Search from various angielski teachers...
chen
He left home more than an hour ago. He ____ be at work by now.
A. can
B. shall
C. must
D. would
Note: They all look pretty good to me. What do you think is answer and why, thanks.
If I have to choose, I guess D is the answer because D looks like past tense (I am not sure about it).
6 lip 2013 06:46
Odpowiedzi · 12
1
D - yes.
Actually I find no problem with C either, but it is a less common thing to say.
A & B are wrong, as you guessed: The tense is wrong.
6 lipca 2013
C is correct because the speaker expresses the most probability of the person's being at home.The speaker knows the regular habbit of the person.
19 czerwca 2020
Thanks Mark, neither can I think of an example that uses "should." Now I know what Christopher and you are trying to tell me. "would" here is not to be interpreted as past tense, it only conveys a less definite mood for the present. But I find it hard to distinguish between "less definite (would)" and "speculative (can)" conceptually. They are so similar in meaning that I can't put my words to pen to tell them apart. Can I say "can" speculates more than does "would"?
7 lipca 2013
"Can" could work in this sentence as the answer to a question. For example:
Could he be a work already?
He left home more than an hour ago. He can be at work by now.
In this case "must" in definite; "would" is less definite; and, "can" is speculative.
I don't know of a case where "shall" would fit; but, "should" or "could" are also possible answers.
6 lipca 2013
Thanks Christopher, I guess most grammar questions for exams have an intended answer. It seems that English is a very flexible language and I heard most great writers take advantage of such flexibility. Thanks for providing special cases where other choices might work. :)
6 lipca 2013
Pokaż więcej
Nadal nie znalazłeś/łaś odpowiedzi?
Napisz swoje pytania i pozwól, aby rodzimi użytkownicy języka ci pomogli!
chen
Znajomość języków
chiński (mandaryński), angielski
Język do nauczenia się
angielski
Artykuły, które również mogą ci się spodobać

How to Ask for a Raise or Promotion in English
9 głosy poparcia · 8 Komentarze

The Key to Learning a Language Faster
30 głosy poparcia · 8 Komentarze

Why "General English" is Failing Your Career (An Engineer’s Perspective)
30 głosy poparcia · 12 Komentarze
Więcej artykułów
