[General] General: I may won't be able to know you at the airport

Status
Not open for further replies.

sb70012

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Hi,
Suppose that I am chatting to a girl in Paltalk messenger. She is in different country. I decide to go to her country and see her.

"Jennifer, please send me your picture before I leave my country because I may won't be able to know you at the airport"

1. I may won't be able to know you at the airport.
2. I may won't be able to recognize you at the airport.
3. I may couldn't recognize your face at the airport.
4. I may couldn't know your appearance at the airport.
5. I may couldn't know you at the airport.
6. I may couldn't recognize you at the airport.
7. ............
(I don't know how is natural to you native English speakers)
How would you say the bold written part? :?:

Thank you.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
7. I may not recognise you at the airport.

8. ...so that I can recognise you at the airport.
 

sb70012

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England

sb70012

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
I may won't .....
I may can't ......
I may couldn't .....

Are these ungrammatical?
 

engee30

Key Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
England
Yes, they are. A modal verb doesn't allow using another modal in the same verb phrase.
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
I may won't .....
I may can't ......
I may couldn't .....

Are these ungrammatical?
Yes, all of your original sentences are wrong.
Instead of "1. I may won't be able to ..." you need "I may not be able to ..."
I don't know what you mean by "may couldn't". "I may not have been able to ...?"
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top