Example sentences of "a [noun] [modal v] have been [adj] " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
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| 1 | It seems most unlikely that the testator had any intention of this sort ; and it is pointless to assert that such a decision would have been impossible in a legacy , since the whole context — a disposition charged on a non-heir — is one in which a legacy could not have functioned . |
| 2 | Nearly all the readings of the printed version are either musically superior to those in the theatre score , or result from octave transposition — necessary at one point to avoid an unplayable bottom B' B♭ occasioned by downward transposition from G to F. ( A change would have been unnecessary had the transposition gone the other way . ) |
| 3 | Such a result may have been unthinkable when the competition began , but the Ukrainian side looked forlornly unmotivated in their 5–0 defeat by Benfica a fortnight ago and must now manage without midfielders Yuri Moroz and Sergei Zaets , plus the defender , Anatoli Bessmertnyi — all suspended . |
| 4 | ‘ Having him for a brother-in-law must have been embarrassing at times . ’ |
| 5 | Of course , just because a rule could have been different does n't mean that you should ignore it . |
| 6 | In Jeremy 's case , given the bad weather and the fact that he was lightly clothed and had left his camping gear at the refuge , such a controller would have been likely to mount a search earlier . |
| 7 | A few months ago , such a campaign would have been unthinkable . |
| 8 | A booking would have been sufficient punishment . |
| 9 | Such a move would have been legitimate if it had offered the possibility of new kinds of experimental tests , perhaps leading to the discovery of some unexpected feature of the earth 's atmosphere . |
| 10 | Gay men and lesbians , unmarried partners , lovers and friends have no right to inherit anything , even though a relationship may have been longstanding and your true wishes generally known . |
| 11 | Not only was the functioning of the library committee curtailed by industrial action — as it was in every school studied but the many attitudinal and motivational effects of the reorganisation of secondary schooling in the area as a whole must have been significant in shaping the perspectives and actions of those taking up the project challenge . |
| 12 | SUCH a scoreline would have been unimaginable this time last year , but Chelmsford 's new-found strengths more than Oxford 's incredible decline engineered this crushing English League win . |
| 13 | These were designed partly to ensure the survival of a minimum level of service provision in rural areas , and , in the face of the continued decline of rural services , such a policy may have been necessary m some locations . |
| 14 | At Oxford United a person occupying such a role would have been one of six or seven boys who were always at the front when conflicts arose with the rival fans . |
| 15 | There are no age or health conditions for widows , for by definition a woman must have been dependent on her husband . |
| 16 | Then occasionally when we had houses broken into and so on , if it was thought that a tramp could have been responsible , it used to be a great help if we gave out nine tickets for tramps and only eight of the nine were admitted to the casual ward , then we should clamp down of course on the one who failed to turn up . |
| 17 | Such a theory might have been tailor-made for the justification of the housebound mother . |
| 18 | Such a theory would have been attractive , however . |
| 19 | And there had been so much coverage , a retrial would have been impossible . |
| 20 | You can tell from the angle , and in any case an adult on his knees blowing through a pipe would have been likely to attract the interest of his neighbours . |
| 21 | In the absence of truly definitive knowledge about Jesus , it seems to us more likely , more probable , more in accord with our experience of humanity , that a man should have been married and tried to regain his rightful throne than that he should have been born of a virgin , walked on water and risen from his grave . |
| 22 | In one fourteenth-century case a surname could have been Penerine , Penerive or even Penerme , and an interesting study on bynames and family names was thwarted . |
| 23 | Instructions of such a length would have been wasteful of storage , so instructions were 20 bits long ( 6 for an operation code , 12 for a store address , and 2 unused ) and held two to a store word , as shown in Figure 1.4 . |
| 24 | ‘ I am not Milanese , ’ he said , his tone implying that such a thing should have been obvious , even to an American . |
| 25 | Mayson was denied his hat-trick by good ‘ keeping and twice Smyth was through , only to go for the unselfish option when perhaps a shot would have been better . |
| 26 | A penalty would have been sufficient punishment . |
| 27 | Dissatisfaction with this highly indirect method of attempting to secure a modus must have been considerable . |
| 28 | Such a wage would have been comparable to or even slightly better than that paid to other craftsmen in the area . |
| 29 | He said : ‘ You 'd already said his calls were being made from callboxes , a tap would have been unlikely to trace him unless he repeatedly used the same box and he 's too bright for that . |
| 30 | There was , in McFarlane 's words , ‘ no cry for solicitation … and if anyone with any gumption could manage without being led or asked , then a contribution would have been welcome . ’ |