For effective learning English language and its understanding on an intuitive level understanding of the rules of using English modal verbs vital. However, it’s not always easy to figure out all these subtleties on your own, so let’s do it together. And we will begin, perhaps, with the easiest modal verb to understand and master - can.
Verb meaningCAN
We all know how important it is to express in words your ability or ability to do something. For this purpose, in the English language there is a small and cute verb - can. It is with the help of it that you can tell your English-speaking interlocutors about your abilities and skills, and you can also ask permission to do something, make a request or suggestion.
Can or Could
Could is the original past form of the verb can, which is used to express ability in the past, as well as in indirect speech. At the same time, in requests, requests, orders or proposals it is customary to say “could”, this is considered a more polite form of address. On the other hand, when you ask for permission or permission, the correct way to say it is can.
Let's look at examples.
In the sense of being able to -ability (opportunity).
He can speak English very well - He can speak English very well.
When he was five he couldn’t swim, but he could rollerblade - When he was five years old, he couldn’t swim, but he knew how to rollerblade (past tense).
She said she could do it - She said she can do it.
In the meaning of permission (permission) –permission
You can take a break after you do this exercise - You can take a break after you do this exercise.
Can I use you laptop? Can (you) allow me to use your laptop? - Yes, you can.
Can I ask you something? — Could I ask you something?
Can I help you? - Can I help you?
Request, suggestion– request,offer
Could I have some more coffee, please? — Can I have some more coffee?
Could you do me a favor? – Can I ask you a favor?
I could do this for you - I can do this for you (sentence meaning - let me do this for you).
Possibility in the sense of "maybe" -possibility
It could rain today. - It might rain today.
This can’t be true - This cannot be true.
It should also be noted that in negative and interrogative sentences, in combination with the perfect infinitive, can and could express the impossibility, improbability that an action could happen and are translated into Russian as unlikely, hardly, cannot be.
For example:
You couldn't have doneit. – I can’t believe you did it (You couldn’t do it).
She can’t have learned English so quickly. “It’s unlikely that she could have learned English so quickly.”
A hypothetical possibility in the sense of “could” is onlycould
We could get there on time if only you’re going faster – If you walked faster, we could arrive on time.
These are, perhaps, all the rules for using the modal verb can and its brother could, which are not at all difficult to learn. But finally, we will reveal one more nuance to you.
These verbs also have another form - be able to. This form can be used in all tenses - present, past and future. But to a greater extent, beableto is necessary to express all those possibilities that we described above in the future tense and tenses of the Perfect group.
For example:
He won’t be able to come today - He won’t be able to come today.
He has not been able to do what are you asked - He did not have the opportunity (he could not, was not able) to do what you asked.
Can is the simplest and easiest of the English modal verbs and you will surely master it with ease after reading our article.
Modal verb can is one of the most used modal verbs in the English language. It has the meaning of ability or ability, both physical and mental. It can be used to express a request, permission or prohibition, and probability or improbability.
For example:
I can ride a horse.
I I can ride a horse. ( Expresses ability.)
We can stay with my brother when we are in Paris.
When we are in Paris, we Can stay with my brother. ( Expresses possibility.)
She cannot stay out after 10 pm.
She can not walk after 10 pm. (Expresses prohibition.)
Can you hand me the stapler?
Not can can you pass me the stapler? ( Expresses a request.)
Any child can grow up to be president.
Any child Maybe grow up and become president. ( Expresses probability.)
