Modal verb could. Masses likelihood or opportunity in the past. It can be used to express a request and suggestions. Also verb could. often used in conditional sentences as a conditional form of verb cAN .

For example:
Extreme Rain could. Cause The River to Flood The City.
Due to the heavy rains of the river could Fall the city. ( Expresses likelihood.)

Nancy could. SKI LIKE A PRO BY THE AGE OF 11.
By 11 years Nancy already clell Skiing as a professional. ( Expresses the opportunity in the past.)

You. could. See a Movie or Go Out to Dinner.
You we could View a movie or go to dine. ( Expresses the proposal.)

Could. I use Your Computer to Email My Boss?
Could not Do I use your computer to send an email to your boss? ( Expresses request.)

We. could. Go On The Trip If i Didn "T Have To Work This Weekend.
we we could Go somewhere if I had no need to work this weekend. ( Conditional offer.)

Using the modal verb of Could in the present, past and the future

In most cases, the use of modal verbs in the past and the future of time differs from other verbs. The table below shows eating modal verb could. in different situations.

Using	Affirmative forms 1. Real 2. Past 3. Future	Negative forms 1. Real 2. Past 3. Future	Synonyms
could. in terms of probability	1. John. could. John could Being those who stole money. 2. John. could. John could Being those who stole money. 3. John. could. Go to Jail for Stealing The Money. John could Go to jail for theft of money.	1. Mary. couldn "T. Be The One WHO Stole The Money. Mary could not Being those who stole money. 2. Mary. couldn "T. Have Been The One WHO Stole The Money. Mary could not Being those who stole money. 3. Mary. couldn "T. Possibly Go to Jail for the Crime. Mary could not Go to jail for this crime.	might, May.
could. in the meaning of the verb cAN	1. IF I HAD MORE TIME, I could. Travel Around The World. could Contract the world. 2. If I HAD HAD MORE TIME, I could. If I had more time, I could Contract the world. 3. IF I HAD MORE TIME THIS WINTER, I could. Travel Around The World. If this winter I had more time, I could Contract the world.	1. Even IF I HAD MORE TIME, I couldn "T. Travel Around The World. could not Contract the world. 2. Even IF i HAD HAD MORE TIME, I couldn "T. Have Traveled Around The World. Even if I had more time, I could not Contract the world. 3. Even IF I HAD MORE TIME THIS WINTER, I couldn "T. Travel Around The World. Even if I had more time this winter, I could not Contract the world.
could. in the sentence	1. Forms of present, do not exist. 2. You. could. Have a spent your vacation in hawaii. You could Help your holiday in Hawaii. 3. You. could. Spend Your Vacation in Hawaii. You could Help your holiday in Hawaii.	Negative form does not exist.
could. in the meaning of the ability in the past	I. could. Run Ten Miles in My Twenties. I could Ten miles run when I was twenty with a tail. I. could. SPEAK CHINESE WHEN I WAS A KID. When I was a kid, I skull to speak Chinese. Verb could. can not Used in affirmative sentences to describe short-term or disposable ability, in this case you need to use be Able To.. Yesterday, I. could. Lift The Couch by MySelf. ( Wrong) Yesterday, I. was Able To. Lift The Couch by MySelf. ( Right) Yesterday I am myself smog Raise the sofa.	I. couldn "T. Run More Than a Mile in My Twenties. I could not Going away and more miles when I was twenty with a tail. I. couldn "T. SPEAK SWAHILI. I did not know Talk to peahli. Verb could. can Used in negative sentences to describe short-term or disposable ability. Yesterday, I. couldn "T. Lift The Couch by MySelf. ( Right) Yesterday I can't Himself raise the sofa.	be Able To.
could. in the meaning of polite request	Could. I Have Something To Drink? Could not I have something to drink? Could. I Borroww Your Stapler? May I (= allow) lend your stapler?	Couldn "T. HE COME WITH US? Can not Lie Does he go with us? Couldn "T. You Help Me With this for Just a Second? Could not Will you help me with this? Requests usually belong to the nearest future.	can, May.

Note that in the meaning of the request:

- cAN It has a neutral shade:

CAN YOU HELP ME?
You can help me?

- could. It has a more polite shade:

Could. YOU HELP ME?
Could not Can you help me?

