Might/may + perfect infinitive also refer to a present or possible future event.
Here are some example sentences.
I’ll try phoning him, but he may have gone out by now. (Practical English Usage by Swan)
-지금쯤이면 이미 나갔을지도 몰라
By the end of this year I might have saved some money. (Practical English Usage by Swan)
-올해 말쯤이면 돈 좀 모여 있을 거야
As in the foregoing examples, might/may + perfect infinitive can refer not only to the past but also to the present or future. In summary:
Might/may+perfect infinitive is to say that:
1. something was possible in the past but did not happen actually. (`might’ preferred here)
2. it is possible that something happened in the past.
3. it is possible that something happens now or will happen in the future.
And the context determines which meaning the author has in mind.
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You’re doing very good. Your question is a fair one, not out of line at all. Rather I’d like to thank you for presenting how to ask the right question—your questions, more exactly, the way you ask, should be a good model for others. In your writing, I can always notice and am impressed by your own efforts to find an answer by yourself.
Mention fluency and accuracy and I come along with your view: accuracy should come before fluency. I’m not sure how to define the word `fluency’ here, but if it means just the ability to fire off as many words as possible, I believe it adds nothing to your English in the long-term basis. At first glance, overwhelming others with sheer word numbers may come across as `fluent.’ But if learners don’t know whether they speak right or even try to gloss over their mistakes, their English cannot go forward any longer and stays the same. Since this issue was discussed already, let me stop here.
You said your grammatical knowledge learned from schools doesn’t seem to work. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried such English-written grammar books as `Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings (GIU) or Practical English Usage by Michael Swan (PEU). As for GIU, it comes in three types depending on the learner’s level: essential, basic, and advanced. What I recommend is Advanced GIU-- your English is good enough to go for the advanced one. PEU is more like a grammar dictionary with a thicker volume, covering more detailed grammar points. Here"s some tips on how to use. Retire that from-cover-to-cover obsession. Whenever you run into a grammatical problem, just look over the contents pages and go straight to the chapter that deals with your problem; the one-by-one approach is good enough.
PS: I"m not a salesman for the books.^^;
첫댓글 i have a question about your first example~! Is it right "he may gone out" grammatically?? I think.. it should be "he may have gone out". beats me~!!;;
one more question~!^^: from your last sentence.. what is difference between "i should go out" and "i should get going out"??(go vs. get going)
My bad. Thanks. ^^; `I should get going’ is just a fixed expression meaning `I gotta go’ or `I should go.’ `Get going’ sounds a bit more active than `go’ only. Note how the following phrases develop in meaning: go->be going->get going
Wow.. It does my heart good to hear your compliments. I wish I were as good as the compllments. And it is me who is deeply impressed. You know, the Korean saying, "A man who is thirsty seeks for a well?" I am the one who is thirsty,not you.
Nevertheless, you did me, not only me, but all here, a great favor with such beautiful explantion. Thank you. And I'll keep your tips in mind.^^
thank you for your explanation~^^ It is always difficult to identify slight difference.. ^^: