Seminar nr.

4 Modal verbs: CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGH May, infinitive might = permission = formal Can = informal Can/could + present Can/could + notpermission + present infinitive = permission prohibition Can = request = +more polite infinitive and tentative Can/could + present infinitive = present / past Could Can/could not + present = lac2 of request ability ability May not = negative answer, Can/could + perfect infinitive = past unused hardly ever used, considered ability; sometimes with a shade of reproach rude. infinitive = negative Can/could + present Can/could + perfect infinitive = negative May + present infinitive= possibility in the might + present infinitive= possibility in the present deduction deduction about the past future future, greater doubt Could = past ability :as/:ere able to = past achievement May/might + perfect infinitive= speculations Might = obligatory when the verb in the main about the past actions 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 to May present, future replace may to e!press permission when Might conditional, reported speech specific time references require tenses "o be allowed / permitted to can be that modal may does not have con#ugated in the present, past, future, present perfect etc. I. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# can, could, cant, couldnt: $. % ... carry this suitcase anymore. %t&s too heavy. '. ... we stop for a minute( ). "om ... read and write when he was only five. *. +e ... be in the street now; it&s pouring. ,. -ou ... have done such a thing. % don&t believe you. .. ... you show me the way to the railway station please( /. 0he ... have helped me, but she said she hadn&t got enough time. 1. "om ... spea2 three languages fluently. II. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# cant/couldnt + present infinitive or perfect infinitive "o e&'ress ded()"ion3 $. Mother says that the meat ... 4be5 good after so many days. Mother said that the meat ... 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&s been 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/could e&'ressin* 'ermission %i"# one line and can/could e&'ressin* 'ossibili"+ %i"# "%o lines3 $. -ou can s2i in the 7omanian mountains from 8ctober on. '. 8n 0undays the students could stay in bed till nine. ). -ou could bathe here in summer. *. Can you lend me your typewriter for a wee2( ,. %&m afraid you can&t stay any longer. .. 8ne couldn&t cross the street. "hey were ta2ing pictures in front of the concert hall. /. "hat child can be very naughty sometimes. 1. %t can rain quite often in 0cotland. I,. !ill in "#e blan$s, (sin* can -or 'resen", could -or 'as", and shall/will be able to -or -("(re a)"ions3 $. ... you ride a bicycle yet( 9o, but % ... ride one by this time ne!t year. '. :hen he was younger, he ... swim li2e a fish. ). 8nly when the fog lifted, ... we see where we were. *. :e ... get out if you don&t loo2 for the 2ey. ,. ... you type( -es, % ... type but % ... do shorthand. .. :hen he has passed his driving test, he ... start driving his car. /. %&m sure that at the end of this month he will be sent an enormous telephone bill, which he ... pay. 4negative5 1. ... you play football( % ... when % was at school, but % ... now. ,. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# could or 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

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 carry you( /. ;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 $. 9<am putut niciodat= >n?elege ce o f=cea s= se poarte astfel. 0<ar fi putut c=s=tori cu oricine ar fi vrut. '. @utem fuma aici( ). 0<ar putea s= nu fiu prea deAtept, dar Atiu ce vreau. *. Mi<ai f=cut un mare serviciu. Btiam c= m= pot >ncrede >n tine. ,. M= gCndesc s<ar fi putut s=<?i spun= ceva despre noua lui slu#b=. .. 9u face nimic, amice. 0e poate >ntCmpla oricui. /. D posibil ca aceast= b=trCn= s= fie Eouise( 9u putea s= se fi schimbat >ntr<atCtF 1. @ot s= m= uit pu?in la c=r?i( G. ;m s= pot pleca la munte de >ndat= ce voi termina e!amenele. $H. 9<am mai v=Iut<o pe ;na >n ultima vreme. 0<ar putea s= fie plecat= din oraA. $$. Jan nu putea scrie aceast= compoIi?ie. Cred c= e a Mariei. $'. 9u te culca >nc=. Da s<ar putea s= vin= cu trenul de noapte. $). 9iciodat= n<ar fi putut s= ghiceasc= de ce ;lice era sup=rat= pe ea, dac= nu i<ar fi spus Mary. $*. 9<am Atiut c= pot s= fumeI aici. $,. 9u<mi vine s= cred. ;cesta s= fie fratele t=u( $.. Jup= ce a tCrguit timp de trei ore, dna Krown a reuAit >n sfCrAit s= g=seasc= ce c=uta o pereche de m=nuAi albe. ,II. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# can, may, could e&'ressin* 'ermission3 $. ... % borrow your car on 0unday( %&m afraid you ... '. +e ... leave till five o&cloc2. %t was settled before. ). Dach student ... ta2e only one boo2 home. *. ... you wait till ne!t wee2( -es, of course % ... ,. :e were told that on 0undays we ... stay in bed till nine. .. ... % borrow your pen( -es, you ... /. -ou ... par2 here. Eoo2 at the L9o @ar2ingM sign. 1. +e ... smo2e now, the children have left the room. ,III. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# may/might: $. % ... have been asleep when you arrived; % didn&t hear the bell ring. '. Nather said that it ... rain later. ). -ou ... not bring dictionaries into the e!amination room. *. %f we wave to him, he ... give us a lift. ,. %t ... be raining, you&d better ta2e your umbrella. .. ... % borrow your umbrella( /. % can&t find the meat. "he cat ... have stolen it. 1. % was afraid they ... be too late to catch the train. I/. !ill in "#e blan$s %i"# may/might or to be allowed to/to be permitted to in "#e re0(ired "ense3 $. +e as2ed us if he ... ma2e some suggestions. '. ;fter the new year three had been decorated, the children ... go into the hall. ). +e ... #oin the yacht club as soon as he is through with his last e!am. *. "he teacher said that everybody ... ta2e part in the discussion. ,. Dverybody ... ta2e part in the discussion. .. +e ... go his own way if he li2es. /. 9o sooner ... the children .... leave the room, than they started a game on the playground. 1. 8n a train passenger ... smo2e only in smo2ing compartments.