Example sentences of "[vb past] what [modal v] " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
|---|---|
| 1 | The ‘ state of war ’ declaration clouded what might otherwise have been a clear-cut case of American aggression and gave the White House the makings of a case under international law . |
| 2 | This was more a psychological war of attrition than a physical threat , but it was on just such an occasion that we used what might be called our only " weapons " — a couple of pairs of plastic , luminous , blood-shot eyes which I had picked up in an American novelty store over Halloween . |
| 3 | I 'm sure none of us noticed what must have been expressions of pure panic on the faces of our two teachers and the several parents who had volunteered to keep their own children and their classmates from certain death by drowning in the pool . |
| 4 | Husband and Miss Milward swapped what might , in that light , have been surprised looks . |
| 5 | Furthermore , he added what would be construed as an ultimatum but couched in the nicest possible terms . |
| 6 | He added what could , with a slight dose of exaggeration , serve as the epitaph of modern Cabinet government : ‘ All we can do is press every button we 've got . |
| 7 | Rune muttered what could only have been a string of invective in his own language as he released his hold on her . |
| 8 | Victoria De Grazia points out that the Italian fascists practised what might be described as ‘ selective totalitarianism ’ , which had little of the ‘ compulsive thoroughness ’ of Nazi Gleichschattung or synchronisation . |
| 9 | I imagined what would happen if I should tear the sleeves out , or cut it up , or run to the kitchen for the tomato-ketchup and pour it all over the bodice ; if I should rip out the collar with my teeth . |
| 10 | ‘ But it could have been a big spider , ’ she said , her tone distraught as she imagined what might have happened . |
| 11 | Guy 's spare , witty style of conversation lifted what would have been a family dinner into a special occasion . |
| 12 | Malcolm stoically prevented what would have been the first Test hat-trick in England since 1960 , but soon became Waqar 's record 22nd wicket of the series , leaving Smith a gallant 84 not out in four hours of great determination , to finish on the high note upon which he started the series , since which there had been much disappointment . |
| 13 | GRAEME RALPH 's quick thinking prevented what could have been a devastating rail crash . |
| 14 | In 1931 came What Shall We Have Today , ( 5s. and in paper covers 35. ) , the most popular of all the Boulestin books , containing a large selection of recipes plus a sample luncheon and dinner menu for each month of the year . |
| 15 | Thus the time spent on securing Kazakhstan turned what might have been a sideshow in central Asia into a major international issue . |
| 16 | He thus turned what could have been a tragedy into a melodrama , i.e. ‘ a sensational dramatic piece with crude appeals to the emotions ’ ( O.E.D. ) . |
| 17 | Considering the walking legs as two limbs of a compound pendulum , one straight , the other jointed , McMahon computed what would happen at various velocities and limb lengths , applying the classical mechanical equations of the early-19th-century mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange . |
| 18 | In the council chamber quite recently one of the Socialists supported the position taken up by the Soviet Government in Russia in a way that showed what would happen here if they got the power in their hands . |
| 19 | The first X-ray showed what might have been a crack . |
| 20 | Pioneers such as Octavia Hill showed what could be done in altering and repairing sub-standard property and in new methods of housing management and rent collection . |
| 21 | As a result , Brunel could argue that killing off the quickie at the end of the decade was a mistake since it was possible to make ‘ really fine , unspectacular pictures ’ , and ‘ we were evolving a technique that showed what could be done when facing fearful odds . ’ |
| 22 | England were soon losing wickets when play began , four going down for 80 ; but then Lamb and Robin Smith , on debut , showed what could be done , and on the Friday morning posted a century partnership and looked good for plenty more . |
| 23 | It showed what could be achieved when the Treasury and the DHSS worked together . |
| 24 | Nigel Lawson showed what could be done with it . |
| 25 | These two models were compared , leading to a third model that showed what could happen once the Act was implemented . |
| 26 | This paper 's remarkable success in increasing sales between 1965 and 1969 not only showed what could be achieved by a powerful sales campaign ( which also brought in advertising at higher rates ) but also indicated that new purchasers of newspapers were not attracted to the party press , whose sales remained relatively stagnant . |
| 27 | Robert Cecil then showed what could be done by raising the profits of wardship from £14,700 in 1597/98 to £22,300 in 1601/02 . |
| 28 | Wallace came on shortly before time and showed what could have been with some fast ground-oriented attacking . |
| 29 | Commenting on the changes , a BR spokeswoman said : ‘ Darlington was a forerunner of similar schemes throughout the country and showed what could be achieved when local authorities got together with British Rail . ’ |
| 30 | He based the latter on his research into Victorian and Edwardian ‘ salon ’ music and showed what can be done by looking into such highways and byways of music when a particular period atmosphere is needed . |