USING THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TO EXPRESS FUTURE TIME
a) Don is going to come to the party tomorrow night.
b) Don is coming to the party tomorrow night.
Sometimes the present progressive is used to express future time (a and b have the same meaning).
The present progressive is used to express future time when the sentence concerns a definite plan, a definite intention, a definite future activity.
Verbs such as come, go, stay, arrive, leave are frequently used in the present progressive to express future time. Such verbs express definite plans.
c) A: You shouldn’t buy that used car. It’s in terrible condition. It costs too much. You don’t have enough money. You’ll have to get insurance and you can’t afford the insurance. Buying that used car is a crazy idea.
B: I am buying that used car tomorrow morning! Nobody – not you, not my mother, not my father – can stop me. I’m buying that car, and that’s it! I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
A: Oh, well, it’s your money.
Verbs expressing planned means of transportation in the future are frequently used in the present progressive: for example, fly, walk, ride, drive, take (a bus, a taxi, etc.)
Sometimes a speaker will use the present progressive when he or she wants to make a very strong statement about a future activity.
Exercise 12. Practice using the present progressive to express future time by completing the dialogues. Use the words in the list or your own words.
call make
come meet
drive stay
fly take
go
1. A: What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?
B: I am going downtown. I’m going shopping. How about you? What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?
A: I ________ to a movie with Tom. After the movie we __________ out to
dinner. Would you like to come with us?
B: No thanks. I can’t. I ________ Alice at 6:30 at the new seafood restaurant on
Fifth Street.
2. A: I ________ on vacation tomorrow.
B: Where ________ you _________ ?
A: To San Francisco.
B: How are you getting there? ________ you ______________or _________ your car?
A: I __________ . I have to be at the airport by 7 tomorrow morning.
B: Do you need a ride to the airport?
A: No thanks. I _______ a taxi. Are you planning to go someplace over vacation?
B: No. I _______ here.
3. A: What courses _________ you ___________ this semester?
B: I ________ English, biology, maths, and psychology.
A: What courses ______ you ________ next semester?
B: I ________ English literature, chemistry, calculus and history.
4. A: My sister and her husband __________ over to my house for dinner tomorrow night. It’s my sister’s birthday so I _______ a special birthday dinner for her. I__________ her favorite food: roast beef and mashed potatoes.
B: ________ anyone else _______ over for the birthday dinner?
A: Yes, Dick and Ann Walker.
5. A: I think I will call a doctor. You have a fever, chills, and a stomach-ache.
B: No, don’t call the doctor. I’ll be okay.
A: I’m worried. I _______ the doctor! And that’s it!
Exercise 13. Complete the sentences with prepositions.
1. I borrowed this dictionary _______ Pedro.
2. Could you please help me ________ these heavy suitcases?
3. Sue, I’d like to introduce you ______ Ed Jones.
4. You shouldn’t stare _____ other people. It’s not polite.
5. Marco Polo traveled ________ China in the 13th century.
6. Do you believe ______ ghosts?
7. Are you laughing _______ my mistake?
8. I admire my father _______ his honesty and intelligence.
9. I argued _______ Jack _______ politics.
10. I discussed my educational plans _________ my parents.
11. I applied _______ the University of Virginia. I applied _______ admission to the University of Virginia.
12. Jack applied _________ a job at the automobile factory.
CHAPTER 4
MODAL AUXILIARIES
MODAL AUXILIARIES: INTRODUCTION
Can a) I can speak English
Could b) He couldn’t come to class
May c) It may rain tomorrow
Might d) It might rain tomorrow
Should e) Mary should study harder
Had better f) I had better study tonight
Must g) John must see the doctor
today
Will h) I will be in class
tomorrow
Would i) Would you please close
the door?
Can, could, may, might, should, had better, must, will and would are followed by the simple form of the verb.
They are not followed by to:
CORRECT: I can speak English
INCORRECT: I can to speak English
Have to j) I have to study tonight
Ought to k) You ought to study hard
Have, ought are followed by an infinitive (to + the simple form of the verb)
Exercise 1: add to where necessary.