Using the modal verb can in the present, past and future tenses
In most cases, the use of modal verbs in the past and future tenses is different from other verbs. The table below shows use of a modal verb can in different situations.
| Usage | Affirmative forms 1. Real 2. Past 3. Future |
Negative forms 1. Real 2. Past 3. Future |
Synonyms |
| can in the sense of ability in general |
1. I can speak Chinese. I I can to speak Chinese. 2. Changes to " could" 3. Changes to " be able to" |
1. I can"t speak Swahili. I I do not know how speak Swahili. 2. Changes to " could" 3. Changes to " be able to" |
be able to |
| can in the sense of ability during any specific time, event |
1. With a burst of adrenaline, people can pick up cars. During an adrenaline rush, a person Maybe lift the car. 2. Changes to " be able to" 3. Changes to " be able to" |
1. Even with a burst of adrenaline, people can"t pick up something that heavy. Even during an adrenaline rush, people can not lift such heavy things. 2. Changes to " could" 3. Changes to " be able to" |
be able to |
| can in the sense of possibility |
1. I have some free time. I can help her now. I have some free time now I Can help her. 2. Changes to " be able to" 3. I"ll have some free time tomorrow. I can help her then. |
1. I don't have any time. I can"t help her now. I don't have any time. Now I I can not help her. 2. Changes to " be able to" 3. I won't have any time later. I can"t help her then. |
be able to |
| can in the meaning of permission, permission |
1. I can I Can(= me Can 2. Changes to " be allowed to" 3. I can |
1. I can"t drive Susan's car when she is out of town. I I can not(= me it is forbidden) drive Susan's car while she's out of town. 2. Changes to " be allowed to" 3. I can"t drive Susan's car while she is out of town next week. |
be allowed to, may |
| can in the meaning of a request |
Can I have a glass of water? Can Should I have a glass of water? Can
|
Can't I have a glass of water? Should I it is forbidden glass of water? Can't do you give me a lift to school? Requests usually relate to the near future. |
could, may |
| can in the sense of probability or non-probability |
Anyone can become rich and famous if they know the right people. Any Maybe to become rich and famous if he has acquaintances for this. Learning a language can be a real challenge.
|
It can"t cost more than a dollar or two. Can't be for it to cost more than a couple of dollars. You can"t be 45! I thought you were about 18 years old. Usually a generalization or assumption. |
could |
Sometimes verb can can be used in a negative and interrogative form to express a small, doubtful probability, as well as annoyance and bewilderment, as, for example, in the last two sentences of the above table (It can"t cost more than a dollar or two. and You can"t be 45! I thought you were about 18 years old.)
For example:
Can he have gone?
Really he left? (= Can't be so that he leaves.)
In the same cases, modal can be used verb could, For example:
She can"t (= couldn't) have said it.
She I could not to say this. (= Can't be for her to say it.)
Also verbs can And could can be used with verbs of feeling and perception ( see, smell, taste, understand, feel, hear etc.) to give a hint of effort in performing an action, expressed semantic verb. When translated into Russian, the modal meaning is not emphasized.
For example:
Can you see that house?
See this house?
Can you hear that strange noise?
You do you hear this strange noise?
The verb can belongs to a group of verbs that have certain features.
In this article I will tell you: how this group of verbs differs from the rest, in what cases we use can, consider past form this verb and learn how to build all types of sentences with it.
Features of the use of verbs expressing the speaker’s attitude
Can belongs to a group of verbs that express the speaker's personal attitude. For example: opportunity, desire, duty, necessity, readiness.
Such verbs have a number of features that distinguish them from other verbs in the English language:
1. They are independent verbs.
With them you do not need to use do, does, did, will, etc. to ask a question or construct a negation. Not is added to them (in negation). And in questions they are placed first in the sentence.
He does not can fly.
He can't fly.
He cannot fly.
He can't fly.
Does he can fly?
Can he fly?
Can he fly?
Can he fly?
2. The particle to is never placed after such verbs.
He can't fly.
He can fly.
He canfly.
He can fly.
3. These verbs do not change their ending depending on actor
He can't fly.
He can fly.
He can fly.
He can fly.
Use of the verb can in English
The verb can is translated as “I can.” We use it when we talk about the present tense.
The verb can is used in the following situations:
1. When we talk about mental or physical ability
(I can swim, I can solve an equation)
I can dance.
I Can dance.
Tony can run fast.
Tony Maybe run fast.
2. When we ask permission to do something or ask about a request
(can I open the window, can I ask a question)
Can I look at this document?
