[Grammar] Helping Verb

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abby80

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Could you please explain the answers for the sentences below:

Sally_______(could/couldn't)play the flute, however. She always makes lovely music with it.

Cathy_______(could/couldn't)swim though.She is a member of the swimming team.

What do however and though mean?

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Barb_D

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It sounds like it is being contrasted with something in the prior sentence.
Sally couldn't play the tuba. But she could play the flute.
Sally couldn't cook. But she could play the flute.

It would be a very strange sentence to use without context like t he sentences above.

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abby80

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Thanks for the reply but its not helping to answer the above questions.
 

Rover_KE

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The above questions have no answers as none of the alternatives makes any sense.

'However' and 'though' are in the wrong sentences.

Whether Sally could or couldn't play the flute, neither 'however' nor 'though' can precede 'She always makes lovely music with it'.

Whether Cathy could or couldn't swim, neither 'however' nor 'though' can precede 'She is a member of the swimming team.

These are correct:

'Sally can't play the flute. However, she makes lovely music on the bassoon.'

Cathy can't swim very fast, though she is a member of the swimming team.'
 

abby80

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Thank you very much. Now, this makes sense. I have this 'fill in blank sentences' from my teaching material and it comes without answer key, which didn't make sense in term of using the conjunction and modal verb. I needed stronger opinion to clarify the doubts and answers in my mind.
 
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