1. I have ______ go downtown tomorrow.
2. Tom can ______ play soccer.
3. Could you please ______ open the windows?
4. The students must ______ learn all of irregular verbs.
5. Sally has _____ do her homework tonight.
6. I think you should ________ take better care of your health.
7. I ought _____ go to the post office this afternoon.
8. Would you ______ speak more slowly please?
9. We may _____ go on a picnic tomorrow.
10. Tom and I might _______ go to the zoo tomorrow.
11. You had better _______ see a doctor.
12. We can _______ go shopping tomorrow.
13. The students have ______ take a test next Friday.
14. I have got ______ go to the post office this afternoon.
Exercise 2: use could
1. What could you do when you were a child that you can’t do now?
2. What could you do when you were living in your own country or hometown that you can’t do now?
3. What did you want to do yesterday or last week but couldn’t do? Why couldn’t you do it?
4. Who has missed class recently? What couldn’t you do when you were sick?
5. Who has had a cold or the flu recently? What couldn’t you do when you were sick?
Exercise 3: For each of the given situations write two sentences: a) using can, and b) using can’t.
1. Jack’s friends are going to the park to play soccer. Jack wants to play too, but he has a broken toe, so he’s on the crutches.
a) Jack can go to the park and watch the game.
b) He can’t play the game.
2. Bob is going to a dinner party at a fancy restaurant. He doesn’t know what to wear.
a) __________________________________________________________
b) __________________________________________________________
3. Mary is at a department store. She has fifty dollars. She intends to spend all of it. She wants to buy the following things: a dress, a sweater, a pair of shoes, a pair of earrings.
a) __________________________________________________________
b) __________________________________________________________
4. Barbara has to go to the airport. The airport is ten miles from her house. How is she going to get there?
a) _____________________________________________
b) _____________________________________________
5. Alice lives in this city. She has four days to take a trip somewhere. She is going to drive her car. Where can she go?
a) _____________________________________________________
b) ______________________________________________________
6. The temperature today is around -20 degrees. Ann and Jerry don’t have class today. They don’t want to stay at home.
a) ____________________________________________________
b) ____________________________________________________
4-1 EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY: MAY AND MIGHT ; EXPRESSING PERMISSION: MAY AND CAN. ASKING FOR PEMISSION: MAY I, COULD I, CAN I
a) It may rain tomorrow.
b) It might rain tomorrow.
c) A: Why isn’t John in class?
B: I don’t know. He may (might) be sick today.
May and might express possibility in the present or future. They have the same meaning between a) and b).
d) It may not rain tomorrow.
e) It might not rain tomorrow.
Negative: may not and might not.
f) Maybe it will rain tomorrow.
g) Maybe John is sick.
Maybe is an adverb meaning perhaps.
h) Yes, children, you may have a cookie after dinner.
i) Okay, kids, you can have a cookie after dinner.
May is also used to give permission.
Often can is used to give permission, too. But may is more formal than can.
POLITE QUESTIONS
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
May I please borrow your book?
Could I please borrow your car?
Can I please borrow your pen?
Yes.
Yes, of course.
Yes, certainly.
Of course.
Certainly.
Sure (informal)
Okay (informal)
People use may I, could I and can I to ask polite questions. The questions ask for someone’s permission.
Please can come at the end of the question. Please can be omitted.
Exercise 4: Following are some phone conversations. Complete the dialogues. Use may I, could I, can I.
Help
Leave
Speak/talk
Take
1. A: Hello?
B: Hello. Is Dick here?
A: Yes, he is.
B: _______ to him?
A: Just a minute. I’ll get him.
2. A: Hello. Dean Black’s office.
B: ________ to Dean Black?
A: May I ask who is calling?
B: Susan Abbott.
A: Just a moment, Ms. Abbott. I’ll connect you.
3. A: Hello?
B: Hi. This is Bob. __________ to Steve?
A: Sure. Hang on.
4. A: Good afternoon. Dr. Anderson’s office. _________ you?
B: Yes. I’d like to make an appointment with Dr. Anderson.
A: Fine. Is Friday morning at ten all right?
B: Yes. Thank you.
A: Your name?
5. A: Hello?
B: Hello. _____________to Mary?
A: She isn’t at home right now. ________ a message?