Page 152 - Basic English Usage
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After modal auxiliary verbs, we use the infinitive without to. (Ought is an
exception: see 232.)
| must remember to write to Leslie.
(NOT +mustte remember ...)
Meanings
We do not use modal verbs for situations that definitely exist, or for
things that have definitely happened. We use them, for example, to talk
about things which we expect, which are possible, which we think are
necessary, which we are not sure about, or which did not happen.
She will be here tomorrow.
| may come tomorrow if | have time.
She could be in London or Paris or Tokyo — nobody knows.
You must come and have dinner with us some time.
What would you do if you had a free year?
She should have seen a doctor when she first felt ill.
Modal verb + perfect infinitive
We use the structure | modal verb + perfect infinitive | (for example
must have seen, should have said) to talk about the past. This structure
is used for speculating (thinking about what possibly happened) or
imagining (thinking about how things could have been different).
modal verb + have + past participle
She's two hours late. What can have happened?
You could have told me you were coming.
The potatoes would have been better with more salt.
The plant's dead. You should have given it more water.
For more information, see the entries for can, may etc.
Dare and need can be used in two ways: as modal! auxiliary verbs and as
ordinary verbs. See 94 and 213.
For information about weak and strong pronunciations of modal auxiliary verbs,
see 358
For contracted forms, see 90
203 more (of): determiner
We can use more before uncountable or plural nouns.
more + noun
We need more time. (NOT ... mereottime-)
More people are drinking wine these days.