Recommendations and opinions

Can

I.

Physical and mental ability

I can eat a roach.

I couldn’t catch the roach alone and asked my grandpa to help me.

My grandpa could eat ten roaches a day when he was young.

Possibility

The roach can run away every moment.

We couldn’t leave without eating a couple of roaches.

Permission (informal)

You can eat that roach, Billy.

The doctor said we could eat as many as we want.

Asking for permission

Can I eat that ginger roach?

I wonder if I could eat it.

Request

Can (could) you give me the sauce, please?

Prohibition

You can’t eat that roach, it’s mine!

II.

Doubt, incredulity (only in negative sentences)

That can’t (couldn’t) be true!

They can’t (couldn’t) be dancing naked in the street.

He can’t (couldn’t) have forgotten to put on his wig.

They can’t (couldn’t) have been dancing naked for three hours.

Surprise (only in interrogative sentences)

Can (could) it be true?

Can (could) they be dancing naked in the street?

Can (could) he have forgotten to put on his wig?

Can (could) they have been dancing naked for three hours?

Reproach

You could have told me you invited lunatics to dinner.

Unrealized past possibility

It was stupid to try to stop Gil – you could have been bitten.

+ Can it be that you don’t like insects?

Can you have failed to catch the roach?

May

I.

Permission

May I have some more blood?

I wonder if I might invite you… for dinner.

Prohibition (only in negative sentences)

You may not go to Transylvania alone.

Miscellaneous

The count said: “You may bring your fiancée with you”

The count said I might bring my fiancée with me.

He was allowed to have a short walk thru the castle that night.

Young men may not go to Transylvania alone.

You must not drink blood!

II.

Possibility of the fact; supposition

It’s cold; it might snow.

We may be buying new coffins soon.

They may not have arrived yet.

2. Reproach (only might in positive statements)

You might at least wash your neck.

You might have been more careful with that wooden steak! Look at that ugly hole in my chest!

+I can’t leave my fiancée here. The count may come soon, and he’s starving.

The brides of Dracula might be drinking her blood right now.

Did you hear that noise? – It may have been a bat.

May is used in certain sentence patterns:

A) in wishes

May all your enemies turn to dust!

May you be happy! (fingers crossed)

B) in different types of clauses

He moved into our neighborhood so that he might reach our children (purpose).

Economize as he might, he could not stay full (concession).

I wish that she might see his grave with her own eyes (object).

c) in set phrase may/might as well

His blood is no good – I might as well drink tomato juice.

Shall we have Jonathan for breakfast? – Ok, might as well.

Must

I.

Obligation (in positive statements and questions)

We must check as many graves as we can.

Must I put these ashes back?

I decided that I must apologize to Mr. Sanford’s relatives.

Prohibition (only in negative sentences)

You mustn’t take the corpse’s golden teeth.

Obligation

In our laboratory guests must wear protecting masks.

You must wear a gown on autopsy.

Recommendations and opinions

You should talk it over with Dr. Jekyll

You should take a rest.

II.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 796