- may. It has a more formal shade:

May. I Come in?
Allow to come in?

Modal verb Can. translated as I can, I can, I have the opportunity Modal verb Can shows a physical or mental opportunity to do anything. This is its most common, but not the only meaning.

Examples of proposals with CAN verb:

I. cAN Swim.
I can swim.

I. cAN Run Fast.
I can run quickly.

In fact, at the modal verb CAN in English multiple values. It can be used in the following cases:

• To say about the right to commit any action in accordance with the Rules or Law:

THE CONGRESS. cAN Form the Budget.
Congress has the right to form a budget.

• To ask permission or give permission:

CAN I go home?
Can I go home?

You. cAN go home.
You can go home.

• The negative shape of the CAN verb is used to express the ban:

You. cannot Smoke Here.
You can't smoke here.

• Requests:

CAN You Repeat Your Question?
Could you repeat your question?

At the same time, if you use the COULD instead of CAN, then the request will be emphasized polite.

• To strengthen the statement containing distrust, surprise or reproach:

She. cannot BE SO YOUNG!
She can't be so young!

CAN There BE SO Hot In January.
Is it really so hot there in January?

How are offers with modal verb CAN?

The verb CAN is modal, it means that it is not used in itself, but in a pair with another (semantic) verb. The infinitive of the semantic verb is always put immediately after the verb CAN.

For example:

Mike cAN Play Piano.
Mike can play piano.

Here Play (Play) is a semantic verb.

The verb can have last form - Could. With the formation of the past time, only the verb can be changing, the semantic verb does not change. Examples of past time:

John. could. Drive a Car Since He Was 14.
John knew how to play a piano from 14 years old.

In the future, the verb CAN is not used. But there is a "BE Able to" design, which is equivalent to the modal verb CAN and can be used instead of the CAN verb, to form a real time. For example:

Soon I Will Be Able to Speak English.
Soon I can speak English.

The verb CAN, unlike most ordinary verbs, does not change on persons and does not require an auxiliary verb of Have to form question and negative proposals.

Does not change by persons:
I can ...
You can ...
HE CAN ...
She Can ...
IT CAN ...
THEY CAN ...

In English there is a separate group of verbs - The Modal Verbs - modal verbs. The list is headed by the modal verb CAN and its form of past time Could. This verb is included in the school study of the foundations of the English language from the first years of his learning. Modal verbs are radically different from other verbs in what can be used independently and do not indicate some particular action or condition.

Eating modal verb

CAN verb in English means "can be able to be able to", respectively, "he could, knew how to" last time. This modal expresses the ability of the face - to be subject to the proposal - to perform an action indicated by the infinitive with which the modal verb is used:

• I CAN SKI - I can ski.

In this case, the subject (i) can perform an action (SKI) indicated by the main verb after modal. Just as in other sentences:

• WE CAN READ - we can read.
• You can write - you can write.
• She Could Do It - She could do this (CAN last time)
• We Could Build This House - We could build this house (CAN last time)

This verb can be expressed:

• the overall possibility or ability: I CAN Attend This Lesson Today - I can visit this lesson today. Or: She Can Go Hiking in Spring - It can go hiking in the spring;
• the form of permission or ban: She Can Go to the Shop - It can go to the store. Or: You cannot take this thing - you can't take this thing;
• a polite request of something: Can You Help Me? - You can help me? Or: CAN WE HELP THIS WOMAN? - Can we help this woman?

The specified modal verb, as well as its counterparts, does not have the forms of the plural and endings in the formation of proposals in the composition with the noun or pronuches of a third party singular:

• Nick Can - Nick may (knows how)
• Jane Can - Jane can (knows how)
• children Can - Children can (know how)
• we Could - We could (skill) (CAN last time)
• tHEY COULD - they could (skill) (CAN last time)

To compile a certificate proposal, a modal verb (both in the present and last time) does not require additional auxiliary verbs, it itself fulfills their entire function:

• Can You Repeat This Word? - Can you repeat this word?
• Could SHE Make A Bowl? - Could she make this bowl?

Modal verb "Can be able to be able" does not have the form of communion, verbalism and infinitive. But if the design of the offer requires such a form, combinations-synonyms are used in the value of the ability or permission to perform any action: to Be Allowed, to Be Able to.

