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The present perfect used with forand since 11 page

ourselves out.

'We must mend the roof properly next year,' he said =

He said that they would have to mend the roof properly the following

year.

'I have just received a letter,' he said. 'I must go home' =

He said that he had just received a letter and would have to go home.

(But had towould be more usual here if he went at once, i.e. had

to would imply that he went at once.) 2 I/we must reported by had to

had to is the usual form for obligations where times for fulfilment have been fixed, or plans made, or when the obligation is fulfilled fairly promptly, or at least by the time the speech is reported:

He said, 'I must wash my hands' (and presumably did so) =

He said that he had to wash his hands.

Tom said, 'I must be there by nine tomorrow' =

Tom said that he had to be there by nine the next day. would have to would be possible here also but would imply that the obligation was self-imposed and that no outside authority was involved. had to could express either an outside authority (i.e. that someone had told him to be there) or a self-imposed obligation. All difficulties about had to/would have tocan of course be avoided by keeping mustunchanged. In both the above examples mustcould have been used instead of had to/would have to.

3 you/he/they mustis reported similarly:

He said, 'You must start at once' =

He said that she must/had to/would have to start at once. But note that would have toremoves the idea of the speaker's authority:

Tom said, 'If you want to stay on here you must work harder' =

Tom said that if she wanted to stay on she must/would have to work

harder.

must implies that Tom himself insists on her working harder, would have tomerely implies that this will be necessary.

4 must I/you/he?can change similarly but as mustin the interrogative usually concerns the present or immediate future it usually becomes had to:

'Must you go so soon?' I said = / asked him if he had to go so soon.

5 must not

I must not usually remains unchanged, you/he must notremains unchanged or is expressed as a negative command (see 320-1): He said, 'You mustn't tell anyone' = He said that she mustn 't tell/wasn 't to tell anyone or He told her not to tell anyone.

Ñ needn't

needn't can remain unchanged and usually does. Alternatively it can change to didn't have to/wouldn't have tojust as mustchanges to had to/would have to:

He said, 'You needn't wait' = He said that I needn't wait.

I said, 'If you can lend me the money I needn 't go to the bank =

/ said that if he could lend me the money I needn 't/wouldn 't have to

go to the bank.

He said, 'I needn't be in the office till ten tomorrow morning' =

He said that he needn 't/didn 't have to be in the office till ten the next

morning.

need I/you/he? behaves exactly in the same ways as must I/you/he?i.e. it normally becomes had to:

'Need I finish my pudding?' asked the small boy = The small boy asked if he had to finish his pudding.

32 Conjunctions

326 Co-ordinating conjunctions: and, but, both . . . and, or, either ... or, neither . . . nor, not only . . . but also



These join pairs of nouns/adjectives/adverbs/verbs/phrases/clauses: He plays squash and rugby. I make the payments and keep the accounts. He works quickly and/but accurately. He is small but strong. She is intelligent but lazy. We came in first but (we) didn 't win the race. Both men and women were drafted into the army. Ring Tom or Bill. She doesn 't smoke or drink. He can't (either) read or write. You can (either) walk up or take the cable car. He can neither read nor write. Not only men but also women were chosen.

327 besides, however, nevertheless, otherwise, so, therefore, still, yet, though

These adverbs/conjunctions can join clauses or sentences and are then often known as 'conjuncts'. But they can also, with the exception of neverthelessand therefore(conjuncts), be used in other ways. Their position will vary according to how they are used.

A besides (preposition) means 'in addition to'. It precedes a noun/pronoun/gerund:

Besides doing the cooking I look after the garden. besides (conjunct) means 'in addition'. It usually precedes its clause, but can follow it:

I can't go now; I'm too busy. Besides, my passport is out of date. moreover could replace besideshere in more formal English. anywayor in any casecould be used here in more informal English:

Anyway, my passport's out of date.

 however (adverb of degree, see 41) precedes its adjective/adverb: You couldn 't earn much, however hard you worked.

however (conjunct) usually means 'but'. It can precede or follow its

clause or come after the first word or phrase:

I'll offer it to Tom. However, he may not want it or

He may not want it however or Tom, however, may not want it or

//, however, he doesn't want it. . .

