Conjugation of demonstrative pronouns in Arabic. The Eases of Arabic: Personal and Possessive Pronouns. Travel vocabulary

They say that a strange family is darkness. But the same expression can be applied to foreign languages. They really are dark. In any of them there are so many complex and incomprehensible things that sometimes it is almost impossible to learn someone else's speech. But in connection with European integration, as well as the desire to visit America, many people learn English. It is this speech that is taught in schools and kindergartens, universities and academies. This is an international language, which is very, very unprofitable not to know today. It has many different difficulties and incomprehensible moments that are not in the Russian language. For example, can is a verb belonging to the group of modal and denoting the physical skill of a person.

Purpose of modal verbs

In English grammar can language- a verb that belongs to a separate group of modal verbs. These words lack all the basic forms that are characteristic of other verbs, and therefore they are sometimes called insufficient, or Defective Verbs. under no circumstances are used alone, but only in combination with the infinitive of any other verb.

IN English language, like other words of this group, without the infinitive of another verb is used only in cases where it is clear from the context. For example, I wanted to open the door but I couldn't. (I wanted to open the door, but I couldn't).

The verb can and its use in different forms

Can is the most commonly used verb in English. Often it is used when it is necessary to designate a physical possibility, to perform some action, for example, he can hear, i can do it, you can and so on. In the past tense, this word changes to could.

Like other modal verbs, it is not used in accordance with general rules. So, the affirmative and negative forms do not imply the use of the particle to between the verb and the given modal word. Thus, the construction He can to read (He can read) is incorrect. The correct pronunciation is: He can read.

With will it is forbidden to form the future tense of a modal verb. That is, saying I will can write you tomorrow (I can write to you tomorrow) is prohibited.

The verb can does not change in the third person. singular. If the construction He swims, She reads or It sings is considered accepted, then with the modal verb in question, these expressions will take the following form: He can swim or She can read.

Can for negation changes and can be used in two ways: cannot (could not) or can't (couldn't). The shortened form is the most acceptable and often used in spoken language. In the British and American versions, the form can't is pronounced different ways. In British English, it sounds like, and in American -.

When building a question modal verb is put in the first place, for example: Can you dance? - Can you dance?

Cases of using the modal verb can

Modal verb can, could, the rules of which we will consider below, is used with an infinitive in an indefinite form without a to element. The form could also has a similar meaning, but in the past tense. So, the word is used to define:

• The ability (possibility) of a mental or physical nature to do something. For example, Could he swim when he was younger?
• Requests. Both forms of the modal verb are used in the interrogative form. A request using could is more preferable, and it is used in those sentences that are addressed to another person. Example: Could you tell me where the cinema is? (Can you tell me where the cinema is?).

• Prohibition. The can't form is often used when it is necessary for someone to forbid something: you can't or you can't. You can't eat this. You have an allergy. (You can't eat this. You're allergic.)

Another use case

Modal English is also used to express incredulity, suspicion and astonishment. Context plays a role here, so there are many nuances. Hesitation with a note of doubt is often used in negative sentences with a verb in an indefinite form. Oleg can't swim across Lake Svitjaz. - Yes, Oleg cannot swim across (Perplexity, distrust).

Can and to be able to

Can is a verb that has an almost equivalent analogue - to be able to. This phrase can replace can only if the modal verb is used in the meaning be able to do something.

Often, the synonymous turnover to be able to is written or said when it is necessary to say that something needs to be done in the future tense, because there is no future tense option for the modal verb can. True, it is important to take into account a certain nuance here: the modal verb itself is capable of belonging to the future tense.

The expression be able to in the future tense is relevant when it comes to a probability, opportunity or skill that does not exist at the moment, but will arise in the future. At the same time, it is forbidden to use the verb can to denote an opportunity or ability that will arise only in the future.

The use of the phrase to be able to in the present tense sounds very strange. In such sentences, the modal verb can is considered the most acceptable.

Could have and Past Participle

The verb can (we consider the rules for using the verb in this material) is often used in such a variant as could have plus (the third form of the verb, past participle). Such a turn of phrase can denote an action that a person could have performed, but never did. For example, He could have married her but he didn't want to. He could have married her, but he didn't want to.

