Употребление глагола could

1. Прошедшее время от глагола can. При этом выражается общая возможность, способность совершения действия в прошлом. На русский язык переводится “мог”, “умел”.

Eg.: When he was young, he could swim well.

В молодости он умел хорошо плавать.

2. При согласовании времен, когда главное предложение стоит в прошедшем времени. На русский язык переводится настоящим временем – “могу”, “умею”.

Eg.: He said he could bring us some tea.

Он сказал, что может принести нам чаю.

3. При обозначении возможного действия. На русский язык переводится “мог бы”, “смог бы”. Если эта возможность относится к настоящему или будущему, используется простая форма инфинитива (could+V_I)_.

Eg.: I could help you. Я мог бы тебе помочь.

Если возможность относится к прошлому,используется перфектная форма инфинитива (could+haveV_III), и это означает, что действие не было выполнено.

Eg.: You could have helped us (but didn’t).

Ты мог бы нам помочь (но не помог).

Модальное выражение to be able to

Данное модальное выражение обозначает возможность выполнения действия в настоящем, прошедшем или будущем. В настоящем и прошедшем времени оно употребляется наряду с глаголом can (could) в аналогичном значении.

Eg.: He is able to do it. Он может это сделать.

He was able to do it. Он мог это сделать.

He will be able to do it. Он сможет это сделать.

У П Р А Ж Н Е Н И Я

Упр.1. Прочитайте предложения, переведите. Определите значения модальных глаголов can, could и их эквивалентов.

A.

1. He can skate well. I can drive a car. He can play hockey.

2. She can translate this text. They can understand German. We can explain the rule about modal verbs.

3. You can go to the cinema after classes. She can be present at our meeting. He can take my book.

4. Can you do it for me? Can you give us your dictionary? Can you explain the rule to me?

5. You can’t play in this room. You can’t smoke here. They can’t discuss it with her.

6. Can she know the rules well? They can’t be so happy. Can he come? It can’t snow tomorrow. Can Mum be cooking lunch? Can the students be having a lesson? Can it be raining? You can’t have seen this actress. She can’t have forgotten about the meeting. Can the experiment have failed? Can it have been raining the whole day? She can’t have been sleeping so long. You can’t have been having dinner with your girl-friend.

7. When I was at school I could sing very well. He was talented and could play the role. It was sunny and we could go for a walk.

8. He said he could help us. They explained to the policemen that they couldn’t find the way to the station. We thought we could do it easily.

9. If you don’t mind I could help you. After classes we could go to the café. If the weather is fine we could have a swim. They could have had dinner with us but they didn’t come. You could have got a better mark for the test but you didn’t. He could have won the championship but he lost the last game.

10. We are able to do it. She is able to translate the text. I am able to find the way out. They were able to write the dictation well. He was able to repair the car. Will you be able to come to our party? I shall be able to buy it for you.

B.

1. I could join you. 2. She can’t have said it. 3. I can read short English stories. 4. They can’t have done it themselves. 5. He can play football. 6. Can you have been living there all these years? 7. Peter cannot go to the cinema today. 8. The children can play a little now. 9. You will be able to understand the rule. 10. Can you pass me the salt, please? 11. Can Ann be reading that silly book? 12. When he was young he could dance very well. 13. You could be more polite to her. 14. How can you know that? 15. She is able to drive. 16. I can come to you tomorrow. 17. Can he like the movie? 18. Mother cannot still be cooking dinner. 19. They were able to get the train tickets. 20. He cannot have told it to you. 21. She realized she couldn’t be with him any longer. 22. I can help you. 23. They could have come earlier.

Упр. 2. Выразите возможность сделать что-либо. Используйте глагол could.

Model: Where shall we go for our holidays? – We … (could goto the sea-side).

1. What shall we have for lunch today? – We …

2. Where shall I place this portrait? – You …

3. When shall we go to see Tom? – We …

4. What shall I give Ann for her birthday? – You …

5. What book shall we read? – We …

6. Where shall we go tonight? – We …

7. When shall we go for a walk? – We …

8. What shall I put on for the party? – You …

Упр.3. Сначала прочитайте информацию о Томе.

Tom doesn’t know any Spanish.

Tom is very rich and generous.

Tom was ill on Friday night.

Tom doesn’t know anything about machines.

Tom can’t drive.

Tom was free on Sunday afternoon.

Tom can write French.

Tom doesn’t like dogs.

Tom knows everything about flowers.

Tom is a good doctor.

Tom likes sweet.

Многие люди хотели, чтобы Том им помог, но не могли дозвониться до него. Поэтому Том не сделал ничего из ниже перечисленного. Скажите, смог ли бы он сделать каждую из этих вещей или нет. Используйте could have done или couldn’t have done.

Model:His aunt wanted him to drive her to the station.

He couldn’t have driven her to the station as he can’t drive.

1. Ann wanted Tom to come to the party on Friday night. He … because …

2. Jim wanted Tom to play tennis on Sunday afternoon. He … because …

3. Ann wanted Tom to consult her sick mother. He … because …

4. Sue wanted Tom to translate a Spanish article into English. He … because …

5. Gerry wanted Tom to help him in the garden with his flowers. He … because …

6. Jack wanted Tom to lend him $30. He … because …

7. Lilly wanted Tom to walk her dog. He … because …

8. Bob wanted Tom to write a letter to his French friend. He … because …

9. Tom’s mother wanted him to repair her washing machine. He … because …

10. Jane wanted Tom to come and taste a cake. He … because …

Упр. 4. Составьте предложения, выражающие удивление, сомнение по поводу событий, относящихся к различному времени. Используйте модель.

