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Englishtown
Free
English for New Immigrants !
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Grammar
for foreigner:
ESL-52
ESL-53
Dictionary:
Ccontents: １．Present
Time 2.
Past Time 3.
Future Time
4.
The Present Perfect and The Past Perfect
5.
Asking Questions 6.
Nouns and Pronouns
7. Modal Auxiliaries
| 7-1 The Form of Modal Auxiliaries |
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Can, could, may, might, should, had better, must
will, and would are immediately followed by
the simple form of a verb. They are not followed by to. Incorrect: Olga can to speak English. The main verb does not have a final-s. Incorrect: Olga can speaks English. The main verb is not in a past form. Incorrect: Olga can spoke English. The main verb is not in its –ing form. Incorrect: Olga can speaking English. |
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7-2 Expressing Ability: Can and Could |
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(a)
Bob can play the piano. |
Can express ability in the present or future. |
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can’t |
The negative form of can may be written can’t, cannot, or can not. |
| (e) Our son could walk when he was one year old. | The past form of can is could . |
| (f) He couldn’t walk when he was six months old. | The negative of could: couldn’t or could not. |
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7-3
Expressing Possibility: May and Might Expressing Permission: May and Can |
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(a)
It may rain tomorrow. (b) It might rain tomorrow. (c) A: Why isn’t John in class? B: I don’t know. He may be sick today. might |
May and might express possibility in the present or future. They have the same meaning. There is no difference in meaning between (a) and (b). |
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(d)
Maybe it will rain tomorrow. |
In (d) and (e):
maybe (spelled as one word) is an adverb. It means
“possibly.” It comes at the beginning of a sentence. Incorrect: It will maybe rain tomorrow. In (f): may be (two words) is a verb form: the auxiliary may +the main verb be. Incorrect: John maybe sick. |
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(g)
Yes, children, you may have a cookie after dinner.
(h) Okay, kids, you can have a cookie after dinner. |
May is also used to give permission, as in (g). Often can is used to give permission, too, as in (h). (g) and (h) have the same meaning., but from: may is more formal than can. |
| 7-4 Using to Could Express Possibility | |
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(a)
A: Why isn’t Greg in class? B: I don’t know. He could be sick. (b) Look at those dark clouds. It could start raining any minute. |
Could
can
mean past ability. But that is not its only meaning. another
meaning is could is possibility. In (a): “He could be sick,” has the same meaning as “He may/might be dick,” i.e.’ “it is possible that he is sick.” In (a): could expresses a present possible. In (b): could expresses a future possible. |
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7-5 Polite Question: May, Could I Can I |
| Polite Question | Possible | |
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(a)
May I please borrow you pen? (b) Could I please borrow you pen? (c) Can I please borrow you pen? |
Yes. Yes. Of course. Yes. Certainly. Of course. Certainly. Sure. (informal) Okay. (informal) |
People
use may I, could I, and can I
to ask polite questions. The questions ask for someone’s
permission or agreement. (a), (b), and (c) have basically the
same meaning. Note: can I is less formal than may I and could I. (In a polite question, could is Not the past form of can.) |
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7-6 Polite Question: Would You, Could You, Will You, Can You |
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Polite Question |
Possible |
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(a) Would you
please open the door? (b) Could you please open the door? (c) Will you please open the door? (d) Can you please open the door?
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Yes. |
People use would you, could you, will you, and can you to ask polite questions. The questions ask for someone’s help or cooperation. (a), (b), (c) and (d) have basically the same meaning. The use of can, as in (d), is less formal than the others. |
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7-7 Expressing Advice: Should and Ought To |
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(a)
My clothes are dirty. I should wash them. |
Should and ought to have the same
meaning. |
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(b)
A: I’m going to be late. What should I do? |
Question: should + subject + main verb (Ought to is usually not used in questions.) |
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(c)
A: I’m tired today. |
The
use of maybe with should and
ought to “softens” advice. Compare: In (c): Speaker B is giving definite advice. He is stating clearly that he believes going home for a nap is a good idea and is the solution so Speaker A’s problem. In (d): Speaker B is making a suggestion: going home for a nap is one possible way to solve Speaker A’s problem. |
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(a)
You’re driving too fast! You’d better slow
down. (b) You’d better not eat that meat. It looks spoiled. (c): I’d better send my boss an e-mail right away. |
Had better has the same basic meaning as should
and ought to: “This is a good idea. This is good advice.” Had better usually implies a warning about possible bad consequences. In (b): If you don’t slow down, there could be a bad result. You could get a speeding ticker or have an accident. |
| 7-8 Making Logical Conclusions: Must | |
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(a)
A: Nancy is yawning. B: She must be sleepy. |
In (a): Speaker B is making a logical guess. He bases his guess on the information that Nancy is yawning. His logical conclusion, his “best guess,” is that Nancy is sleepy. He uses must to express his logical conclusion. |
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(b)
Logical, Conclusion: Amy plays tennis every day. She must
like to play tennis. (c) Necessity: If you want to get into the movie theater, you must buy a ticket. |
Compare: Must can express 1. a logical conclusion, as in (b). 2. necessity, as in (c). |
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(d)
Eric ate everything on his plate except the pickle. He
must not like pickles. (e) There are sharks in the ocean near our hotel. We must not go swimming there. |
Compare: Must not can express 1. a negative logical conclusion, as in (d). 2. prohibition, as in (e). |
| 7-9 Stating Preferences: Prefer, Like...Better, Would Rather | |
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(a)
I prefer apples to oranges. (b) I prefer watching TV to studying. |
Prefer +noun + to + noun Prefer + -ing verb + to + -ing verb |
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(c)
I like apples better than oranges. (d) I like watching TV better than studying. |
like + noun + better than + noun like + -ing verb + better than + -ing verb |
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(e)
Ann would rather have an apple than an orange. (f) Incorrect: Ann would rather has an apple. (g) I’d rather visit a big city than live there. (h) Incorrect: I’d rather visit a big city than to live there. Incorrect: I’d rather visit a big city than living there |
Would rather is followed immediately by the simple form of a verb. Verb following than are also in the simple form.
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| (i) Would you rather have an apple or an orange? | In (i): In a polite question, would rather can be followed by or to offer someone a choice. |