Also, using this construction, you can express a guess or assumption about something that happened in the past. For example, Linda could have told him the truth. Maybe Linda told him the truth. Through speech circulation could have plus Past Participle express a hypothesis about something that did not actually happen.

Modal verb can is one of the most common verbs in the English language. It is most often used when it is necessary to express opportunity to take some action, in other words, to say “I can do this”, “he can”, “you can” and so on. Verb could is the past tense form of the verb can, we will also consider it in this article.

Table: modal verb Can in affirmative, negative, interrogative form

You can solve your problems later. - You can solve your problems later.

We can watch this movie next time. - We Can watch this movie next time.

Also, instead of the verb can, the turnover will be able to can be used to indicate the possibility in the future, read more about this below.

2. To express a request

Are used can And could in an interrogative form. Request from could sounds somewhat more polite, it is used in sentences addressed to another person (that is, not with the pronoun I).

Can I take your pen? - Can shall I take your pen?

Can I suggest you another option? - Can I suggest you another option?

Can you give me a hand? - Can't you will you help me? (to give a hand - lit.: give a hand, transl.: help)

could you tell me where is the library? - Would you suggest where is the library?

could you do me a favour, please? - Could you will you do me a favor?

3. To express prohibition

Verb can't often used to express a prohibition, that is, to say not “you cannot”, but “you cannot”.

You can't smoke here, there are kids playing. - Here it is forbidden smoke, children play here.

You can't park here. It's a private territory. - To you it is forbidden park here, it's private.

4. To express surprise, doubt, distrust

There are many nuances here, much depends on the context.

Doubt with a hint of distrust is more often expressed in negative sentences with a verb in an indefinite form:

He can't swim across Lake Tahoe. - Yes can not he swim across Lake Tahoe (distrust, doubt).

Surprise with a hint of doubt, mistrust is usually expressed in interrogative sentences with a verb in an indefinite form. In translation, the word “really” is often used to make the meaning clearer.

Can this unicorn be real? - Really is this unicorn real?

If in the same question to use could the meaning will change a bit. You will get something like:

could this unicorn be real? - Could it this unicorn be real?

Often, proposals can/could used ironically, with sarcasm, for example:

could you buy more milk? - And you have even more milk could not buy?

could did you wake up any later? - And you later could not wake up?

But in this case, intonation and context are of great importance. One of the heroes of the TV series “Friends”, Chandler, similar phrases with “Could it be” used so often that he was even sometimes mimicked. Unfortunately, this feature of Chandler's speech almost did not appear in the translation.

5. To express doubt about what happened

That is, I do not believe that something happened. Scheme: cannot + have + Past Participle (affirmative or interrogative form).

Turnover is usually translated with “cannot be” or another suitable expression.

He is my best friend, he cannot have betrayed me. - He is my friend, it can't be that he betrayed me.

Billy doesn't have much money. He can't have bought this car. Billy doesn't have much money. He couldn't this car buy.

Can she have forgotten to pick up the kids from house? - Really she could forget take the kids out of the house?

Turnover could have + Past Participle

Separately, we should consider the turnover could have + (past participle, third form of the verb). It can mean:

1. An action that someone could have done, but did not

She could have married him but she didn't want to. - She could get out for him married but didn't want to.

They could have bought a house here 20 years ago but chose not to. - They could buy house here 20 years ago but decided not to.

Often there is a hint of reproach.

You could have helped me instead of just sitting there. - You could help me instead of sitting here.

I could have done more to help you. Sorry. - I could do more to help you. I'm sorry.

2. Assumption, conjecture about something that happened in the past

In this case, with a slightly different meaning, one can use may have or might have, cm. " ".

Simon could have told her truth. - Maybe, Simon told her the truth.

They could have overheard what we said. - They could hear what we said.

In negative and question, you can use can have + Past Participle, then you get a turnover like “Really ...?” or “It can’t be…”, discussed above (para. 5 “To express doubt about what happened”)

Can she have forgotten about our meeting? - How could she forget about our meeting?

