Last Wednesday I experienced something new. It happened in São Paulo during a conference called "Ciclo do Conhecimento". My manager scheduled a meeting with a British CEO (Chief Executive Officer). I got surprised with myself because, even though being quite anxious, I got communicate well during the whole meeting. This was the first time in which I could use the English into professional events. It was very important to me to get self-confidence and also to be sure that I have learnt a lot during the last two years.
sábado, 6 de junho de 2009
segunda-feira, 1 de junho de 2009
VERBS CAN | MIGHT | MAY
Last week I started to write an argumentative essay. I handed it in to the professor (Maralice). She peer edited the material and then she returned it to me with a lot of comments concerning grammar problems. One of the messages was exactly that: "Modals can X may. In which cases you use one or the other?"
Actually, I had no idea. Until research about it, I was pretty sure that I could use the verb "CAN" in every situation. What were the differences between these verbs? When should I use can, might and may? Lets check the context in which I used the verbs "can".
Actually, I had no idea. Until research about it, I was pretty sure that I could use the verb "CAN" in every situation. What were the differences between these verbs? When should I use can, might and may? Lets check the context in which I used the verbs "can".
The use of animals for scientific experiments
The use of animals for scientific experiments is a polemic matter, which has fomented arguments for decades. At a first glance, the usage of an unprotected animal can be considered a meaningless cruelty. However, we have to consider the importance of this scientific method used not only to generate a profit to the pharmaceutical industry but also to save human beings who depends of a medication to keep them living such as your parents or any other patient. At a second glance, we can ask ourselves: it is possible minimize the suffering of the animals during these experiences? Or could still be viable developing a new method in which the drugs could be tried on just human beings? What could be the consequences? This essay intends answer these questions in order to suggest ethical ways of doing the scientific experiments even making use of animals.
As you can see, there are some grammatical problems on this text. Since I will post the revised version as soon as possible, lets focus on the modal verbs. What do you think about the use of the modal verb CAN? What could you perceive reading this paragraph? I used CAN to talk about a possibility. Is that right? Not at all if you intend to use a formal language. On this case I should use MAY OR MIGHT.
For further information about the use of these verbs visit:
Might :: http://www.answers.com/topic/might
May :: http://www.answers.com/topic/may
Can :: http://www.answers.com/topic/can
"Generations of grammarians and teachers have insisted that can should be used only to express the capacity to do something, and that may must be used to express permission. But children do not use can to ask permission out of a desire to be stubbornly perverse. They have learned it as an idiomatic expression from adults: After you clean your room, you can go outside and play. As part of the spoken language, this use of can is perfectly acceptable. This is especially true for negative questions, such as Can't I have the car tonight? probably because using mayn'tcan't sounds unnatural. Nevertheless, in more formal usage the distinction between can and may still has many adherents. Only 21 percent of the Usage Panel accepts can instead of may in the sentence Can I take another week to submit the application? The heightened formality of mayYou may leave the room when you are finished implies that permission is given by the speaker. You can leave the room when you are finished implies that permission is part of a rule or policy rather than a decision on the speaker's part. For this reason, may sees considerable use in official announcements: Students may pick up the application forms tomorrow. instead of sometimes highlights the speaker's role in giving permission."
Source: answers.com
The use of animals for scientific experiments is a polemic matter, which has fomented arguments for decades. At a first glance, the usage of an unprotected animal can be considered a meaningless cruelty. However, we have to consider the importance of this scientific method used not only to generate a profit to the pharmaceutical industry but also to save human beings who depends of a medication to keep them living such as your parents or any other patient. At a second glance, we can ask ourselves: it is possible minimize the suffering of the animals during these experiences? Or could still be viable developing a new method in which the drugs could be tried on just human beings? What could be the consequences? This essay intends answer these questions in order to suggest ethical ways of doing the scientific experiments even making use of animals.
As you can see, there are some grammatical problems on this text. Since I will post the revised version as soon as possible, lets focus on the modal verbs. What do you think about the use of the modal verb CAN? What could you perceive reading this paragraph? I used CAN to talk about a possibility. Is that right? Not at all if you intend to use a formal language. On this case I should use MAY OR MIGHT.
For further information about the use of these verbs visit:
Might :: http://www.answers.com/topic/might
May :: http://www.answers.com/topic/may
Can :: http://www.answers.com/topic/can
"Generations of grammarians and teachers have insisted that can should be used only to express the capacity to do something, and that may must be used to express permission. But children do not use can to ask permission out of a desire to be stubbornly perverse. They have learned it as an idiomatic expression from adults: After you clean your room, you can go outside and play. As part of the spoken language, this use of can is perfectly acceptable. This is especially true for negative questions, such as Can't I have the car tonight? probably because using mayn'tcan't sounds unnatural. Nevertheless, in more formal usage the distinction between can and may still has many adherents. Only 21 percent of the Usage Panel accepts can instead of may in the sentence Can I take another week to submit the application? The heightened formality of mayYou may leave the room when you are finished implies that permission is given by the speaker. You can leave the room when you are finished implies that permission is part of a rule or policy rather than a decision on the speaker's part. For this reason, may sees considerable use in official announcements: Students may pick up the application forms tomorrow. instead of sometimes highlights the speaker's role in giving permission."
Source: answers.com
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