But when two contrasting statements are mentioned, howevercan

mean 'but/nevertheless/all the same':

They hadn 't trained hard, but/however/nevertheless/all the same they won or they won, however/nevertheless/all the same.

(See also 329.)

Ñ otherwise (adverb of manner) usually comes after the verb:

It must be used in a well-ventilated room. Used otherwise (= in a different way) it could be harmful. otherwise (conjunct) means 'if not/or else':

We must be early; otherwise we won't get a seat. or could also be used here in colloquial English: We must be early or (else) we won't get a seat.

D so (adverb of degree) precedes its adjective/adverb:

It was so hot that. . . They ran so fast that. . . so (conjunct) precedes its clause:

Our cases were heavy, so we took a taxi.

E therefore can be used instead of so in formal English.

It can come at the beginning of the clause or after the first word or

phrase; or before the main verb:

There is fog at Heathrow; the plane, therefore, has been diverted/the plane has therefore been diverted/therefore the plane has been diverted.

F still and yet can be adverbs of time (see 37):

The children are still up. They haven't had supper yet.

still and yet(conjunct) come at the beginning of clauses.

still means 'admitting that/nevertheless'.

yet means 'in spite of that/all the same/nevertheless'.

You aren't rich; still, you could do something to help him. They are ugly and expensive; yet people buy them.

G though/although normally introduce clauses of concession (see 340):

Though/Although they're expensive, people buy them. though (but not although)can also be used to link two main clauses. thoughused in this way means 'but' or 'yet' and is placed sometimes at the beginning but more often at the end of its clause: He says he 'II pay, though I don't think he will or He says he'll pay; I don't think he will, though.

328 Subordinating conjunctions: if, that, though/although, unless, whenetc.

Subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinate adverb or noun clauses and are dealt with in the chapters on the different types of clause.

See chapter 21 for conditional clauses, chapter 33 for purpose clauses,

chapter 34 for adverb clauses of reason, result, concession, comparison

and time, and chapter 35 for noun clauses.

Some conjunctions have more than one meaning and may introduce

more than one type of clause.

Pairs and groups of conjunctions which are sometimes confused with

each other or with other parts of speech are dealt with below.

329 though/althoughand in spite of(preposition phrase), despite(preposition)

Two opposing or contrasting statements, such as He had no qualifications and He got the job, could be combined as follows:

A With but, howeveror neverthelessas shown in 327 above: He had no qualifications but he got the job. He had no qualifications; however he got the job/he got the job, however. He had no qualifications; nevertheless he got the job.

 With though/although:

He got the job although he had no qualifications. Although he had no qualifications he got the job.

Ñ With in spite of/despite+ noun/pronoun/gerund:

In spite of having no qualifications he got the job. He got the job in

spite of having no qualifications.

despite = in spite of. It is chiefly used in newspapers and in formal English:

Despite the severe weather conditions all the cars completed the

course.

D Note that though/althoughrequires subject + verb:

Although it was windy . . . and that in spite of/despiterequires noun/pronoun or gerund:

In spite of the wind . . . Some more examples:

Although it smelt horrible . . . = In spite of the horrible smell . . . Although it was dangerous . . . = In spite of the danger . . . Though he was inexperienced . . . = In spite of his inexperience/his being inexperienced . . .

330 for and because

These conjunctions have nearly the same meaning and very often either can be used. It is, however, safer to use because,as a clause introduced by for (which we will call a 'for-clause') has a more restricted use than a clause introduced by because:

1 A for-clause cannot precede the verb which it explains:

Because it was wet he took a taxi, (for is not possible.)

2 A for-clause cannot be preceded by not, butor any conjunction:

He stole, not because he wanted the money but because he liked stealing, (for not possible)

3 A for-clause cannot be used in answer to a question:

Why did you do it? ~ I did it because I was angry, (for not possible)

4 A for-clause cannot be a mere repetition of what has been already stated, but always includes some new piece of information:

He spoke in French. She was angry because he had spoken in French, (for is not possible.)

But She was angry, for she didn't know French. (Here for is correct; becauseis also possible.)

The reason for these restrictions is that a for-clause does not tell us why a certain action was performed, but merely presents a piece of additional information which helps to explain it.

Some examples of for-clauses:

The days were short, for it was now December.

He took the food eagerly, for he had eaten nothing since dawn. : When I saw her in the river I was frightened. For at that point the

. currents were dangerous.

: In speech a short pause is usually made before a for-clause and in

'. written English this place is usually marked by a comma, and

sometimes, as in the last example above, by a full stop.

because could be used in the above sentences also, though for is

better.

331 when, while, as used to express time

A when is used, with simple tenses:

1 When one action occurs at the same time as another or in the span of another:

When it is wet the buses are crowded.

When we lived in town we often went to the theatre.

2 When one action follows another:

When she pressed the button the lift stopped.

 as is used:

1 When the second action occurs before the first is finished:

As / left the house I remembered the key.

This implies that I remembered the key before I had completed the action of leaving the house; I was probably still in the doorway. While I was leaving would have the same meaning here, but When I left would give the impression that the act of leaving was complete and the door ; shut behind me.

2 For parallel actions: He sang as he worked.

3 For parallel development:

As the sun rose the fog dispersed.

As it grew darker it became colder =

The darker it grew, the colder it became.

As she came to know him better she relied on him more.

As he became more competent he was given more interesting work. If we used whenhere we would lose all idea of simultaneous progression or development.

4 To mean while(= during the time that):

As he stood there he saw two men enter the bar. But there is no particular advantage in using as here, and whileis safer.

332 as meaning when/while or because/since

A Restricted use of as (= when/while)

as here is chiefly used with verbs indicating action or development. It is not normally used with the type of verb listed in 168, except when there is an idea of development, as in B3 above. Nor is it normally used with verbs such as live, stay, remain.

 as used with the above verbs/types of verb normally means because/since:

As he was tired . . . = Because he was tired . . .

As he knew her well. . . = Because he knew her well . . .

As it contains alcohol . . . = Since/Because it contains alcohol. . .

As he lives near here . . . = Since/Because he lives . . .

Ñ With most verbs, as can be used with either meaning:

As/While he shaved he thought about the coming interview. As/Because he shaved with a blunt razor he didn 't make a very good job of it. If in doubt here, students should use whileor because.

D as + noun can mean either when/while or because/since:

As a student he had known great poverty =

When he was a student he had known great poverty.

As a student he gets/got in for half price =

Because he is/was a student he gets/got in . . .

As a married man, he has to think of his family =

Because/Since he is a married man . . .

as meaning when/whilehere is usually followed by a perfect tense. as meaning because/sincecan be followed by any tense.

333 as, when, while used to mean although, but, seeing that

A as can mean though/althoughbut only in the combination adjective + as + subject + to be/to seem/to appear:

Tired as he was he offered to carry her = Though he was tired he offered to carry her. Strong as he was, he couldn't lift it.

 while can mean butand is used to emphasize a contrast:

'At sea' means 'on a ship', while 'at the sea' means 'at the seaside'. Some people waste food while others haven't enough.

while can also mean althoughand is then usually placed at the

beginning of a sentence:

While I sympathize with your point of view 1 cannot accept it.

Ñ when can mean seeing that/although.It is therefore very similar to while,but is chiefly used to introduce a statement which makes another action seem unreasonable. It is often, though not necessarily, used with a question:

How can you expect your children to be truthful when you yourself

tell lies?

It's not fair to expect her to do all the cooking when she has had no

training or experience.

D Do not confuse when and if

When he comes implies that we are sure he will come. If he comes implies that we don't know whether he will come or not. (For if in conditional sentences, see chapter 21.)

33 Purpose

334 Purpose is normally expressed by the infinitive

Purpose can be expressed by: A The infinitive alone:

He went to France to learn French. They stopped to ask the way.

When there is a personal object of the main verb, the infinitive may

refer to this and not to the subject:

He sent Tom to the shop to buy bread. (Tom was to buy the bread.) Â in orderor so as+ infinitive

in order + infinitive can imply either that the subject wants to perform

the action or that he wants it to happen.

so as + infinitive implies only that the subject wants the action to

happen, in orderis, therefore, the more generally useful.

in order or so asare used:

1 With a negative infinitive to express a negative purpose:

He left his gun outside in order/so as not to frighten us.

2 With to beand to have:

She left work early in order/so as to be at home when he arrived. She gave up work in order/so as to have more time with the children.

3 When the purpose is less immediate:

He is studying mathematics in order/so as to qualify for a better job. She learnt typing in order to help her husband with his work.

4 Sometimes in longer sentences, to emphasize that the infinitive indicates purpose:

He was accused of misrepresenting the facts in order/so as to make

the scheme seem feasible.

He took much more trouble over the figures than he usually did in

order/so as to show his new boss what a careful worker he was. (But in order/so asis not essential and is often omitted.) When the infinitive of purpose precedes the main verb, in order/so asmay be placed first:

In order/So as to show his boss what a careful worker he was, he

took extra trouble over the figures. (But here also in order/so asmay be omitted.)

5 When there is a personal object but we want the infinitive to refer unambiguously to the subject:

He sent his sons to a boarding school in order/so as to have some peace. (He, not his sons, was going to have some peace.) Compare with:

He sent his sons to a boarding school to learn to live in a community.

(Not he but his sons were to learn to live in a community.) But this in order/so asconstruction is not very common. It is more usual to say:

He sent his sons to a boarding school because he wanted to have some

peace.

Ñ in order (but not so as), used to emphasize that the subject really had this purpose in mind:

He bought diamonds when he was in Amsterdam! ~ That wasn 't surprising. He went to Amsterdam in order to buy diamonds, (not for any other purpose)

We could also, however, express this idea by stressing the first verb and omitting in order:He went to Amsterdam to buy diamonds.

D Infinitive + noun + preposition:

/ want a case to keep my records in.

I need a corkscrew to open this bottle with. Note that here we are talking about a particular purpose. For a general purpose we use for + gerund:

This is a case for keeping records in.

A corkscrew is a tool for opening bottles.

335 Infinitives of purpose after goand come

It is not normal to use an infinitive of purpose after the imperative or infinitive of goand come.Instead of Go to find Bill we normally say Go and find Bill; and instead of Come to talk to Ann we say Come and talk to Ann; i.e. instead of an imperative + an infinitive of purpose we use two imperatives joined by and. And instead of:

/ must go to help my mother and I'll come to check the accounts we normally say:

/ must go and help my mother and I'll come and check the accounts. i.e. instead of an infinitive + an infinitive of purpose we use two infinitives joined by and (see 246 I).

But when goand comeare used as gerunds or in any present or past tense they take the ordinary infinitive of purpose:

I'm thinking of going to look for mushrooms.

I went to help my mother.

I've come to check the accounts.

I didn 't come to talk to Bill; I came to talk to you.

336 Clauses of purpose

Clauses are necessary when the person to whom the purpose refers is different from the subject of the main clause, or when the original subject is stated again:

Ships carry lifeboats so that the crew can escape if the ship sinks.

This knife has a cork handle so that it will float if it falls overboard.

A Purpose clauses are usually expressed by so that + will/wouldor can/could +infinitive. can/couldis used here to mean will/would be able to:

They make £10 notes a different size from £5 notes so that blind

people can (= will be able to) tell the difference between them.