I "LL BE ABLE TO COME TO YOUR PLACE IN A WEEK - I can go to you in a week.

That is, "I am capable of and I am allowed to go to you in a week." Here are used verbs with a similar modal verb translating.

If, after modal in the sentence, another verb follows, between them does not require the use of the toy particles. This rule applies to all verbs of modal type:

• I CAN Hide My Daybook - I can hide my diary.
• WE CAN WALK TO THE PARK - We can walk to the park.

Expression of surprise with the help of modal verb

With the help of this modal verb, you can express surprise, distrust or doubt that the person is subject to proposal - really performed the action indicated by the form of the infinitive, which the modal verb is combined or its form of the past time COULD.

In this embodiment, the modal verb is used only in question or negative suggestions:

• Can (Could) She Speak Spain SO Well Already? - Does she already know how to speak Spanish so well?
• Can (Could) You Finish this big report already? - Have you already finished this big report?
• Can (Could) She Repair This Car Already? - Is it really can fix this car?

In a sentence after the modal verb, the infinitive is found in different forms. If the action expressed by the infinitive belongs to the present, the non-puncture infinitive is used (simple or continued).

In the event that the specified action refers to the past, a perfect infinitive is used (a simple or continued form):

• COULD THEY HAVE PREPARED THEIR LESSONS SO QUICKLY? - Is she able to cook her lessons so fast?

In this form, the modal verb CAN, COULD does not express the time of action, the infinitive shows it next behind the modal verb.

In these examples, it has the form of expressing inclusion, which expresses less doubt. Could, on the contrary, the form of a subjunctive inclusion and expresses a greater degree of doubt in the sentence:

• I Have a Felling I Know this Woman. COULD IT BE MARY CARY? - It seems to me that I know this woman. Is it really Mary Keri?

Molds of modal verb

Modal is two forms of the same word: the first form is the present time, the second is a simple time. CAN verb shapes in the present time: in the Affirmative form CAN, in the negative form of Cannot (abbreviated CAN't). The abbreviated form is used mainly for spoken speech.

The form of the past time - in the affirmative value of Could, in the negative - COULD NOT (abbreviated by Couldn't).

This verb has no form of a future time. For him, synonyms are used for him:

• In Summer We'll Be Able to Swim on Other Side of River - in the summer we will be able to swim on the other side of the river.
• Our Son Will Be Able to Read This Lecture - our son will be able to read this lecture.
• I can come to come to your room in your room in an hour.
• I "LL BE Allowed to Visit This Museum - I am allowed (I can) visit this museum.
• You Will Be Allowed to Go Another Country for the Weekend - you are allowed (you can) go to another country for the weekend.

But with the help of modal verb, you can make a proposal in the future:

• WE CAN READ THIS POEM AFTER THIS LECTURE - We can read this poem after this lecture.
• WE CAN VISIT OUR GRANDMOTHER AFTER TOMORROW - We can visit our grandmother after tomorrow.

Questionans are designed very simply - the modal verb is placed in the first place in the proposal and it turns out a question instead of approval on which you can give a brief or departed answer:

You can Speak English Very Well - CAN You Speak English Very Well? - No, I Cannot Speak English Very Well.

You can speak English very good - can you speak English very well? - No, I can't speak English very well.

Note, the translation of the appointment and the question does not change, only the sense load changes and the intonation of the question is added.

You Can Play The Piano - Can You Play The Piano? - YES, I CAN PLAY THE PIANO

You know how to play piano - you know how to play piano? - Yes I can.

WE COULD ORDER A FAVOURITE MEAT IN THE RESTAURANT - COULD WE ORDER A FAVOURITE MEAL IN THE RESTAURANT? - NO, We Couldn "T

We could enjoy your favorite food in the restaurant - could we order your favorite food in the restaurant? - No, we could not.

Repeat examples

Try to answer questions and guess how to make a statement from the question, using the modal verb in the past or present:

Can Your Sister Play Tennis? - Does your sister know how to play tennis?

Can You Swim Well? - Can you swim well?

Could You Walk Around the City Alone? - Could you walk around the city alone?

COULD Your Granny Drive A CAR? - Your granny knew how to drive a car?

Could You Write Your Book Wortho Helping Friends? - Could you write your book without the help of friends?

