MODAL VERBS
Modal verbs are used to show the speaker’s attitude towards the action or state indicated by the infinitive, i.e. they show that the action indicated by the infinitive is considered as possible, impossible, probable, improbable, advisable, necessary, obligatory, uncertain or doubtful, etc. The modal verbs are: can (could), may (might), must, shall, will, should, would, ought to. Dare, need, have to + Infinitive,be to + Infinitive and used to+ Infinitive also share some of the features of modal verbs.
Modal verbs are called defective because:
1) all of them (except dare, need and used to) lack verbals (the infinitive, gerund, participles), analytical forms (compound tenses: perfect, continuous) and forms of the Imperative mood, the Passive voice.
2) they don’t take the suffix –s in the third person Singular.
3) all modal verbs (except ought to, used to and sometimes dare and need) are followed by the infinitive without particle to.
4) all of them (except dare and need) need no auxiliaries to form questions and negative forms.
All modal verbs have two negative forms – a full form and a contracted one.
E.g. should not – shouldn’t need not – needn’t dare not – daren’t
The modal verbs can, may, shall, will have two tense forms of the Indicative mood: present and past.
can – could may – might shall – should will – would
The forms could, might, should, would may also denote an unreal action.
Most modal verbs are used in three modal meanings: the concrete, the imperative and the suppositional.
Exercise 156. Change the following affirmative statements into questions.
Model. He can go. – Can he go?
They could have found it. – Could they have found it?
1. We can solve the puzzle.
2. He might be leaving for work now.
3. They can explain what happened.
4. I must leave at four o’clock.
5. They could have been waiting for the bus.
6. I shall go out now.
7. We should be making the arrangements.
8. You will have finished the book.
9. She would like to know the answer.
10. You should have called him.
Exercise 157. Transform the sentences using the Sequence of Tenses, change the modal auxiliaries accordingly.
Model. She says she can do it. – She said she could do it.
Do you believe they will manage it? – Did you believe they would manage it?
1. Jane says she must leave.
2. He says he may go.
3. They know we will help them.
4. I think we can finish on time.
5. He assumes we can reach our destination by dawn.
6. Do you hope they will keep in touch?
7. I think I shall succeed.
8. We believe he will be there.
9. I suppose he must be at home.
10. Does he not realize we may meet him there?
Modal Verbs due to the degree of certainty
Uncertainty
might
may
could
can
should
ought to
would
will
must
Certainty
Exercise 158. Translate the sentences into Russian and mind the difference in the degree of certainty expressed by modal verbs.
1. It might be George. It’s most unlikely though – it’s too early for him to come.
2. It may be George. I’m not sure, but I guess it’s him.
3. It could be George. I’d hesitate to guess, but he is free today, so it could be him.
4. It can be George. I’m almost certain.
5. It should be George. It’s about time he came.
6. It ought to be George. Doesn’t he have any idea that we are waiting for him?
7. It would be George. Finally! We’ve been waiting long enough.
8. It will be George. He’s right on time.
9. It must be George. Come on, let’s go.
Exercise 159. Retell the story using Modals.
The Crow and her Children.
A crow said to her children: “It’s time you learned to look for your own food, it is needed.” With that she turned the whole lot of them out of their nest and took them into the fields.
But the crow’s children didn’t like the idea. “We’d rather go back to our nest”, they cried. “It’s so comfortable to have you bringing our food to us.” “I dare say!”, said the mother. “But you’re big enough to feed yourselves. I was turned out of the nest when I was much younger, I can tell you that!”
“But people can kill us with their guns,” said the young crows. “No fear of that!” replied their mother. “People can’t shoot without taking aim, and that takes time. When you see them raising their guns to their faces, ready to shoot, you must fly away.”
“We might do that,” said the children, “but if someone were to throw a stone at us he wouldn’t have to take aim.”
“Well, you’ll see him stooping down to pick up the stone.” said the mother.
“But supposing he carries a stone in his hand ready?” “Why, if you are sharp enough to think of that,” said the mother, “You are clever enough to take care of yourselves.” And with that she flew away and left them.
CAN
The modal verb can has two forms: can for the Present Tense and could for the Past Tense. The modal expression be able to which has the same meaning can be used to supply the missing forms of the verb can.
The modal verb can may be used in the concrete, imperative and suppositional modal meanings.
1. In the concrete meaning the verb can is used to express mental or physical ability and circumstantial ability (possibility due to circumstances or due to existing laws).
- physical or mental ability
E.g. Shecan translate this article easily. He is very strong, he can swim half a mile without getting tired. When she was eight, she couldn't read well. John couldn't fight his elder brother. I hope I'll be able to type after several lessons. In spite of her age Janeis able to dance well.
- circumstantial ability ( possibility due to circumstances)
E.g. Youcan take any bus to get there. Shecouldn't visit us as she was ill.
