Учебно-методическое пособие для студентов гуманитарных специальностей вузов Втрех частях (стр. 2 из 41)

- Modals have no infinitives or participles. It is impossible to say: *to may, *canning or *musted.

E x e r c i s e s

1. Read the following dialogue. Find the modal verbs in it, comment on their meaning, peculiarities of use, and fill in the chart arranging them from possibility to necessity.

Possibility

Ability

Probability

Obligation

Necessity

John and Anastasia meet on the way home from work.

John:		– Hello, Anastasia. Are you going to Uncle Ari’s party next Thursday?
Anastasia:			– I may go, but I’m still not sure.
J.:	– Does that mean that you’re not planning to go?
A.:	– I didn’t say that. I said that there is a possibility that I might not go. It’s still doubtful.
J.:	– Why don’t you know for sure?
A.:	– Well, I can come only if I get the night off from work.
J.:	– I really think that you should try to attend. We all have an obligation to be there. After all, Uncle Ari is the head of the family, and he will expect everyone to come. Remember, he is arriving from Athens and is bringing our newly married cousins, Christine and Theodore. There will be a large dinner. Most of the food will come from Uncle George’s restaurant.
A.:	– That sounds great, but I’m having trouble getting the evening off from work. What would you do in my place?
J.:	– In that case, I would try to get someone to replace me.
A.:	– I never thought of doing that. Perhaps I could convince my friend Barbara to switch with me.
J.:	– Oh, you really should try. In fact, you must be there. We won’t have a good time without you.
A.:	– Thanks, John. You’ve made me realize that I must come.

Unit 2 Can/Could

The modal verb can has two forms: can for the Present Indefinite Tense and could for the Past Indefinite Tense. The equivalent expression to be able to supplies all the missing forms of the verb can:

I can explain it.

I could explain it.

I don’t think I’ll be able to explain it when I see her.

Can expresses ability or capability, possibility, incredulity or doubt.

§ 1 Can/could to express ability or capability

Can is used to talk about general ability or capability in present and past (could) in active and passive structures: I can read a little English. George could play the piano when he was a boy. Gold can be found in these mountains.

To express the meaning of ability or capability can is often found with verbs of perception (receiving information through the eyes, ears, etc.) hear, see, smell, etc.: I can hear music. I could smell something burning, or cognitive verbs understand, follow, remember: I can’t/don’t understand what Edwin is talking about. It does not always add very much to the meaning and in this case can is not rendered in Russian: Я слышу музыку. Я не понимаю, о чем говорит Эдвин.

NOTE: The expression to be able to is also used to express ability or capability in present, future, and past but it is a little more formal and less usual than can: Frank is good at computers. He can write/is able to write programs.

Moreover, was/were able to is used to say that ability or opportunity resulted in a particular action, to say that somebody ‘managed to do’, ‘succeeded in doing’ something on one occasion: She was able to translate the article without my help. = She managed to do it.

Compare these two sentences:

The children could swim when they were quite young (a past ability).

The children were able to swim across the river (a past action).

To be able to is also used in the following structures:

· to-infinitive: It’s nice to go. – It’s nice to be able to go to the Theatre.

· after a modal verb: George might be able to help us.

· in the Present Perfect Tense: Dorothy has been able to translate that article and I’m proud of her.

Could + Perfect Infinitive is used to talk about unrealized past ability or to criticize people for not doing things: You could have helped me. (But you didn’t help.) (Russ.: Ты бы мог мне помочь) You could have told me you were leaving. (But you didn’t tell.) (Russ.: Ты мог бы мне сказать, что ты уезжаешь.)

§ 2 Can/could to express possibility, choices and

opportunities

Can/could may be used to talk about possibility:

a) theoretical possibility: It can be quite cold here in summer. In this sense could suggests a less definite possibility: It could rain later this evening.

b) possibility due to existing laws: People can marry here when they are eighteen.

c) possibility due to circumstances or to choices and opportunities: You can have the book when I have finished it. There are several ways out. You can go to the police, you can visit a lawyer or you can forget all about that. What shall we do tomorrow? – Well, we could go fishing.

Can/could expressing possibility is used only with the Indefinite Infinitive.

Russian constructions могло (бы) быть и хуже, могло (бы) быть и лучше expressing possibility or impossibility with comparative adjectives are rendered in English by could and Indefinite Infinitive: The situation couldn’t be worse. It could be better.

Can is not found to talk about future probability – the chances that something will happen: may/might express this idea. (See Unit 3)

§ 3 Can/could to express uncertainty, doubt,

astonishment and improbability

1. Can/could also convey the meaning of uncertainty, doubt, and astonishment (these meanings are closely connected).

Could is used to imply more uncertainty: Could it be time?

They are used in combination with different forms of the Infinitive and are found only in interrogative sentences (general questions): Can he really be ill? Can it be true? Can she be singing in the next room? Sentences of this kind are often emotionally coloured, and in Russian this construction is rendered as: Неужели? Неужели это правда? Неужели он болен? и т.д.

