answer half the questions.
I heard your sales results were excellent. May you get a bonus this year?
I could leave work early yesterday - my boss gave me permission.

Do you know if we must / have to have visas for the Caribbean?

Which is the best alternative?

Thank you in advance!

[svartnik]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hello! I have some questions on modal verbs. Firstly I'd like to know whether these sentence contain any mistake connected with modal verbs.

The job interview was a disaster; I could was able to only answer only half the questions.
I heard your sales results were excellent. MayWill you get a bonus this year?
I could was able to leave work early yesterday - my boss gave me permission.

Do you know if we must / have to have visas for the Caribbean?

Which is the best alternative?

Thank you in advance!

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by unregistered

hello! I have some questions on modal verbs. Firstly i'd like to know whether these sentence contain any mistake connected with modal verbs.

The job interview was a disaster; i could only answer half the questions.
this is ok

do you know if we must / have to have visas for the caribbean?

Which is the best alternative?
you can use either.

thank you in advance!

r.

[David L.]

The job interview was a disaster; I could only answer half the questions.
There is a difference between the 'rules' in grammar texts, and colloquial usage.
Had you phrased it:
The job interview was a disaster. I couldn't answer half the questions.
- the grammarians would be giving you the thumbs up.
The 'rule' is: 'could' should not be used with a single instance of an event/actuality in the past.

[COLOR="Red"]I heard your sales results were excellent. May you get a bonus this year?
I need to think about that one, in terms of a possible phrasing using 'might'. I know that 'may' cannot be used. Perhaps something along the lines, "Will you be getting a bonus this year?"

I could leave work early yesterday - my boss gave me permission.

This is really debatable! - and it intrigued me. I've sent off an email about it to an authoritative linguist in Australia about that one!! He's really hot when it comes to having a deeper understanding of modals.

Do you know if we must / have to have visas for the Caribbean?
Do you know if we have to have visas for the Caribbean?
This is the correct and only correct form for this sentence.

[engee30]

Originally Posted by David L.

I could leave work early yesterday - my boss gave me permission.

The only possible interpretation of this sentence, with the following sentence mentioning permission, is as follows:
I was allowed to leave work early.

No doubt, there'd be some more to think of and talk about without that sentence following.

[svartnik]

The job interview was a disaster; i could only answer half the questions.

You use either COULD or WAS/WERE ABLE TO to describe a general ability in the past. However, you must use WAS/WERE ABLE TO to describe a special achievement or a single event in the past.

[chris556]

I'm a native English speaker, and "I could only answer half the questions" is perfectly acceptable, AND grammatical.

[svartnik]

Originally Posted by chris556

I'm a native English speaker, and "I could only answer half the questions" is perfectly acceptable, AND grammatical.

ENGLISH PAGE - Could

could
past ability
I could run ten miles in my twenties.

I could speak Chinese when I was a kid.

"Could" cannot be used in positive sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability.

Yesterday, I could lift the couch by myself. Not Correct

[svartnik]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Do you know if we must / have to have visas for the Caribbean?

Both are okay.
"You must have a permit to enter the national park." -- necessity

[engee30]

Originally Posted by chris556

I'm a native English speaker, and "I could only answer half the questions" is perfectly acceptable, AND grammatical.

And you should be happy with it, cuz I could only answer half the questions is perfectly correct in terms of grammar.