Model: She can play the piano.

1. all day yesterday

2. often

3. now

1. She can’t have been playing the piano all day yesterday.

2. She can’t often play the piano.

3. She can’t be playing the piano now.

1. He reads English newspapers.

   1. every day

   2. now

   3. last night

2. She speaks French.

   1. often

   2. at the last conference

   3. at this moment

3. Ann understands jokes.

   1. always

   2. tomorrow

   3. at the party yesterday

4. Bob lives in London.

   1. from 1990 till 1999

   2. last summer

   3. now

5. They translate English text.

   1. at every lesson

   2. by 9 o’clock yesterday

   3. now

Упр. 5. Выразите удивление, сомнение по поводу изложенных фактов.

Model:

1. He knows English well. - Can he know English well?

2. It is raining outdoors. - Can it be raining outdoors?

3. He passed the exams well. - Can he have passed the exams well?

4. She lived there all her life. - Can she have been living there all her life?

1. He visited his grandmother last summer. 2. John is good at swimming. 3. He smokes 5 cigars a day. 4. I have just done the work. 5. My brother is smoking in the corridor. 6. It gets dark early in winter. 7. It is snowing outside. 8. We are going to the park. 9. He is elder than his sister. 10. He has learned the poem by heart. 11. The delegation arrived two days ago. 12. My mother was reading the whole night yesterday. 13. I’ll come to you in an hour. 14. He knows everything about dogs. 15. They had returned home by 8 o’clock yesterday. 16. The house was built in 1987. 17. The letter was brought by the secretary. 18. The population of the county is growing. 19. The mistake has been analyzed by the teacher. 20. They will help us.

Упр. 6*. Поставьте предложения в будущее и прошедшее время. Дайте все возможные варианты.

1. He can skate well.

2. They can understand French.

3. I can help you.

4. She can walk your dog.

5. You can play the piano.

6. We can come to you on Sunday.

Упр. 7*. Поставьте предложения в отрицательную форму. Поставьте все возможные вопросы к предложениям.

1. They are able to paint the walls.

2. I can forget your address.

3. He could become a good sportsman.

4. She will be able to win the game.

5. You can stay at home tonight.

Упр. 8*. Заполните пропуски, вставляя can/could в вопросительной или отрицательной форме. Переведите.

1. I am sorry, I … come to your party next Sunday. 2. She got the job because she … speak two foreign languages. 3. You are speaking very quietly, I … hear you. 4. Have you seen my bag? I … find it. 5. I like this hotel room. You … see the mountains from the window. 6. I was tired but I … fall asleep. 7. She spoke very quickly and I … understand her. 8. His eyes are not very good and he … see very well. 9. I was unwell yesterday and … eat my dinner. 10. He … go to the theatre as he is very busy. 11. He thought he … do it himself. 12. He … run very fast when he was a teenager. 13. He is very strong and … do the work easily. 14. If it doesn’t rain we … go out of town. 15. You … have come in time but you didn’t.

Упр. 9*. Заполните пропуски, вставляя выражение to be able to в соответствующем времени и форме.

1. He had hurt his leg, so he … walk very fast. 2. She wasn’t at home when I phoned her, but I … contact her in her office. 3. If the weather is fine, we … go for a walk.4. He’ll give me the dictionary and I … translate the text. 5. He did his best and … pass the exams in time. 6. She is very good at English and … read English books in the original. 7. He’s got a good job and now they … buy a new car. 8. The boy fell into the river, but fortunately we … rescue him. 9. If you give me your bike I … get there in 5 minutes. 10. When we discuss the article we … understand the situation in the country better. 11. They … answer all the questions as they had well prepared for the meeting.

Упр. 10*. Заполните пропуски, используя can или to be able to в соответствующем времени. Иногда возможны оба варианта.

1. Tom … drive but he hasn’t got a car. 2. I was tired and I … fall asleep at once. 3. If the weather is fine tomorrow we … go to the country. 4. He … (not) go to the theatre next Sunday. 5. John is good at Maths and … do any sums. 6. As Lilly helped us we … finish the work in time. 7. Ask Ann about your problem. She … help you. 8. I can’t understand Martin. I’ve never … understand him. 9. He … (not) come to the last meeting as he was ill. 10. Tom … play the guitar well. 11. If you come to us next summer I … show you our town. 12. Mary has never … dress properly. 13. In an hour I’ll be free and … join you. 14. It rained last night and we … (not) go out. 15. Last summer Robert … play football rather well but he … (not) play football during the coming season as he has hurt his leg.

Упр. 11*. Переведите на английский язык.

1. Ты можешь перевести этот текст? 2. Этот фильм можно посмотреть вечером. 3. Он не смог придти к нам вчера, так как был занят. 4. Я не могу ответить на ваш вопрос. 5. Можно мне пойти с вами? 6. Вряд ли пойдет дождь. Погода такая солнечная. 7. Он сможет придти в понедельник. 8. Неужели он любил ее все эти годы? 9. Он так устал, что не мог даже раздеться. 10. Не может быть, что она такое сказала. 11. В детстве я умел хорошо плавать. 12. Неужели это он? 13. Не может быть, чтобы он опоздал вчера. 14. Неужели вы еще спите? 15. Вряд ли он забыл об этом, у него хорошая память. 16. Он сказал, что может это сделать. 17. Ты мог бы позвонить вчера, мы так волновались. 18. Она могла бы учиться лучше, но у нее мысли о другом.

M A Y

Модальный глагол и его эквивалент	Present	Past	Future
may	may	might	----
to be allowed to	am is allowed to are	was were allowed to	will be allowed to