NOTE:

· Can/could + Perfect Infinitive (or Perfect Continuous Infinitive) are used to refer the action to the past: Can he have told a lie? Could she have been waiting for us so long?

2. Can/could are also used to talk about improbability and are found only in negative sentences (all forms of the Infinitive are possible): It can’t be true. She can’t be singing in the next room.

NOTE: Can’t + Perfect Infinitive is used to refer the action to the past: He can’t have told a lie! Couldn’t is also used in this meaning to make the statement less categorical: She couldn’t have told a lie! In Russian it is rendered as: Не может быть, чтобы… Вряд ли это так…

§ 4 Can/could to express permission, requests,

and offers

1. Can and could are used to:

· ask for permission and requests. Can I use your pen? Can I possibly sit here?

· give permission: You can wait in my office.

· refuse permission: You cannot stay out late!

Note: Could is more polite and formal than can: Could I borrow your book? Do you think I could use your office?

To be allowed to is used to say that the permission resulted in a particular action, something that really happened. I was allowed to leave work early yesterday. We were allowed to enter the showing room when we looked around the station.

2. Can and could are also found to offer to do things for people, could makes the offer more polite: Can I help you? Could I help you?

§ 5 Can/could in set phrases

Learn the following set phrases with can/could:

· Can’t help doing means that you can’t stop yourself doing it, something makes you, even though you are being careful not to: She is a naughty girl but I can’t help admiring her. Its rendered as: не могу не делать чего-то).

· Can’t but/can’t help but + Infinitive without to show the same meaning: I can’t but ask him about. I couldn’t but refuse her. It’s rendered in Russian as: не могу удержаться от…. or ничего другого не остается, как…

· Can’t stand/Can’t bear doing something say that you dislike or hate doing something: She can’t bear being alone. It is rendered in Russian as: терпеть не могу…

E x e r c i s e s

1. Comment on the meaning and the form of the modal verb can. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1) You can see the sea from our bedroom window. (Can is used with a verb of perception expressing ability.)

2) I’m afraid I can’t come to your party next Friday.

3) You could join her much later if she wants you to go on the yacht.

4) I wish he could have a pony on his own.

5) It can’t be true!

6) I can’t help laughing.

7) Where’s Miss Laura? She came out right after me. Where can she be?

8) How could she have been so cold, so cruel to this adorable creature?

9) I could always stay up as a child.

10) Could I pick some roses as well?

11) Could you stop the car, please, for a moment?

2. Read the situations and write what you would say.

1) You’ve got a pound note but you need some change. You ask somebody to help you. Can you change a pound/Could you change a pound?

2) You want to borrow your friend’s camera: What do you say to him/her?

3) You have a car and you want to give somebody a lift. What do you say?

4) You have to go to the airport but you don’t know how to get there. You ask a passer-by.

5) You are telephoning the owner of a flat which was advertised in a newspaper. You are interested in the flat and you want to come and see it today. (Do you think I…?)

6) You want to leave work early because you have some important things to do. What do you ask your boss? (Do you think I…?)

7) You want to invite someone to come and stay with you for the weekend.

8) The person in the next room has some music on very loud. How do you ask him politely to turn it down? (Do you think you…?)

9) You have to carry some heavy boxes upstairs. Ask someone to help you.

10) You want your friend to show you how to change the film in your camera. What do you say to him/her?

3. Complete these sentences using the modal verbs can/could or to be able to. Sometimes it is possible to use either; sometimes only to be able to is possible.

1) George has travelled a lot. He can or is able to speak four languages.

2) Tom … drive but he hasn’t got a car.

3) I can’t understand Oscar, I’ve never … understand him.

4) He was very strong; he … ski all day and dance all night.

5) The car plunged into the river. The driver … get out but the passengers were drowned.

6) When you have taken your degree you … put letters after your name?

7) Don’t try to look at all the pictures in the gallery. Otherwise when you get home you … remember any of them.

8) Ask Ann about your problems. She should … help you.

9) I was a long way from the stage. I … see all right but I … hear very well.

10) I just seem to know nobody who I … ring and say I just feel awful and I haven’t a penny.

11) We … borrow umbrellas; so we didn’t get wet.

12) … you walk or did they have to carry you?

4. Arrange each of the following comments using the modal verb can’t into 6 groups according to their basic meaning. (One group will have five comments, the others two each). Think of your own examples.

I can’t believe it.	I can’t work it out.
I can’t take it in.	I can’t bear it.
I can’t understand it.	I can’t cope.
I can’t manage.	I can’t take it.
I can’t help it.	I can’t put it out of my mind.
I can’t get over it.	I can’t stand it.
I can’t stop myself.	I can’t face it.
I can’t put up with it.

5. Fill in the gaps using the modal verbs can/could or to be able to plus a notional verb.