How to parse. ...

118

AUXILIARY VERBS. [Par. 175-178.

"He did help me, but he could not (was not able to)
help me much."
175 May, might (i), "to be allowed;" "to have
power."
(1) "I may (i.e. am allowed to) play now, because I
have finished my work."
(2) " Wlen I was a boy I miqht (i.e. was allowed to)
always play after I had worked three hours."
(3) " My father says that I may (i.e. am allowed to)
go out."
(4) "My father said that I might (i.e. was allowed
to) go out."
(5) "You might (i.e. had the power to) have helped
me, but you would not."
176 lIay, might (ii), "to be possible."
(1) "He says that he may possibly come, but he
does not feel certain; " i.e. " his coming is possible."
(2) "He said that he might come, but that he did
not feel certain;" i.e. " his coming was possible."
177 Shall, should (i), "to be obliged; to be bound."
(1) " You should (i.e. were, and are, bound to) control
your temper."
(2) " You should not (i.e. were bound not to) have
been so hasty."
178 Shall, should (ii), " to be going."
(1) " John says that he shall 1 (is going to) help me."
(2) "John said that he should (was going to) help
me."
1 There is no rudeness in "shall" here, because John is here
avowing his own fixed intention. You do not use "shall" about
John: John uses it about himself.