They wrote the notices in several languages so that foreign tourists

could (= would be able to) understand them. can and willare used when the main verb is in a present, present perfect or future tense; couldand wouldare used when the main verb is in a past tense. See the examples above and also:

/ light/am lighting/have lit/will light the fire so that the house will be

warm when they return.

I have given/will give him a key so that he can get into the house

whenever he likes.

I pinned the note to his pillow so that he would be sure to see it.

There were telephone points every kilometre so that drivers whose cars

had broken down would be able to/could summon help. If thatis omitted from purpose clauses with can/could,the idea of purpose may disappear. The sentence He took my shoes so that I couldn't leave the house would normally mean 'He took my shoes to prevent my leaving etc.' but He took my shoes, so I couldn 't leave the house would normally mean 'He took my shoes; therefore I wasn't able to leave'.

 Purpose clauses can also be formed by so that/in order that/that + may/might or shall/should+ infinitive. These are merely more formal constructions than those shown in A above. There is no difference in meaning.

Note that so thatcan be followed by will/can/may/shallor their past forms, while in order thator thatare limited to may/shallor their past forms.

that used alone is rarely found except in very dramatic speech or writing, or in poetry.

The rules about sequences of tenses are the same as those shown above. The following are very formal:

We carved their names on the stone so that/in order that future

generations should/might know what they had done.

These men risk their lives so that/in order that we may live more

safely.

may in the present tense is much more common than shall,which is rarely used. In the past tense either might or shouldcan be used. The student should know the above forms but should not normally need to use them, as for all ordinary purposes so that+ can/couldor will/wouldshould be quite sufficient.

Ñ Negative purpose clauses are made by putting the auxiliary verb (usually will/wouldor should)into the negative:

He wrote his diary in code so that his wife wouldn 't be able to read it. He changed his name so that his new friends wouldn 't/shouldn 't know that he had once been accused of murder.

Criminals usually telephone from public telephone boxes so that the police won't be able to trace the call.

Negative purpose clauses can, however, usually be replaced by to prevent+ noun/pronoun + gerund, or to avoid+ gerund:

He dyed his beard so that we shouldn 't recognize him/to prevent us recognizing him/to avoid being recognized, (passive gerund) She always shopped in another village so that she wouldn't meet her own neighbours/to avoid meeting her own neighbours. These infinitive phrases are preferred to negative purpose clauses.

337 in case and lest

A in case

1 in case+ subject + verb can follow a statement or command:

/ don't let him climb trees in case he tears his trousers. This first action is usually a preparation for, or a precaution against, the action in the incase-clause, which is a possible future action. in case+ present tense normally has the meaning 'because this may happen/because perhaps this will happen' or 'for fear that this may happen'.

in case + past tense normally means 'because this might happen/because perhaps this would happen' or 'for fear that this would happen'.

Both present tense and past tense here can be replaced by should+ infinitive, shouldused here would express greater improbability, but this construction is not very usual.

2 Tenses with in caseMain verb

Future present tense or
Present + in case +
Present perfect should + infinitive
Conditional past tense or
Past tense + in case +
should + infinitive
Past perfect

I'll make a cake in case someone drops in at the weekend. I carry a spare wheel in case I have/should have a puncture. I always keep candles in the house in case there is a power cut. I always kept candles in the house in case there was a power cut. (See also 227.)

lest means 'for fear that' and is followed by should:

He doesn 't/didn 't dare to leave the house lest someone should recognize him.

lest is rarely found except in formal written English.

34 Clauses of reason, result, concession, comparison, time

338 Clauses of reason and result/cause

Except for the type shown in A2 and A3 below, both these clauses can be introduced by asor because.But asis safer for clauses of reason (see A below) and becauseis safer for clauses of result/cause (see B).


Date: 2015-12-18; view: 715


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