2. Auxiliary + the simple form of the verb
Can= I can speak English
Could= He couldn’t come to class
May= It may rain tomorrow
Might= It might rain tomorrow
Should= Mary should study harder
Had better= I had better study tonight
Must= Joe must see a doctor today
Will=I will be in class tomorrow
Would= Would you please close the door?
3. EXPRESSING ABILITY: CAN AND COULD
Can expresses ability in the present or
future
- Bob can play the piano
- You can buy a screwdriver at a hardware
store
The negative form of can may be written :
Can’t, cannot or can not
The past form of can is could
- Our son could talk when he was two
years old
The negative of could: couldn’t or could
4. EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY: MAY AND MIGHT
EXPRESSING PERMISSION: MAY AND CAN
May and Might express possibility in the
present or future. They have the same
meaning.
- It may rain tomorrow
- It might rain tomorrow
The negative: may not or might not
Maybe (spelled as one word) is an adverb
meaning perhaps
- Maybe it will rain tomorrow
- Maybe John is sick
- John may be sick (spelled as two words)
is a verb form may + main verb be
5. ASKING FOR PERMISSION: MAY I, COULD I, CAN I
People use may I, could I, and can I
to ask polite questions. The
questions ask for someone’s
permission.
- may I please borrow your pen?
- Could I ask you something?
- Can I come to your house tonight?
Possible answers: Yes, Yes of
course, Yes certainly, Of course,
certainly.
Informal: Sure, Okay, Uh huh
6. ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE: WOULD YOU,
COULD YOU, WILL YOU, CAN YOU
People use would you, could you, will
you, and can you to ask polite
question. The questions ask for
someone’s help or cooperation.
- Would you please open the door?
- Could you help me please?
- Will you turn the music down? It’s
too loud
- Can you buy something for dinner?
7. POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
Yes, of course
Yes. Certainly
Of Course
Certainly
I’d be happy to
I’d be glad to
Of course I’d be happy to
8. EXPRESSING ADVICE: SHOULD, OUGHT
TO, HAD BETTER
Should, ought to, and had better
have basically the same meaning.
They mean “this is a good idea, or
this is a good advice”.
My clothes are dirty I (should/ought to/had
better) wash them
The negative of should is should not
(shouldn’t)
Had better (contraction of had= ‘d)
-You’d better study tonight.
9. EXPRESSING NECESSITY: HAVE TO, HAVE
GOT TO, MUST
Have to, have got to, and must have
basically the same meaning. They express
the idea that something is necessary.
- I have to/have got to/must study tonight
Have to is used much more frequently than
must in everyday speech and writing.
The past form of have to/have got to/must is
had to (meaning necessity).
10. Expressing Lack of Necessity: do not
have to
Expressing Prohibition: Must not
Don’t/doesn’t have to expresses the
idea that something is not
necessary.
- I finished all of my homework this
afternoon. I don’t have to study
tonight.
- Tomorrow is a holiday, Mary
doesn’t have to go to the class.
Must not expresses prohibition (DO