Can should I take a look at this document?
Can she bring me coffee?
Maybe will she bring me coffee?
3. When we talk about the possibility of doing something
(I can help you, I can bring it)
4. When we talk about the likelihood that something will happen
(he might be late, it might be hard)
The verb can is in the past tense
The verb can has the past tense form could, which translates as “could”.
Could is used in the following situations:
1. To express the possibility or ability to do something in the past.
(could have tried, could have played all day as a child)
I could help.
I could help.
He could speak French.
He could To speak French.
Pay attention e: Could is used in another meaning that has nothing to do with the past tense. It is used:
2. To ask permission or express a request in a more polite manner than with can.
(could you close the window, could you bring me some water)
Could are we sitting?
Could should we sit down?
Could did you call Tom?
Could would you call Tom?
Could can you help me?
Could would you help me?
This form is very actively used when traveling when you ask strangers tell you something or help you.
Affirmative sentences with the verb can/could
Affirmative sentences - when we affirm something, that is, we say that someone can/could do something.
The verb can is independent on its own, so it does not require other auxiliary verbs. Also remember that it does not change in any way depending on the character. The sentence formation scheme will be like this:
The one in question + can/could + action
| I | ||
| You | ||
| We | dance | |
| They | can/could | swim |
| She | cook | |
| He | ||
| It |
You can invite other people.
You can invite other people.
He could kiss her.
He could kiss her.
Negative sentences with the verb can/could
Using this verb in negative sentence, we say that someone is doing something can't/couldn't. In this case we add to can negative particle not. Sentence formation scheme:
The one in question + can/could + not + action
| I | |||
| You | |||
| We | dance | ||
| They | can/could | not | swim |
| She | cook | ||
| He | |||
| It |
Note: Can c particle not are written in one word, that is, we do not put a space between them: cannot.
She cannot stop crying.
She can not stop crying.
I could not go to the cinema.
I couldn't go to the cinema.
Abbreviations:
When negated, we can use the following abbreviations:
can + not = can’t
could + not = couldn’t
I can’
t answer your question.
I I can not answer your question.
She couldn't’
t leave a lesson.
She I could not leave the lesson.
Interrogative sentences with the verb can/could
To ask someone if they can do something, we need to be able to build interrogative sentences. To ask the question can we put it first. Sentence formation scheme:
Can/could + the person in question + action?
| I | ||
| you | ||
| we | dance? | |
| Can/could | they | cook? |
| she | swim? | |
| he | ||
| it |
Can are we talking?
Can shall we talk?
Could do you explain this rule?
Could could you explain this rule to me?
When answering, you can use can/cannot:
Yes, I can.
Yes I can.
No, I cannot.
No I can not.
As well as other expressions suitable in meaning. For example:
Of course.
Certainly.
Sure.
Certainly.
I think so.
I think yes.
I doubt it.
I doubt.
I'm afraid not.
I'm afraid not.
Interrogative sentences with clarifying words
To clarify any information we are interested in, we can use the following words when we ask the question:
- What - what
- Where - where
- Who - who
- Which - which
- Why - why
- When - when
To construct a question with these words, we put them in first place, the rest of the word order remains as in a regular question. Scheme for forming such a question:
Clarifying words + can/could + the person in question + action?
| I | |||
| you | |||
| What | we | write? | |
| Where | can/could | they | cook? |
| When | she | dance? | |
| he | |||
| it |
When can you call me?
When can you call me?
What could I tell him?
What could I tell him?
So, today we got acquainted with the verb can, which has certain features in its use. If you still have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments. Now is the time to move on to practice.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English language. Leave your answers in the comments below the article, and I will answer them.
1. Can you remind me to take an umbrella? Yes I can.
2. He could have warned you.
3. They cannot swim across this river.
4. Could you wait? Yes, I could wait.
5. She couldn't speak English.
6. Can your friends turn off the music? No, they can't turn off the music.
7. He can drive a car.
8. Can she sing a song?