may/will be ready

English translation: will be ready

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:may/will be ready
Selected answer:will be ready
Entered by: Rosario Liberto

15:43 May 24, 2023
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Linguistics / how to choose the best modal verb
English term or phrase: may/will be ready
I would like to know which modal verb is the best according to the context below :

First, you have to look for trusted websites to choose your next tourist destination and find out more about it. Now, based on your tastes, you are/will/may be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.
Rosario Liberto
Italy
Local time: 01:49
will be ready
Explanation:
'Now, based on your tastes, you are/will/may be ready'

As the sentence starts with 'Now', I think 'you are ready' is the best option. If the sentence started with 'Then', I would write ''you will be ready'.

'You may be ready' means the same as 'you might be ready'; i.e. you will possibly be ready.

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Note added at 1 hr (2023-05-24 17:35:41 GMT)
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I've just realised that I wrote 'you will be ready' in the answer box. I meant to write 'Now, ...you are ready' or 'Then, ...you will be ready'.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2023-05-24 19:24:57 GMT)
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Option 1.
Now, based on your tastes, you are ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.

Option 2.
Then, based on your tastes, you will (you'll) be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.

I'm sorry I didn't make it clear. When we're giving instructions, we often start with 'First/First of all...', which is followed by 'then...'.

'First you have to look for websites and now you're ready to explore' sounds strange to my ears.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2023-05-24 19:28:19 GMT)
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'First of all, search for websites..., then you'll be ready to explore'.

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Note added at 19 hrs (2023-05-25 10:59:40 GMT)
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Hi, Rosario. I’ll try and explain my answer more clearly.

The second sentence: ‘Now, based on your tastes, you are/will/may be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.’ starts with the word ‘Now’, so ‘you are ready’ is the best option.

However, if you change ‘Now’ and start the sentence with ‘Then’, (which I think sounds better), the best option is ‘you will be ready’. The result would be ‘Then, based on your tastes, you will (you’ll) be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.

Do you understand now?


If you don’t change that to ‘Then’, ‘you

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Note added at 19 hrs (2023-05-25 11:02:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry about the incomplete sentence at the end of my answer but I’m writing on my mobile.
Selected response from:

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Local time: 01:49
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3will be ready
Helena Chavarria
5you are ready
Issam Aissi
4 -2May
Leonard Ferdianto


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
you are ready


Explanation:
,

Issam Aissi
Morocco
Local time: 00:49
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Although 'are' is certainly possible, it wouldn't be my first choice here (given the other shortcomings of the text as it stands). It would fit if it were within a narrative where the change of tense is used for stylistic effect.
1 hr

neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: Agree with Tony
14 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
May


Explanation:
In the given context, the modal verb "may" is the most suitable option. Here's the revised sentence:

"First, you have to look for trusted websites to choose your next tourist destination and find out more about it. Now, based on your tastes, you may be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food, and have great fun."

The use of "may" implies that based on the individual's tastes and preferences, there is a possibility or likelihood that they are ready to explore a city, enjoy good food, and have fun. It leaves room for flexibility and acknowledges that the decision ultimately depends on the person's preferences and choices.

Leonard Ferdianto
Indonesia
Local time: 06:49
Does not meet criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Indonesian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Tony M: The use of 'may' here would express a degree of doubt, which is clearly at odds with the otherwise affirmative nature of the surrounding text.
47 mins

disagree  Yvonne Gallagher: 'May' would be wrong here, implying research won't be of much use
13 hrs
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
will be ready


Explanation:
'Now, based on your tastes, you are/will/may be ready'

As the sentence starts with 'Now', I think 'you are ready' is the best option. If the sentence started with 'Then', I would write ''you will be ready'.

'You may be ready' means the same as 'you might be ready'; i.e. you will possibly be ready.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2023-05-24 17:35:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've just realised that I wrote 'you will be ready' in the answer box. I meant to write 'Now, ...you are ready' or 'Then, ...you will be ready'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2023-05-24 19:24:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Option 1.
Now, based on your tastes, you are ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.

Option 2.
Then, based on your tastes, you will (you'll) be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.

I'm sorry I didn't make it clear. When we're giving instructions, we often start with 'First/First of all...', which is followed by 'then...'.

'First you have to look for websites and now you're ready to explore' sounds strange to my ears.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2023-05-24 19:28:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

'First of all, search for websites..., then you'll be ready to explore'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2023-05-25 10:59:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi, Rosario. I’ll try and explain my answer more clearly.

The second sentence: ‘Now, based on your tastes, you are/will/may be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.’ starts with the word ‘Now’, so ‘you are ready’ is the best option.

However, if you change ‘Now’ and start the sentence with ‘Then’, (which I think sounds better), the best option is ‘you will be ready’. The result would be ‘Then, based on your tastes, you will (you’ll) be ready to explore a nice city, enjoy good food and have great fun.

Do you understand now?


If you don’t change that to ‘Then’, ‘you

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2023-05-25 11:02:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry about the incomplete sentence at the end of my answer but I’m writing on my mobile.

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Local time: 01:49
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Helena, sorry but I still don't understand which one between ' are ready ' and ' will be ready ' is the best choice as it seems that you have chosen ' are ready '.

Asker: That's very strange because from all of your preferences, the results show that the best choice is ' will be ready ' (see 4+3 will be ready). Therefore, I still don't understand why you are still talking about ' are ready '. Is ' will be ready or ' are ready ' the best choice ? Would you please make it as clear as possible?

Asker: Thanks a lot all of you !

Asker: Yes, I understand now. Thanks a lot Helena.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paul Ryan: I agree to the narrow choice of modal but the thing as a whole is extremely uniodiomatic
9 mins
  -> Yes, but that's a different matter. Thank you, Paul :-)

agree  Tony M: Yes, 'may' would be out of place here, and 'are' somewhat changes the tone, but could be used.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Tony :-)

agree  Yvonne Gallagher: Then you'll be ready, (after doing your research); now you're OK, no to "may"
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Yvonne :-)
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