8/13/2019 Seminar 4 LEC

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Seminar nr. 4 Modal verbs: CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGH

May, might = formal

permission

Can = informal permission

Can = request Could = more polite and tentative

request

May not = negative answer,hardly ever used, considered

rude.

May + present infinitive= possibility in the

future

might + present infinitive= possibility in the

future, greater doubt

May/might + perfect infinitive= speculations

about the past actions

Might = obligatory when the verb in the main

clause is in the past tense

May not = prohibition; synonym of must not May/might used in conditional clauses to

e!press a possible result

To be allowed to/ to be permitted toreplace mayto e!press permission when

specific time references require tenses

that modal maydoes not have

May present, futureMight conditional, reported speech

"o be allowed / permitted to can be

con#ugated in the present, past, future,present perfect etc.

I. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# can, could, cant, couldnt: $. % ... carry this suitcase anymore. %t&stoo heavy. '. ... we stop for a minute( ). "om ... read and write when he was only five. *.

e ... be in the street now; it&s pouring. . -ou ... have done such a thing. % don&t believe you.. ... you show me the way to the railway station please( . 0he ... have helped me, but she

said she hadn&t got enough time. 1. "om ... spea2 three languages fluently.

II. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# cant/couldnt + present infinitiveorperfect infinitive"o e&'ress

ded()"ion3 $. Mother says that the meat ... 4be5 good after so many days. Mother said that themeat ... 4be5 good since all of them have fallen ill. '. % feel that he ... 4do5 it without any help.). -ou ... 4be5 thirsty. -ou&ve #ust had two glasses of water. *. "hey ... 4be5 here already; the

train only arrived half an hour ago. . %t ... 4be5 her husband who answered the phone. e&sbeen in 6ienna for a year. . e ... 4brea25 the window of the study. e was at school all day.

. e ... 4be5 away. % saw him this morning. 1. e ... 4win5 the competition. e hadn&t entered

it.

III. Underline can/coulde&'ressin* 'ermission %i"# one line and can/coulde&'ressin*

'ossibili"+ %i"# "%o lines3 $. -ou can s2i in the 7omanian mountains from 8ctober on. '.

8n 0undays the students could stay in bed till nine. ). -ou could bathe here in summer. *.

Can you lend me your typewriter for a wee2( . %&m afraid you can&t stay any longer. . 8necouldn&t cross the street. "hey were ta2ing pictures in front of the concert hall. . "hat child

can be very naughty sometimes. 1. %t can rain quite often in 0cotland.

I. !ill in "#e blan$s, (sin* can-or 'resen", could-or 'as", and shall/will be able to-or

-("(re a)"ions3 $. ... you ride a bicycle yet( 9o, but % ... ride one by this time ne!t year. '.

:hen he was younger, he ... swim li2e a fish. ). 8nly when the fog lifted, ... we see where wewere. *. :e ... get out if you don&t loo2 for the 2ey. . ... you type( -es, % ... type but % ... do

shorthand. . :hen he has passed his driving test, he ... start driving his car. . %&m sure thatat the end of this month he will be sent an enormous telephone bill, which he ... pay.

4negative5 1. ... you play football( % ... when % was at school, but % ... now.

. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# couldor be able to3 $. :hen the coach plunged into the river,only the driver ... get out. '. e was as strong as a horse; he ... wor2 all day and dance all

Can/could + present infinitive = permission Can/could + not + present infinitive =

prohibition

Can/could + present infinitive = present / past

ability

Can/could + not + present infinitive = lac2 of

ability

Can/could + perfect infinitive = past unused

ability; sometimes with a shade of reproach

Can/could + present infinitive = negative

present deduction

Can/could + perfect infinitive = negative

deduction about the past

Could = past ability :as/:ere able to = past achievement

8/13/2019 Seminar 4 LEC

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night. ). % ... mumble a few ungarian words. *. 0he ... reach the shore before she collapsed.

. % ... type when % was si!teen. . ... you wal2 after the accident or did they have to carryyou( . lthough a long way from the door, they ... get out very quic2ly. 1. "he man as2ed

me the way, but as he ... only spea2 %talian, % ... help him.

I. ransla"e "#e -ollo%in* sen"en)es in"o n*lis#3 $. 9n?elege ce ofcea s se poarte astfel. 0