Modal verbs I.

Mgr. Žaneta Janečková

Anglický jazyk

Inovace výuky na Gymnáziu Otrokovice formou DUMůCZ.1.07/1.5.00/34.0488

CAN• ability in the present

e.g. I can speak two foreign languages.

• instead of can we can use be able to

e.g. I´m able to speak two foreign languages.

COULD• ability in the past, especially with the verbs hear,

see, smell, taste, feel, remember, understand

e.g. When I got into the flat, I could smell burning.

• general ability or permission to do something

e.g. When I was twenty, I could speak two foreign languages.

e.g. I was completely free, I could do whatever I wanted.

• to talk about ability in a particular situation we use was able to or managed to

e.g. At first he didn´t want to come with me but I was able to persuade him.

• negative couldn´t is possible in all situations

e.g. I tried hard but I couldn´t persuade him.

e.g. When I was ten, I couldn´t speak a foreign language.

• Can – present form (can)

- past form (could)

- in other forms we have to use be able to

e.g. He hasn´t been able to sleep very well recently.

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Possibility, suggestions• to make suggestions in the present or future,

we can use CAN or COULD

e.g. Where shall we go tonight? We can go to the disco. We could go to the disco. (= you´re less

sure about that)• when you don´t really mean what you say, we

use could e.g. I hate you. I could kill you.

• to talk about possible situations or actions in the present or future, we use COULD

e.g. Your mobile is ringing. It could be Paul.

• to talk about possible situations and actions in the past, we use COULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

e.g. The holiday wasn´t bad but it could have been better.

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CONCLUSIONS

• MUST

- positive conclusion , you are sure something is true

- present and future reference

e.g You have been studying hard. You must pass the exam.

e.g. It can´t be true. You must be joking.

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• CAN´T - negative conclusion, you´re sure it is

impossible - present and future reference

e.g. She has never met him. She can´t know him.

• MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE - past reference e.g. He wasn´t at work yesterday. He must

have been ill.

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• CAN´T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (COULDN´T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE)

- past reference

e.g. He was at work yesterday. He can´t have been on holiday. ( He couldn´t have been on holiday.)

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Použité zdroje

• DOOLEY, Jenny a Virginia EVANS. Grammarway 3. Newbury: Express Publishing, 1999. 1st ed. ISBN 978-1-842-16-367-2. .

• MURPHY, Raymond. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994. 2nd ed. ISBN 0521 43680 X.

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