English Errors

COULD OF, SHOULD OF, WOULD OF

COULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE

This is one of those errors typically made by a person more familiar with the spoken than the written form of English. A sentence like “I would have gone if anyone had given me free tickets” is normally spoken in a slurred way so that the two words “would have” are not distinctly separated, but blended together into what is properly rendered “would’ve.” Seeing that “V” tips you off right away that “would’ve” is a contraction of “would have.” But many people hear “would of” and that’s how they write it. Wrong.

What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are special verbs which behave very differently from normal verbs. Here are some important differences:
1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third person.
Examples:

• He can  speak Chinese.
• She should  be here by 9:00.
  

2. You use "not" to make modal verbs negative, even in Simple Present and Simple Past.
Examples:

• He should not be late.
• They might not come to the party.
  

3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.
Examples:

• He will can go with us. Not Correct
• She musted study very hard. Not Correct
  

Common Modal Verbs

Can Could May Might Must

Ought to Shall Should Will Would