Then came the modal system (can, could, may, might—degrees of possibility, not politeness). The voice system (active vs. passive—not just style, but focus ). The article system (a/an, the, zero article—a logic based on shared knowledge). And the preposition system (not random, but spatial, temporal, or abstract mapping).
“Good question,” Marta said. She drew two columns on the board: and Unreal . “When we talk about facts or likely things, we use real grammar. When we talk about wishes, hypotheses, or things contrary to fact, English shifts into a different system. ‘Were’ is the signpost for unreal.” Then came the modal system (can, could, may,
“Exactly,” Marta said. “Everything in English grammar is a pattern. We just have to see the systems.” The article system (a/an, the, zero article—a logic
The next morning, she returned to class. The engineer asked again, “I wish I were rich?” She drew two columns on the board: and Unreal
She wrote: I wish I were rich. (I am not rich.) If I were you… (I am not you.)
When it arrived, the cover was faded, the spine creased. She opened to the introduction and read: “Most grammar books for teachers present rules. This book presents systems.”