Infinito Present simple Past simple Present perfect Future simple

Can Could can Abilità,

can not Could not possibilità
Can’t Couldn’t (can 90%,
(at the could 50%),
moment) permesso
(can è più
informale di
could)
To be able to Am/is/are able Was/were able Have/Has been Will be able to Abilità
(forma base)= to to able to (in the future)
essere in grado
di
May may not could May/might Possibilità
(non contrarre) (may 30%,
might 15%),
/might Permesso
(may è più
informale di
might)

Abilità, Possibilità, Permesso

Modale + forma base (verbo senza to)

CAN

COULD < POSSIBILITà (possibilità)

>>> formalità (permesso)

MAY

MIGHT

Abilità CAN:

abilità in generale I can speak Italian.

Contesto particolare I can help him if he wants

COULD:
Hai potuto nel passato ex. hai potuto osservare QUALCOSA CHE SI è VERIFICATO (non ti
dice quando)
 I could see what you were doing.

Abilità nel Could:

passato (when I was a child, però non ti dice il giorno)
When I was a child, I could sleep twelve hours without interruption.

Be able to:
(tempo specifico: yesterday/data)
Yesterday they were able to reach the mount Everest.
Possibilità Should I take un umbrella? (dovrei prendere l’ombrello?)

It can rain. Take it! (prendilo) 90%

It could rain. You should (dovresti). 50%

It may rain. Maybe (forse) 30%

It might rain. You can avoid (puoi evitare) 15%

Permesso Can I call you? (posso chiamarti?)
Could I go there? (potrei andare lì?)
May I borrow this? (potrei (+ educato di could) prenderlo in prestito?)

QUANDO RISPONDI NO COULD O CAN O MAY

Perifrasi abilità
Could I could run fast when I was younger. (sapevo correro velocemente quando ero più
piccolo)
Manage to + forma base She managed to pass her exam yesterday. (è riuscita l’esame ieri)
Succeed in + verbo+ forma in ing  She didn’t succeed in landing a spaceship on the moon. (non
è riuscita a far atterrare la navicella sulla luna)
Be able to I was able to stop my car before I hit the wall. (sono stato in grado di fermare la mia
macchina prima si scontrasse con il muro)

Modals of deduction
Present tense Affirmative Negative
She is hungry. She isn’t hungry. 100%
She must be hungry. She can’t be hungry. 95%
(deve aver fame) Must + forma base
Can’t+ forma base
(forma negativa di
must, no must
not si usa per gli
obblighi)
She may be hungry. She may not be hungry. Meno del 50%

She might be hungry. She might not be hungry.

She could be hungry. Non si usa in questo contesto

Past tense Affirmative Negative
She was hungry. She was not hungry. 100%
She must have been She can’t/couldn’t have been 95%
hungry. hungry.

Modale (must) + have + Modale (can)+ not+ have+

terza colonna (been) terza Colonna (been)

She may have been She may not have been Meno del 50%
hungry. hungry.

She might have been She might not have been

hungry. hungry.

She could have been Non si usa in questo contesto

hungry.

Modals of obligation, necessity and advice

Must Have to
I must study more (io mi sono mi sono imposto The teacher said (ha detto) I have to study
 che…) IO LO IMPONGO more (l’insegnante l’ha imposto) IMPOSTO DA
ALTRI
Must not Don’t have to
You must not park here. (DIVIETO) You don’t have to park here, it’s very far. (NON
C’è LA NECESSITà)
Must Should (ought to più formale)
dovresticonsiglio
You must take the medicine. (più sentito) DEVI You should take the medicine.
prendere la medicina DOVRESTI prendere la medicina

Need
Verbo modale (esserci la necessità) (è necessario o no)
 Need + forma base
domande
Need he shout like that? (hai la necessità di urlare così?)

negativa needn’t + forma base

You needn’t worry. (non c’è bisogno che ti preoccupi)

Verbo normale (avere bisogno di) (c’è una necessità o una mancanza di necessità)
 Need to + forma base

Do we need to hand the work for tomorrow?

I don’t need to change the washing machine.
She needs to see the doctor.

I need coffee She needs coffee

I needed to study…