- circumstantial ability ( possibility due to existing laws)
E.g. They couldn't get married as she was only seventeen. You can get medical treatment here free of charge as you are a resident here.
2. The imperative meaning of the verb can is used to express permission (asking for permission), request (could makes the request more polite) and prohibition.
- asking for permission
E.g.Can westay here for another night?
E.g.Can we waithere?
- prohibition
E.g. No, you can't waithere – it is against regulations.
- permission
E.g.Youcan stay here as long as you'd like to.
- request
E.g.Could you do me a favour?
E.g.Can youtell me the time, please?
3. Can in the suppositional meaning is used to express doubt, incredulity and astonishment. When expressing strong doubt about the present, the verb can (could) is used with the non-perfect infinitive. To express strong doubt about the past the perfect infinitive of the notional verb should be used after can (could).
- strong doubt about the present.
E.g. Can (could) heknow about it? (Неужели он знает об этом?)
He can’t (couldn’t) know the language quite well. (Не может быть, чтобы он знал язык так хорошо.)
- strong doubt about the past.
E.g. Can (could) hehave solved the problem in such a way? (Неужели он решил эту проблему таким образом?)Hecan’t (couldn’t) have liked the place.(Не может быть, чтобы ему там понравилось.)
Exercise 160. Read and comment on the meaning of the modal verb can. Translate the sentences into Russian.
1. “I want her to know that if the worst comes to the worst she can count on me. That’s what I want you to tell her.” (Maugham). 2. If we can’t as we would, we must do as we can (Proverb). 3. On a sudden the police rushed in and everyone who could made for the door (Maugham). 4. Somehow I could not get into my story end after trying once or twice I had to give it up; I started from the very beginning in the usual way, and made up my mind I could only tell what I know of Strickland’s life in the order in which I learnt the facts (Maugham). 5. The operation showed that little could be done (G. Gordon). 6. She had only to convince that his future couldn’t be happy without John (Galsworthy). 7. Some day, when my daughter is married and my son has a wife and is able to take my place on the island, we shall go back and finish our days in the old house in which I was born (Maugham) 8. It gave me a sudden wrench of the heart-strings. I could have killed Strickland then and I knew that my voice was trembling when I bade the nurse good-bye (Maugham). 9 I could have wished that Strickland had used some other phrase to indicate his refusal (Maugham). 10. I wish I could say that I recognized at once their beauty and their great originality (Maugham). 11. But frankly I was so taken aback that I lost my head; I accepted the offer before I was able to collect myself (Maugham). 12. They had told her that the doctor could not be disturbed (Maugham). 13. He can’t be more than thirty, dear (Swinnerton). 14. I could not, and would not, believe that she was becoming interested in me. That could not be (Dreiser). 15. I can’t be the only man who walks along this street and wants a cigarette (Maugham). 16. He was the first to break the silence. “You don’t happen to be devil by any chance?” – “I could have asked you the same question”, I replied. 17. After she had gone he got to thinking the matter over and wondered what could have happened. It seemed rather odd that he should be wondering over it (Dreiser). 18. “Just supposing,” she said, “people could live on an island like that (Dreiser). 19. “She ventures to trouble herself about my affairs, does she? I wonder people can’t mind their own business without interfering with mine.” 20. “And I’m not married because I have never been able to make up my mind just what to do about it. (Dreiser). 21. Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book (Enerson). 22. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies (O. Wilde).
Exercise 161. Answer the questions using your Active Grammar.
1. Could you speak English when you were 10?
2. Will a person be able to speak English perfectly well after studying it for a year?
3. Who can picture the excitement of an applicant at the entrance examinations best of all?
4. Can you make an effort not to show that you are nervous at the exams?
5. Can you give advice how to avoid feeling nervous at the exam?
6. How can you practise English best of all?
7. How can you achieve good results in studying a language?
8. Can you get to the University by bus?
9. Will a person be able to drive a car well after a month of practice?
10. Can you get to the country by metro?
11. Can you cook well?
12. Can you act as if you liked the present even though you didn’t?
13. Will you be able to find a job after you graduate?
Exercise 162. Read the proverbs. Find Russian equivalents. Illustrate them with a situation.
1. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
2. You can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink.
3. What is done cannot be undone.
4. A man can die but once.
Exercise 163. Read the jokes. State the meaning of the modal verb can.
***
- I can see you are a married man now.
- How?
- Because you have no buttons off your coat.
- Yes, that’s the first thing my wife did. She taught me how to sew them on.
***
- More than 5,000 elephants go each year to make our piano keys.
- Really? Well, it’s remarkable what those beasts can be trained to do.
***
A lady is calling the pediatrician: Please come quick. My boy has swallowed a fountain pen.
Pediatrician: I can come only in an hour.
