Focus 1. Uses of Can, Could and Be able to

Can has many different uses. Sometimes be able to is used instead of can.

· He can speak three languages. (present ability = is able to)

She could play the piano at the age of three. (past ability)

We will be able to visit you tomorrow. (future ability)

They haven’t been able to visit her this week.

I couldn’t move the furniture alone, but fortunately my friend was able to help me.

· The doctor can’t see you today. He’s fully booked (impossibility).

· Can I use your phone? (informal request)

Could I talk to you for a moment? (polite request)

· You can catch a bus from here. (possibility)

You could try the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. (possibility/suggestion)

· You can borrow the car tonight. (informal permission)

You can’t cross the street here. (prohibition)

· Can it be true? (uncertainty, doubt)

Can she be telling lies?

Can he have said this?

Could she have been waiting for us so long? (could with the reference to the present is also used in this way implying more uncertainty)

· It can’t be true. (improbability)

She can’t be telling lies.

She can’t have been at home all this time.

He couldn’t have been waiting for us for so long. (could makes the statement less categorical)

Jack can’t have failed to change his mind.

She couldn’t have misunderstood us.

· “I don’t want my daughter to be a typist” – “Why not? She could be secretary to some interesting man”. (unreality with reference to the present or future)

· What can (could) he mean?

What can (could) he be doing?

Where can (could) he have gone to? (emotional colouring: puzzlement, impatience, etc.)

· Set phrases

a) She can’t (couldn’t) help laughing.

b) I can’t (couldn’t) but refuse him.

c) He can’t (couldn’t) possibly do it.

Focus 2. Uses of Shall, Should and Ought to

· Shall I open the window? (polite suggestion or offer to help when you are fairly sure of a positive answer)

· Should I open the window? (polite suggestion or offer to help when you are unsure of a positive answer)

· You look ill. You should see a doctor. (advice or the right thing to do; opinion)

· You shouldn’t be rude to your aunt. (something unacceptable or the wrong thing to do)

· I should be home by 5.00. (prediction or expectation that something will probably happen)

· Those lights shouldn’t be on. I switched them off before I left. (something is not “right” or not what we expected to find)

· You shall have my answer tomorrow. (promise)

You shall stay where you are! (warning)

He shall do as I say. (threat)

Note: shouldcan be replaced by ought to:

You should take a taxi home. = You ought to take a taxi home. (advice)

I’ve got four bottles of mineral water for the dinner party. It should be enough = It ought to be enough. (strong probability, advice)

Focus 3. Uses of Will and Would

· Someone is knocking at the door. – O.K. I’ll answer it. (willingness, decision made at time of speaking)

· Will you please close the window? (polite request)

Would you like me to help you? (offers or polite request asking someone to do something)

· I’d like some tea, thank you. (polite way of saying what you want)

· Would you mind if I used your phone? (polite request asking for permission)

· We would/will play for hours on the beach at weekends (when we were kids). (habitual action in the past/present)

· They wouldn’t agree no matter how much I tried to convince them. (refusal, unwillingness)

· She will telephone at 9 o’clock tonight. (future time, prediction)

Focus 4. Uses of May and Might

· You may use a pencil at the exam. (formal permission)

· You may not smoke here. (formal prohibition)

· May I see you again? (polite request)

· He may/might be the right man for the job. (possibility)

· He may not /might not even be interested. (negative possibility)

· There’s no more work to do. You may as well/might as well go home. (a suggestion made when there is no better alternative)

· You might like to join us for dinner. (polite suggestion)

· He looked like he might start crying. (possibility)

· You might carry a parcel for me.

You might have helped me. (reproach)

· You might have killed yourself.

Focus 5. Uses of Must

· I must visit my father in the hospital soon. (obligation)

· You must vaccinate your cat against rabies. (strong necessity)

· There’s no heartbeat and the body is cold. He must be dead. (certainty because of facts or circumstances)

certainly

evidently

obviously

· He will probably come tomorrow.

surely

apparently

likely

They are unlikely to come.

Sure

· He must be unaware of it.

He must dislike it.

· You must try that restaurant. It’s excellent. (to persuade someone to do something)

Focus 6 Uses of Have to and Be to

A Uses of Have to

· Peter has to be home by 10 o’clock.

All students have to register by October. (obligation, necessity from an external source)

· I had to return my library books yesterday. (necessity in the past)

· We have to go. The baby-sitter won’t stay late. (we have no choice)

I will have to get my hair cut when I join the army. (army rules force me) – Contrast with: I must get my hair cut. (I want to)

B Uses of To Be to

We are to discuss it next time.

We were to discuss it the following week. (a previously arranged plan or obligation resulting from the arrangement)

· Norman says I am to leave you alone.

I just mention it because you said I was to give you all the details I could. (orders and instructions, often official)

· He was to be my teacher and friend for many years to come. (something that is destined to happen)

· Her father was often to be seen in the bar of the Hotel Metropole. (possibility)

· Where am I to go?

What is to become of me?

Focus 7 Need and Dare

· You needn’t be afraid of me. (absence of necessity)

Need I repeat it?

He didn’t need to explain.

Does he need to help?

· How dare you say that! (to have courage or impertinence to do something)

He dared not look at her.

He doesn’t dare to come here again.

· I dare say I looked a little confused.