Die folgenden Verben werden verwendet, um eine Schlussfolgerung oder eine Vermutung auszudrücken.
Verb
Beispiel
must
You must be insane to jump off a moving train.
should / ought to
He should be here in five minutes. / She ought to have bought the cabbage.
can
This can only be Pete driving like a maniac in our backyard.
could
They could be still at work or they could be in the bar next door.
may
She may have left already, but I can't tell for sure.
might
This might be the wrong way we are going.
will
It is seven o'clock, he will be arriving at New York just now.
Die Sicherheit über die Richtigkeit der Vermutung ist wieder größer, wenn kein Konjunktiv verwendet wird. Mit einem Konjunktiv kann die Unsicherheit der Aussage unterstrichen werden. Andere Satzteile können das noch verstärken (maybe, possibly, it's likely, it is certain, I'm sure, if I'am right etc.). Außerdem können auch wieder andere Konstruktionen herangezogen werden.
Verb
Beispiel
to assume
I assume they are at the theatre.
to presume
He presumed that she was at the hairdresser's
to guess
She guessed we were at the bar next door.
maybe
Maybe he went to the shop to get some milk.
possibly
They possibly got lost on the way to here.
if I'm right
She didn't go to school, if I'm right (if my feeling is right etc.)
if I'm not mistaken
If I am not mistaken, I would say that he has broken a leg.
