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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Teaching doubt!    

Teaching doubt!



Teacher J�nior
Brazil

Teaching doubt!
 
Talking about indirect speech, what sentence better answers this sentence below and why.
 
Tom said, "I might be here later"
 
a) He said that he would might be there later.
b) He said that he would be there later.
 
 
Thanks!

23 Oct 2008      





mariflo
Greece

The answer is:
 
He said that he might be there later.
 
�might� is already a modal verb. It doesn�t take another.
�may� in direct speech would turn into �might� in reported speech but �might� doesn�t change

23 Oct 2008     



missundaztood_74
Spain

yep mariflo is right it doesnt change

24 Oct 2008     



crisholm
Spain

the golden rule is NEVER TWO MODALS TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!

24 Oct 2008     



joealsheimer
Japan

Also, I would add a Winkc) He said he might be there later.�
Other than that, I would have to choose b). � Like others have already indicated you can�t have 2 modals in the same phrase. I would also add that in a), �might indicates some uncertainty as to whether he will actually be there later or not. Would is merely the past tense of will, which means that there is no uncertainty that he�will be there. Thus, would and might contradict each other. �

24 Oct 2008     



goodnesses
Algeria

Hi, Teacher J�nior
Brazil

Whatever the sentence is "reported" , "conditional" , "advice" , "obligation" .... we never use 2 modals successively.

And
mariflo is right we can use "might" in indirect sentences.

24 Oct 2008     



Vickiii
New Zealand

Talking about indirect speech, what sentence better answers this sentence below and why.
 
Tom said, "I might be here later"
 
a) He said that he would might be there later.
b) He said that he would be there later.
 
You need to have
c) He said he might be there later. 
 
Might implies that he might be there and he might not. 
 
He said he would be there later - to me this implies that he told someone he would definitely turn up - but he hasn�t arrived.

24 Oct 2008     



Teacher J�nior
Brazil

Thanks people!
 
You really helped me a lot!
 
See you!

3 Nov 2008