He can't have seen us. - Can't be so that he us saw.

3. Assuming something that didn't actually happen

This case is one of the types conditional sentences, read more about them in.

I could have done well in my exam if I had worked harder. I could do better in the exam if I prepared better.

Modal verb can and turnover to be able to

Verb can in the meaning of “to be able to do something” can be replaced by a synonymous turnover to be able to+ verb (to be able to do something). But there is a difference between these two ways of expressing possibility.

Can / to be able to in the future tense

It is usually said that turnover to be able to it is convenient to use when you need to say about the possibility of doing something in the future, because the verb has can there is no future tense form (one cannot say will can).

But here it is important to remember such a nuance.

The verb can itself can refer to the future. For example:

You can rest later. Now we have to work. - You you can(you can) rest later. Now we have to work.

We can read this book tomorrow, let's play videogames. - We we can(we can) read this book tomorrow, let's play video games.

In the future, turnover to be able to is used when we talk about an opportunity, ability, skill that does not exist now, but will appear in the future. Verb can It can NOT be used to express a possibility, an ability that will only appear in the future.

Right: I will be able to walk properly after the surgery. - I I can walk normally after surgery.

Wrong: I can walk properly after the surgery.

Another example:

Right: will be able to work as a sailor. – When I finish these courses, I I can work as a sailor.

Wrong: When I complete this training course, I can work as a sailor.

Both options, can or to be able to, can be used to talk about future decisions or arrangements:

The doctor can/will be able to see you later today. - Doctor will be able take you later today.

I can/will be able to help you with your homework later. - I I can help you with your homework later.

I can/will be able to give you a lift home tonight. - I I can drive you home tonight.

Can / to be able to in present tense

In present time to be able to sounds more formal, even weird. It's like saying in Russian not “I can play the guitar”, but “I can play the guitar”.

I can play a guitar. - I Can to play guitar.

I am able to play a guitar. - I able to play guitar.

Michelle can can bake delicious pies.

Michelle is able to bake delicious cakes. – Michelle capable bake delicious pies.

Options with can are used much more frequently.

Can / to be able to in past tense

When referring to an ability or opportunity that existed in the past, both options can be used:

When I was younger, I could could remember everything better.

When I was younger, I was able to remember everything so well. - When I was younger, I could remember everything better.

Note that in the past tense could usually means (in affirmative sentences) the ability to do something at all and is not used when talking about some one-time action at a certain moment. Here it makes more sense to be able to.

Right: We were able to visit Mary on Monday, because she wasn't busy. - We could visit Mary on Monday because she was not busy.

Wrong: We could visit Mary Monday, because she wasn't busy.

IN negative sentences How couldn't, and wasn't/weren't able to can be used for long-term actions, and for one-time.

I couldn't / wasn't able to finish all my homework yesterday. - I could not finish homework yesterday.

I couldn't / wasn't able to see the band at all from where I was standing. - I completely was not visible(could not see) the musicians from where I was standing.

I couldn't / wasn't able to drive when I was younger. - I couldn't drive when I was younger.

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What do you know about the modal verb can (could)? Many are aware of only one of its meanings - to be able / to be able to do something. In this article, we will explain when can (could) and the synonymous construction to be able to do smth are used.

Features of the modal verb can

Modal verbs do not express the action, but the attitude of the speaker or his assessment of this action. They are used only in combination with main verbs.

Today we will consider the most common modal verb in English - can. It is used in two forms: can for the present tense and could for the past tense.

After the verbs can and could, the infinitive is always used without the particle to (can do, could take). Can and could do not change in person or number, nor do they need auxiliary verbs.

I can teach you play the cello. - I I can teach you to play the cello.

To form a negative form, add the particle not - can't or cannot to the verb can. Could in the negative form - couldn't or could not.

I can't teach you play the cello. - I can't teach you to play the cello.

When forming a question, can and could are placed at the beginning of the sentence before the subject, followed by the main verb:

Can you teach me play the cello? - Can you teach me to play the cello?

