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Užití could + jaký čas ve vedlejší větě

 

Už nějaký čas narážím na to, jestli lze používat v angličtině podobné konstrukce, na jaké jsme my Češi docela zvyklí, pomocí kondicionálu ‘could’.

Chápu samozřejmě klasické kondicionály, chápu taky obyčejnou minulost (třeba ve vyprávění), chápu také zdvořilostí otázky. Nicméně mi tak trochu uniká, jestli je gramaticky správné používat následující věty:

Abyste chápali, tak třeba v případě, že někomu něco vysvětlujete a poukazujete ve smyslu ‘představ si, že’ nebo ‘vem si, že bys…’. (Samozřejmě bych to dokázal opsat mnoha jinými způsoby, jako jsem tady naznačil tou češtinou, ale mě zajímá přímá cesta.)

Místo výše zmíněného, bych chtěl použít:

A: Why would you do anything like that? B: Look. You could have three different versions to choose among then. (Mohl bys mít tři různé možnosti, mezi kterými bys mohl vybírat)

Ale mě zajímá něco jiného, totiž jak by vypadala vedlejší věta bez užití non-finite clause.

Lze sestavit následující souvětí? Jsou nějaká gramaticky špatně?

You could have three different versions of which you could choose among.

Ale co třeba…

You could have three different versions that you would use (each) at different times.

Ale co potom? You could have three different versions of which you may choose among (if you needed).

A nezodpověděl jsem si tím posledním dovětkem v závorce, jak to vlastně je? Že se jedná o jakési neúplné podmínkové souvětí… někdy jej vyjádříme celé a někdy ne.

Pak by mě ale zajímalo, jaká jsou pravidla pro ty věty, které rozvíjejí tu část “co by mohlo být” (při chybějícím “kdyby se stalo co”). Jaký čas se v nich může, resp. nesmí používat. Hádám, že to musí být také kondicionál, možný je could i would, ale pravděpodobně by šlo i univerzální may anebo vlastně jedině might?

Děkuji za bližší vysvětlení…

You could have three different versions of which you could choose among. “Of” doesn't belong in that construction. “Choose from” is more common than “choose among” – see the Ngram, and I think “from” sounds more idiomatic here.

To make this construction, choose your verb and the right preposition. Here, the verb and the right preposition is Choose from several options. “Of” isn't needed at all.

  • You could choose from three different versions.
  • You could have three different versions from which you could choose (tends to be formal style).
  • You could have three different versions (that) you could choose from (tends to be conversational style, because the sentence ends with the preposition).
  • You could have three different versions to choose from. (= the simplest and most idiomatic way of expressing this idea)
  • You could have three different versions that you would use (each) at different times. This is grammatically correct, but “that you would” can be replaced more idiomatically by “to”: You could have three different versions to use (each) at different times.
  • You could have three different versions of which you may choose among (if you needed). Again, “of” doesn't belong in this construction.

Choose from/among/bet­ween:

  • You could have three different versions which you may choose among (if you needed). – grammatically correct, informal.
  • You could have three different versions among which you may choose. – grammatically correct, more formal.
  • You could have three different versions to choose from – the most idiomatic way of expressing this idea.

“May choose” is more formal than “could choose”, “might choose” is even more formal than “could choose” or “may choose”. As you can see, the most idiomatic version “…to choose from…” eliminates the need to think about “could”, “may” or “might”.

Odkaz na příspěvek Příspěvek od DesperateDan vložený před 5 lety

You could have three different versions of which you could choose among. “Of” doesn't belong in that construction. “Choose from” is more common than “choose among” – see the Ngram, and I think “from” sounds more idiomatic here.

To make this construction, choose your verb and the right preposition. Here, the verb and the right preposition is Choose from several options. “Of” isn't needed at all.

  • You could choose from three different versions.
  • You could have three different versions from which you could choose (tends to be formal style).
  • You could have three different versions (that) you could choose from (tends to be conversational style, because the sentence ends with the preposition).
  • You could have three different versions to choose from. (= the simplest and most idiomatic way of expressing this idea)
  • You could have three different versions that you would use (each) at different times. This is grammatically correct, but “that you would” can be replaced more idiomatically by “to”: You could have three different versions to use (each) at different times.
  • You could have three different versions of which you may choose among (if you needed). Again, “of” doesn't belong in this construction.

Choose from/among/bet­ween:

  • You could have three different versions which you may choose among (if you needed). – grammatically correct, informal.
  • You could have three different versions among which you may choose. – grammatically correct, more formal.
  • You could have three different versions to choose from – the most idiomatic way of expressing this idea.

“May choose” is more formal than “could choose”, “might choose” is even more formal than “could choose” or “may choose”. As you can see, the most idiomatic version “…to choose from…” eliminates the need to think about “could”, “may” or “might”.

I truly appreciate your comprehensive reply, also that you corrected my errors. Thank you! I thought it may be trickier than I thought it was. Now I've got a better picture of how to use these sentences.

 

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