Lady: What can I do in the meantime?
Pediatrician: Use a pencil.
***
Some people were gathered on the verandah after dinner. A young lady asked: “Can you name five days of the week without mentioning Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday?”
Nobody could guess. At last the young lady said: “It is very easy. Here are the five days: today, yesterday, the day before yesterday, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.”
***
After a car accident. Woman driver: But I insist it was my fault.
Man driver: No, my dear, the fault was entirely mine. I could tell your car was being driven by a woman at least 300 feet away and I could easily have driven away into the field and avoided this.
***
A man, who was not very good at driving, especially at parking, damaged one of the cars.
When he wrote to the insurance company about the accident, they sent him a form to fill in describing it, and one of the questions on the form was, “How could the driver of the other car have prevented the accident from happening?”
The man thought for a minute and then wrote, “He could have parked the car on another street.”
Exercise 164. Read the poem and state the function of the modal verb can.
The wind
I can get through a doormat without any key,
And strip the leaves from the great oak tree.
I can drive storm-clouds and shake tall trees,
Or steal through a garden and not wake the flowers.
Seas I can move and ships I can sink;
I can carry a house-top or the scent of a pink.
When I am angry I can rave and riot;
And when I am spent, I lie quiet as quiet.
James Reeves
Exercise 165. Can/Could you do these this things? Do you think you’ll be able to?
Model. drive
Possible answers: - I can’t drive, I don’t want to learn.
- I can’t drive, but I’ll be able to drive in a year.
- I can drive, I enjoy driving.
- I could drive well a couple years ago, but now that I’m out of practice, I don’t think I can.
- I couldn’t drive last year, but now I can.
cook dive play volleyball
dance snowboard play chess
type sew take pictures
speak Japanese knit draw
Exercise 166. Read the passage given below. Mind the use of the modal verb can. Imagine you have supernatural powers. What can/could you do?
… Miss Honey I do honestly feel I could move almost anything in the world, not just tipping over glasses and little things like that ... I feel I could topple tables and chairs, Miss Honey ... Even when people are sitting in the chairs I think I could push them over, and bigger things too, much bigger things than chairs and tables . . . I only have to take a moment to get my eyes strong and then I can push it out, this strongness, at anything at all so long as I am staring at it hard enough .. . I have to stare at it very hard, Miss Honey, very very hard, and then I can feel it all happening behind my eyes, and my eyes get hot just as though they were burning but I don’t mind that in the least, and Miss Honey ...
(From “Matilda” by Roald Dahl)
Exercise 167. Fill in the gaps with could/was able to.
1. She … find the house easily as she had been there before.
2. Michael … the top shelf as he was the tallest.
3. I … find this book only with her assistance.
4. In spite of the rain he … win the race.
5. Granny … take care of herself until she was 84.
6. She … take this responsibility as it was part of her job.
7. Though it was quite dark, she … find her way.
8. Cathy … walk three miles without feeling tired.
Exercise 168. Fill in the gaps with can/could/be able to.
I want to take up a course of English.
I often speak English at work. I’d like to take up a course of English to make progress in it. I … not find the course with flexible schedule until I found this school. There I was told I … choose any time that would suit me.
I … not make up my mind whether to attend Upper Intermediate or Advanced level course. Tomorrow I’ll … have an evaluation test, which will enable me to find the right group to study with. They don’t charge for the evaluation test. I also learned that I … pay either cash or credit card. Well, theoretically, I … pay for the whole year, but I’ll wait and see.
When I get the Certificate of Completion, I … use it to get benefits. I … be sure that this course will do me good. If I’m not satisfied with the quality of teaching, the money … be refunded within 2 weeks, except for the classes I’ll have taken. I’m looking forward to the beginning of the classes. I’ll … practise my English any way!
Exercise 169. Choose Can you or Could you according to the situation.
Model. To your friend, if you need some help. - Can you help me?
1. To your roommate after the party. – Vera, ___ dispose the garbage, while I’m cleaning the room?
2. To the police officer if you can’t find a car park. – ___ tell me where the nearest car park is?
3. To your Professor, if you can’t understand the new rule. – ___ explain the rule once again?
4. To the stranger at the Karaoke bar, if it’s your turn to sing. – ___ pass me the microphone?
5. To you friend, if you want him to come to your place. – ___ come over?
Exercise 170. Mind that there are very polite ways to ask for permission or to request:
| Do you think I could Could I possibly I was wondering if I could | use your phone? |
Use these forms in the following situations:
1. You want your Dad to give you the car for the weekend.
2. You ask your neighbour to buy you some bread.
3. You need a day off badly and you ask your boss.
4. You want to have an appointment with the Dean.
5. You are interested in the book the person sitting next to you is reading.
Exercise 171. Make a list of rules and regulations (10 items) using can, can’t. Options: