Is “be” really required after “may” in this sentence? [closed]
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I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:
Age maybe has slowed down MT Vasudevan Nair but his creativity remains undiminished.
I think it is an egregious error to use may be this style. Shouldn't there be just "may" before "slowed down"?
grammar
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
closed as off-topic by Jason Bassford, Chappo, JJJ, jimm101, Mark Beadles May 17 at 14:36
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Chappo, JJJ
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:
Age maybe has slowed down MT Vasudevan Nair but his creativity remains undiminished.
I think it is an egregious error to use may be this style. Shouldn't there be just "may" before "slowed down"?
grammar
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
closed as off-topic by Jason Bassford, Chappo, JJJ, jimm101, Mark Beadles May 17 at 14:36
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Chappo, JJJ
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
1
It is needed if you wish to phrase the sentence like that. If you want to get rid of the 'be', 'has' must be converted to 'have'.
– Deonyi
May 14 at 13:53
The single-word form maybe is effectively an adverbial element (either modifying the specific verb to slow down, or a "sentence adverb" modifying the entire assertion up to but here). But may is a kind of degenerate "modal" verb itself, so it requires an [unmarked] infinitive verb form, as in The groom may kiss the bride (as opposed to The groom kisses the bride).
– FumbleFingers
May 14 at 14:10
2
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a cross-post of the identical question at ELL.
– Jason Bassford
May 14 at 17:04
add a comment |
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:
Age maybe has slowed down MT Vasudevan Nair but his creativity remains undiminished.
I think it is an egregious error to use may be this style. Shouldn't there be just "may" before "slowed down"?
grammar
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:
Age maybe has slowed down MT Vasudevan Nair but his creativity remains undiminished.
I think it is an egregious error to use may be this style. Shouldn't there be just "may" before "slowed down"?
grammar
grammar
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
asked May 14 at 13:39
KelvinKelvin
11
11
closed as off-topic by Jason Bassford, Chappo, JJJ, jimm101, Mark Beadles May 17 at 14:36
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Chappo, JJJ
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as off-topic by Jason Bassford, Chappo, JJJ, jimm101, Mark Beadles May 17 at 14:36
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Chappo, JJJ
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
1
It is needed if you wish to phrase the sentence like that. If you want to get rid of the 'be', 'has' must be converted to 'have'.
– Deonyi
May 14 at 13:53
The single-word form maybe is effectively an adverbial element (either modifying the specific verb to slow down, or a "sentence adverb" modifying the entire assertion up to but here). But may is a kind of degenerate "modal" verb itself, so it requires an [unmarked] infinitive verb form, as in The groom may kiss the bride (as opposed to The groom kisses the bride).
– FumbleFingers
May 14 at 14:10
2
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a cross-post of the identical question at ELL.
– Jason Bassford
May 14 at 17:04
add a comment |
1
It is needed if you wish to phrase the sentence like that. If you want to get rid of the 'be', 'has' must be converted to 'have'.
– Deonyi
May 14 at 13:53
The single-word form maybe is effectively an adverbial element (either modifying the specific verb to slow down, or a "sentence adverb" modifying the entire assertion up to but here). But may is a kind of degenerate "modal" verb itself, so it requires an [unmarked] infinitive verb form, as in The groom may kiss the bride (as opposed to The groom kisses the bride).
– FumbleFingers
May 14 at 14:10
2
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a cross-post of the identical question at ELL.
– Jason Bassford
May 14 at 17:04
1
1
It is needed if you wish to phrase the sentence like that. If you want to get rid of the 'be', 'has' must be converted to 'have'.
– Deonyi
May 14 at 13:53
It is needed if you wish to phrase the sentence like that. If you want to get rid of the 'be', 'has' must be converted to 'have'.
– Deonyi
May 14 at 13:53
The single-word form maybe is effectively an adverbial element (either modifying the specific verb to slow down, or a "sentence adverb" modifying the entire assertion up to but here). But may is a kind of degenerate "modal" verb itself, so it requires an [unmarked] infinitive verb form, as in The groom may kiss the bride (as opposed to The groom kisses the bride).
– FumbleFingers
May 14 at 14:10
The single-word form maybe is effectively an adverbial element (either modifying the specific verb to slow down, or a "sentence adverb" modifying the entire assertion up to but here). But may is a kind of degenerate "modal" verb itself, so it requires an [unmarked] infinitive verb form, as in The groom may kiss the bride (as opposed to The groom kisses the bride).
– FumbleFingers
May 14 at 14:10
2
2
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a cross-post of the identical question at ELL.
– Jason Bassford
May 14 at 17:04
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a cross-post of the identical question at ELL.
– Jason Bassford
May 14 at 17:04
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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Maybe is fine.
It functions as an adverb meaning "possibly" and modifies the verb phrase "has slowed down." I can't speak for Indian English, but in American English "maybe" immediately preceding a verb would hit a lower register than "maybe" at the head of a clause. (Compare: "Maybe age has slowed down ...")
Here are two other examples found through the Corpus of Contemporary American English out of several dozen. "Maybe" preceding a verb crops up in more speech than writing (most results involve live news programs):
("Rebel on the Edge," Time, 1/23/2006.) He is the world's best ski racer, but whatever the result, he laughs it off and maybe has a beer afterward.
("United Shades of America: Off the Grid," CNN, 5/22/2016.) And so what would you say to somebody whose sitting at home right now, who maybe has just seen this for the first time and is going huh?
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
add a comment |
It's poor (or at least very informal). I would prefer something like:
Age has perhaps slowed down...
I'd prefer that over "Age may have slowed down..." also.
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Maybe is fine.
It functions as an adverb meaning "possibly" and modifies the verb phrase "has slowed down." I can't speak for Indian English, but in American English "maybe" immediately preceding a verb would hit a lower register than "maybe" at the head of a clause. (Compare: "Maybe age has slowed down ...")
Here are two other examples found through the Corpus of Contemporary American English out of several dozen. "Maybe" preceding a verb crops up in more speech than writing (most results involve live news programs):
("Rebel on the Edge," Time, 1/23/2006.) He is the world's best ski racer, but whatever the result, he laughs it off and maybe has a beer afterward.
("United Shades of America: Off the Grid," CNN, 5/22/2016.) And so what would you say to somebody whose sitting at home right now, who maybe has just seen this for the first time and is going huh?
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
add a comment |
Maybe is fine.
It functions as an adverb meaning "possibly" and modifies the verb phrase "has slowed down." I can't speak for Indian English, but in American English "maybe" immediately preceding a verb would hit a lower register than "maybe" at the head of a clause. (Compare: "Maybe age has slowed down ...")
Here are two other examples found through the Corpus of Contemporary American English out of several dozen. "Maybe" preceding a verb crops up in more speech than writing (most results involve live news programs):
("Rebel on the Edge," Time, 1/23/2006.) He is the world's best ski racer, but whatever the result, he laughs it off and maybe has a beer afterward.
("United Shades of America: Off the Grid," CNN, 5/22/2016.) And so what would you say to somebody whose sitting at home right now, who maybe has just seen this for the first time and is going huh?
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
add a comment |
Maybe is fine.
It functions as an adverb meaning "possibly" and modifies the verb phrase "has slowed down." I can't speak for Indian English, but in American English "maybe" immediately preceding a verb would hit a lower register than "maybe" at the head of a clause. (Compare: "Maybe age has slowed down ...")
Here are two other examples found through the Corpus of Contemporary American English out of several dozen. "Maybe" preceding a verb crops up in more speech than writing (most results involve live news programs):
("Rebel on the Edge," Time, 1/23/2006.) He is the world's best ski racer, but whatever the result, he laughs it off and maybe has a beer afterward.
("United Shades of America: Off the Grid," CNN, 5/22/2016.) And so what would you say to somebody whose sitting at home right now, who maybe has just seen this for the first time and is going huh?
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
Maybe is fine.
It functions as an adverb meaning "possibly" and modifies the verb phrase "has slowed down." I can't speak for Indian English, but in American English "maybe" immediately preceding a verb would hit a lower register than "maybe" at the head of a clause. (Compare: "Maybe age has slowed down ...")
Here are two other examples found through the Corpus of Contemporary American English out of several dozen. "Maybe" preceding a verb crops up in more speech than writing (most results involve live news programs):
("Rebel on the Edge," Time, 1/23/2006.) He is the world's best ski racer, but whatever the result, he laughs it off and maybe has a beer afterward.
("United Shades of America: Off the Grid," CNN, 5/22/2016.) And so what would you say to somebody whose sitting at home right now, who maybe has just seen this for the first time and is going huh?
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
answered May 14 at 14:07
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
10.6k2042
10.6k2042
add a comment |
add a comment |
It's poor (or at least very informal). I would prefer something like:
Age has perhaps slowed down...
I'd prefer that over "Age may have slowed down..." also.
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
add a comment |
It's poor (or at least very informal). I would prefer something like:
Age has perhaps slowed down...
I'd prefer that over "Age may have slowed down..." also.
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
add a comment |
It's poor (or at least very informal). I would prefer something like:
Age has perhaps slowed down...
I'd prefer that over "Age may have slowed down..." also.
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
It's poor (or at least very informal). I would prefer something like:
Age has perhaps slowed down...
I'd prefer that over "Age may have slowed down..." also.
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
answered May 14 at 14:01
DeliusDelius
713
713
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
It is needed if you wish to phrase the sentence like that. If you want to get rid of the 'be', 'has' must be converted to 'have'.
– Deonyi
May 14 at 13:53
The single-word form maybe is effectively an adverbial element (either modifying the specific verb to slow down, or a "sentence adverb" modifying the entire assertion up to but here). But may is a kind of degenerate "modal" verb itself, so it requires an [unmarked] infinitive verb form, as in The groom may kiss the bride (as opposed to The groom kisses the bride).
– FumbleFingers
May 14 at 14:10
2
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a cross-post of the identical question at ELL.
– Jason Bassford
May 14 at 17:04