Can (could) is a multifunctional verb, it can be used in many situations. In the table below, we have presented the main functions of the verbs can and could.

A synonym for can and could is the construction to be able to do smth (to be able to do something).

He will be able to answer tomorrow. - He will be able answer tomorrow.

Negative form to be able to do smth - to be unable to do smth (to be not able to do smth).

He 's unable to understand what she is asking him to do. - He can not understand what she is asking him to do.

The construction to be able to do smth is used at all times:

can and could functions in a sentence

1. The mental or physical ability to do something

   Mary can speak four foreign languages. - Mary speaks four foreign languages.
   He can't even say a word in English. - He and words can not say in English.

   Margaret could ride a bike when she was 5. - When Margaret was 5 years old, she was able ride a bike.
   I couldn't speak English well at school. - At school I could not speak English well.

2. Probability and Possibility
   • We use can when the event is more likely to happen in the future, could when it is less likely.

     We can meet you at the station when you arrive. - We Can meet you at the station when you arrive.
     I could be a little late. - Maybe, I'm a little late.

   • We use can't (cannot) when something is theoretically or actually impossible.

     There can't be many people in the world who don't use smartphones. - Can not be that there are many people in the world who do not use smartphones.
     A film by this director can't be thought-provoking. - A film directed by this director, can not make you think.

   • We use the can't (couldn't) have done construct when we are sure that the action could not have happened in the past.

     She can't have locked the door because I took the only key. - Can't be so that she locked up door - I took the only key.

3. Permission and prohibition

   Can and could are used to ask permission to do something. At the same time, could sounds more formal and polite. Only can can be used in the answer to a question.

   - Can I use your dictionary?
   - No, you can't.
   - Can use your dictionary?
   - No, it is forbidden.

   - could I say something?
   - Yes, you can.
   - Can should I say something?
   - Yes, Can.

4. Request

   In this case, could is a more polite form.

   could you show me to my room, please? - Will you walk me to my room, please?
   Can you lend me your notes? - Can lend me your notes?

   It is worth noting that the construction Do you think you could... ? used only with the verb could.

   Do you think you could give me a lift? - Do you think, you can toss me?

5. An invitation and an offer to do something

   If you want to invite someone to go to the movies or invite them to take a walk in the park, you can use both can and could. IN interrogative sentences only can is used.

   We could go on a bus tour. - We we could go on a bus tour.
   We can go shopping. - We Can go shopping.
   Can I help you? - I Can to help you with something? (could not used in this case)

6. Criticism and reproach

   To criticize someone's act or reproach, only the verb could is used. In the past tense, the construction could have done something is used.

   You could ask before borrowing my stuff. - You could ask before taking my things.
   You could have warned me about his bad mood. - You could have warned me about his bad mood.

Common expressions with can and could

1. Expressions I can't (couldn't) help doing smth, I can't help but do smth

   The phrase I can't help doing smth is translated as "I can not help doing something." In American English, this construction sounds like I can't help but do smth.

   I can't help thinking that he is a liar. - Can't stop thinking about him being a liar.
   I can't help but think about you. - I can't stop thinking about you.

   The phrase I couldn't help doing smth means "could not resist doing something."

   I couldn't help laughing. - I couldn't resist laughing.

2. Expression I couldn't care less

   I couldn't care less is used when you absolutely don't care about something.

   I have won the race!
   - I couldn't care less.
   - I won the race!
   - I don't care.

3. Expression I can't be bothered to do smth

   Use the expression I can't be bothered to do smth when you don't feel like or are too lazy to do something.

   I can't be bothered to look after your dog. - I don't feel any desire look after your dog.

4. Expression I can (could) do without smth

   The expression I can (could) do without smth is translated as "I can (could) do without something."

   I could easily do without a tent. - I would easily cost and no tent.
   I can't do without any hints. - I can't get by without hints.

5. The expressions I can't stand smth and I can't bear smth

   The construction I can't bear smth means "I can't stand anything", and the phrase I can't stand smth means "I can't stand anything", "I hate anything".

   I can't bear the thought of not having you beside me. - I can't bear the thought that you won't be by my side
   I can't stand his habits. - I can not stand his habits.

6. Expression I can't thank you enough for smth

   To express immense gratitude, use the expression I can't thank you enough for smth.

   I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. - I am immensely grateful to you for everything you did for me.

7. Expression you can't have it both ways

   The expression you can’t have it both ways is similar to our “you can’t sit on two chairs”.

   You can't have it both ways, darling. It's either you go to university or you have to find a job. - You can't sit on two chairs, Expensive. Either you go to university, or you have to look for a job.

8. Expression you never can tell

   The expression you never can tell is translated as “you never know”, “it is difficult to predict”.

   Do you think he's divorced? He hasn't got a ring.
   - You can never tell.
   Do you think he's divorced? He doesn't have a ring.
   - Hard to say.

Now you know more about the functions of the modal verb can (could). We hope you can easily pass the test.

Test on the topic "Modal verb can in English"

Not can climb any tree.
He can climb any tree.

After combination be able followed by an infinitive with the particle to.

He is able to climb any tree.
He can (he is able to) climb any tree.

Forms:

CAN is used in all persons in the present tense in the form can + Indefinite Infinitive and correlates an action with the present or future.

COULD is used in the past tense in the form could + Indefinite Infinitive and in conditional sentences.

Negative form: cannot (can't), could not (couldn't). (The negation of not with the verb can is written together.)

Interrogative form: can I?, could I? etc.

Interrogative-negative form: can I not (can't I)?, could I not (couldn't I)? etc.

To be able (to) - the equivalent of the verb Can

Negative form: I am not able (I'm not able), he is not able (he's not able), etc.

Interrogative form: Am I able? Is he able? Are you able? etc.

Interrogative-negative form: Am I not able? Aren't I able? (ain't I can- colloquial version) Is he not able? (isn't he able?), etc.

The use of can and its equivalent be able (to)

1. Can And be able (to) are used to express the physical ability or ability to perform an action.

Note that the modal verb can means the possibility of performing an action in general, usually, constantly, a to be able (to)- the possibility of performing an action for a single, specific case. For example:

Can you skate?
Do you skate? (You can ( at all) skate?)

Are you able to skate?
Are you able to skate (i.e. get back on skates after a fall, injury, etc.)?

I can swim across this river.
I can swim across this river (at all).

I am able to swim across this river.
I am able to swim across this river (now, when necessary).

could you speak English last year?
Were you able to speak English last year?

He wasn't able to come yesterday because he had no time.
He couldn't come yesterday because he didn't have time.

Can used to express a possibility due to something (the state of something, circumstances, etc.).

You can ski on the hills. (There is enough snow.)
You can ski (walk) on the slides. (There's a lot of snow already.)

We couldn't bathe there. (The river was very deep.)
We couldn't swim there. (The river was very deep.)

dad, can I change my job?
Father, can I change jobs?

Form could to express a polite form, it can replace the word please (please) in a sentence.

could you bring a piece of chalk?
Could you bring a piece of chalk? (Please bring a piece of chalk.)

granny, could I taste your pudding?
Grandma, can I try your pie?

BUT: If you want to emphasize the special meaning of the permitted action, use to allow in the passive voice to be allowed.

each child was allowed to take any book home. Mary chose Robinson Crusoe.
Each child was allowed to take home any book. Mary chose Robinson Crusoe.

Note:
1. could can be used in the present tense if a condition is implied.

Could you get another job? Can you find another job (if you left this one)?
I could get you a ticket if you want one. I can get you a ticket if you want.

2. Can And could in combination with the verbs to see, to hear, to smell, to test and others expressing a sense of perception, they are usually not translated into Russian.

Can you see that hill in the picture? See this hill in the picture?
Can you hear the baby's crying (weeping)?
Do you hear the baby cry?

4. Could + Perfect Infinitive used to express the ability, the ability to perform an action in the past. In this case, two meanings are expressed - the action is either not performed, or it is not known whether it was performed or not, i.e. doubt is expressed. In negative sentences, the improbability of the action is expressed.