The modal verbs
Автор: yulyavo1 • Октябрь 12, 2020 • Лекция • 7,590 Слов (31 Страниц) • 356 Просмотры
The modal verbs
Can/could, may/might, must, have (got) to, be to, should/ought to, will/would, shall, need, dare
The forms of the infinitive following the modal verbs
the Indefinite Infinitive Active – to do; to ask; to sing
the Indefinite Infinitive Passive – to be done; to be asked; to be sung
the Continuous Infinitive – to be doing; to be asking; to be singing
the Perfect Infinitive Active – to have done; to have asked; to have sung
the Perfect Infinitive Passive – to have been done; to have been asked; to have been sung
the Perfect Continuous Infinitive – to have been doing; to have been asking; to have been singing
The modal verb can/could
Meaning | Forms of the verb | Forms of the Infinitive | Examples | N.B. |
1. Ability, capability | Can – the present tense, Could – the past tense | the Indefinite Infinitive | He can run fast. Could you swim as a child? I can’t translate from Russian into French. | |
2. Possibility due to circumstances | Can – the present tense, Could – the past tense | the Indefinite Infinitive | You can borrow this book from the library. He could buy a decent lunch at that café. | a single accomplished action («смог», «смогла», «смогли») – have been/has been/was/were able to do, managed to do; a future action («смогу», «сможем»)– will be able to do |
3. Permission | Can – the present tense, Could – the past tense or the reported speech | the Indefinite Infinitive | You can go out if you wish. She said I could phone her later. | |
4. Request | Can or could (a polite request) | the Indefinite Infinitive | Can (could) you pass me the salt, please? | |
5. Prohibition | Can’t – the present tense, Couldn’t –the reported speech | the Indefinite Infinitive | You can’t come in, I’m sorry. The doctor said she couldn’t take long walks. | «нельзя» |
6. Unreality | Could | All the 6 forms of the Infinitive | He could help us right now if he were here. I could be enjoying myself somewhere on the beach instead of sitting here and listening to you! He could have stayed in bed for a few days. But he didn’t. | «мог бы», «могла бы», «могли бы» |
7. Uncertainty, doubt, astonishment | Can/could “Could” is more uncertain | All the 6 forms of the Infinitive | Can (could) she be his daughter? Can (could) she be still waiting for us? | «неужели» «Неужели …не»: the present – Is it possible that…?; the past – Can (could) he/she/they have failed to … |
8. Improbability, incredulity | Can’t/couldn’t “Couldn’t” is less categorical | All the 6 forms of the Infinitive | He can’t (couldn’t) be a doctor. She can’t (couldn’t) have said that! He can’t (couldn’t) have been operated on. | «не может быть, что…»; «невероятно, чтобы…» «Не может быть, что … не»: the present – It is hardly possible that…; I don’t believe that… the past –He/she/they can’t (couldn’t) have failed to … |
9. For emotional colouring | Can/could “Could” is more emotional | All the 6 forms of the Infinitive | What can (could) you know of me? What can (could) they be speaking about? | In special questions «И как же…» «И почему же…» «И что же…» |
Set phrases with the verb can/could
- can’t help doing – не могу/может/можем/можешь не …
- couldn’t help doing – не мог/могла/могли не…
- can’t but do – ничего не остается, как …
- couldn’t but do – ничего не оставалось, как…
- can’t possibly do – просто не могу/может/можем/можешь …
- couldn’t possibly do – просто не мог/могла/могли …
Exercise 1. Read, translate and define the meaning of can/could.
- The teacher said we could go home.
- Can I open the window?
- I can’t have failed to inform Nick of the news.
- He could see the clear profile of her face.
- The letter can’t be delivered on time, I’m sorry to say.
- Could they have been invited to that party?
- What could you have told her?!
- He managed to buy the tickets.
- We could have gone for a picnic yesterday, but it was raining all day long!
- You can’t walk on the grass here.
Exercise 2. Open the brackets using the correct form to follow the modal verb. Translate the sentences, define the meaning of can/could.
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