Modal verbs
Modal verbs do not denote actions or states. They only show the attitude of the speaker towards the action expressed by the infinitive. Modal verbs usually show that the action, state, process, or quality is viewed by the speaker as possible, obligatory, doubtful, certain, permissible, advisable, requested, prohibited, ordered, etc.
There are 12 modal verbs in English. They are: can, may, must, should ought, shall, will, would, need, dare, to be, to have (to have got). The latter two are modal only in one of their meanings.
Ten of them except “to be” and “to have” are called defective. It means that:
1) they do not take =s;
2) they have no verbals (a verb form that functions both as a verb and as another lexical category);
3) they have (except for can and may) only one form and no past tense;
4) they are followed (except for ought) by a bare infinitive;
5) they need no auxiliary to build up the interrogative and negative forms.
Can / could
Model |
Meaning |
Peculiarities |
Example |
Translation |
can + Simple Infinitive |
Physical and mental ability or capacity |
“to be able to” for the future |
Mary can speak English quite well but she can’t write it at all I couldn’t understand him when he spoke very fast Soon he will be able to speak English quite fluently. |
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Possibility |
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a) possibility due to circumstances |
Anybody can make a mistake. |
Ошибаться может каждый. |
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b) possibility due to the existing rules of laws |
In old days a man could be sentenced to death for a small crime. |
В старые времена можно было приговорить человека к смерти за небольшое преступление. |
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c) possibility of the idea “theoretical” possibility
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The railways can be improved. |
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d) impossibility (in questions) |
Can this be true? |
Неужели это правда? |
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e) possibility (in statements) |
This can’t be true. |
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Permission |
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Can we go home, Miss? |
Можно идти домой, мисс? |
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Prohibition (in negative) |
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You can’t cross the street here. You can’t touch the exhibits in a museum |
Здесь нельзя переходить улицу.
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Request (in questions) |
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Can you hold on a minute, please? Could you come again tomorrow? |
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Can + any form of the infinitive |
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Strong doubt, improbability, incredulity |
cannot + perfect infinitive, continuous infinitive, or be
could - greater doubt |
He can’t be working at this time He can’t have seen it He can’t be there.
He can’t / couldn’t be so old. |
He может быть, чтобы он работал сейчас. He может быть, чтобы он видел это. He может быть, чтобы он был там. He может быть, что он так стар. |
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Surprise |
can/could is used in questions |
Can it be so late as all that? Could he have known her before? |
Неужели уже так поздно? Неужели он знал ее раньше? |
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Reproach |
smb. should have done smth (only could). |
You could at least have met me at the station, couldn’t you? |
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Purpose |
could in clauses of purpose |
I wrote down the telephone number so that I could remember it. |
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set expressions |
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Cannot/can’t help doing smth. Cannot/can’t but do smth. One cannot but wonder |
He могу не делать что-то не могу не ... нельзя не задуматься
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