Modal verbs expressing Possibility, Permission, Probability (Can, May, Could, Might).

Physical and mental ability.He can read a little French.CAN

This meaning may also be expressed by to be able.The phrase can be used in all tense-forms if necessary. If the time reference is not clear from the context or if it is necessary to stress that the action refers to the future, shall/will be ableis used. e.g. He will be able to write to us from Portugal. The form could may be used in past-time. e.g. Could the boy read before he went to school?

The form could may also be used in present-time contexts in combination with the simple infinitive to express unreality with reference to the present or future. e.g. "I don't want my daughter to be a typist." "Why not? She could besecretary to some interesting man."

Possibility It’s used to say that events and situations are theoretically possible (without talking about chances of them actually happening). Anybody can make a mistake, we’re all human.

In past-time contexts the form could is used. It is followed by the simple infinitive in this case. e.g. You couldsee the forest through the other window before the new block of houses was erected.

Can also denotes possibility due to circumstances, or existing rules and regulations. He is so busy. We can hardly count on him.

If an event is possible at the moment of speaking or in the future MAY, MIGHT and COULD are used (not CAN). You may be right. We might go to the mountains in a week.

Permission, asking for permission (informal)

Can I take your umbrella? – Yes, you can take my umbrella. The form could is found in reported speech (i.e. in accordance with the rules of the sequence of tenses). e.g. He said that I could use his car.

Request (informal) Can (could – more polite) you come closer, please? ProhibitionYou can’t see her now, she is busy.

CAN + Indefinite/Perfect/Continuous/Perf.Cont. Infinitive may express the following meaning:

1/doubt, incredibility: That can’t (couldn’t) be true. They can’t be watching TV so late. He can’t have forgotten about the appointment. They can’t have been swimming in the open sea for three hours.

2/surprise (only in interrogative sen-ces) Can it be true? Can they be watching TV so late?

3/reproach You could have told me you invited people to dinner.

4/Unrealised past possibilityShe could have explained the mystery.

The Russian negative questions of the type Неужели…не…? correspond to a) English complex sen-ces: Can it be that you don’t know this news? b) Sentences with negative words: Can you have failed to find this place?

1) PermissionMay I have come more tea? – Yes, of course, you may.MAY

2) Prohibition (only in negative sen-ces)You may not go there alone.

3) Present or future possibility (may/might + Indef.inf.):

• I may go to London tomorrow, (a 50% chance) •I might go to London tomorrow, (a 30% chance)

4) Typical occurrences (may + Indef. inf.):

• The flowers may have five or six petals: colour may range from pink to dark red.

• After having a baby, a woman may_ suffer from depression for several months.

5) Supposition (may/might; all forms of the inf.):

• Polly's very late; she may have missed her train.

6) Unrealised (undesirable) past possibility: a danger that was avoided (might+Perf. inf.):

• You might have slipped and injured yourself.

7) Similarity or likeness (might): • From the back she might have been Miss America.( ~ можно принять за...) •I might be ugly (~ можно подумать, что...)

MAY and MIGHT can be used with different kinds of the Infinitive to talk about the possibility that events will happen in the future (Indef. Inf.), are happening now (Indef./Contin. Infin.), or happened in the past (Perfect/Perfect Cont. Infin.). The time reference depends on the form of the Infinitive, while MAY and MIGHT indicate different degrees of certainty. MIGHT conveys a less degree of certainty than may.

Did you hear that noise? – It may have been a bird / The secretary might be typing this letter right now.

MAY can also be used in certain sentence patterns:

a)in wishes (especially in formal style): May you be happy! b)in different types of clauses: I wish that she might see this place with her own eyes (object). She moved into our neigbourhood so that her son might attend this magnet school (purpose). c)in set phrase may/might (just) as well: The play is no good – we might as well go home.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1151