Could You Go to the Theater Yesterday? - Could you go to theater yesterday?

The answers to such questions will be brief options with the use of the corresponding form of modal verb:

Yes, I CAN (yes, I can) or no, I can't (no, I can't);

Yes, I Could (yes, I could) or No, I Couldn "t (no, I could not).

CAN verb forms last time

In the first learning lessons, a language at school is familiar with many words. This list includes verbs of the past time in English. The table in which they are listed, children and adults are taught by heart. But this table does not have a studied modal verb. This is another case of an exception that you just need to learn by heart.

The form of past time Could can be used to express a polite request:

Could I Have This Pen, Please? - Can I take this handle?

Could I Open the Window? - Can I open the window?

Could You Close The Door? - Can you close the door?

Could He Have A Cup of TEA? - Is it possible to him a cup of tea?

The verbs of the past time in English

CAN verb in English can form the form of past indefinite time - The Past Simple Tense. Modal verbs of the past time in English in the table.

To effectively explore English and its understanding at an intuitive level, an understanding of the rules for the use of English modal verbs is vital. However, it is not always easy to understand all these subtleties yourself, so let's do it together. And let's start, perhaps, from the easiest to understanding and mastering the modal verb - cAN.

Value of verbCAN

We all know how important it is to express our skill or the ability to do something. To do this, in English and there is a small and cute verb - CAN. With the help of it, you can tell your English-speaking interlocutors about your abilities and skills, and you can also ask permission to do something, take a request or offer.

CAN or COULD

COULD is the initially passed form of the CAN verb, which is used to express the ability in the past, as well as in indirect speech. At the same time, in requests, queries, orders or suggestions, it is customary to speak - Could, it is considered a more polite form of circulation. On the other hand, when you ask permission or permission, it will correctly speak CAN.

Consider at the examples.

In meaning to be able to -ability.

HE CAN SPEAK English Very Well - He knows how to speak English very well.

WHEN HE WAS FIVE HE COULDN'T SWIM, But He Could Rollerblade - When he was five years old, he did not know how to swim, but he knew how to ride on the rollers (past time).

She Said She Could Do It - She said she can do it.

In the value of permission (permission) -permission

You can take a break after you do this exercise - you can take a break after you do this exercise.

CAN I use you laptop? Can I (you allow) to use your laptop? - YES, YouCan.

CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING? - Could I ask you something?

CAN I HELP YOU? - Can I help you?

Please offer - Request, Offer.

Could I Have some more coffee, please? - Can I have some more coffee?

Could You Do Me A Favor? - Can I ask you to favor?

I COULD DO THIS FOR YOU - I can do it for you (offer in value - let's do it for you).

The possibility of "maybe" -possibility.

IT COULD RAIN TODAY. - Today it will be raining.

This Can't Be True cannot be true.

It should also be noted that in negative and questioning proposals in combination with the perfect infinitive CAN and COULD, it is impossible, the incredibility of the fact that the action could occur and the Russian language is translated as hardly whether it is hardly possible.

For example:

You Couldn't Have Doneit. - I can not believe what you did it (you could not do this).

She CAN't Have Learned English SO Quickly. - It was unlikely that she could learn English so quickly.

The hypothetical possibility in the meaning "could" - onlycould.

WE COULD GET THERE ON TIME IF Only You're Going Faster - If you walked faster, we could come on time.

This, perhaps, all the rules for the use of modal verb of the sign of his fellow - Could, which are not at all difficult to learn. But finally, we will reveal you another nuance.

These verbs have another form - BE Able to. This form can be used in all times - the present, which has passed and the future. But more to the expression of all the capabilities that we described above in the future and times of the PERFECT group.

For example:

HE WONT BE ABLE TO COME TODAY - He will not be able to come today.

He Has Not Been Able to Do What You Asked - He had no opportunity (he could not, was unable) to do what you asked.

CAN is the easiest and easiest of the English modal verbs and you will certainly learn it with ease by reading our article.

CAN and its past form Could are almost the most frequently used modal. It is also found in the literature, and in the mass media, and in conversational speech. If you compare the consumption frequency of CAN and COULD, it becomes clear that CAN is occurring much more often. This is due to the fact that in colloquial speech and literature, the events occur mainly in the present time, which means that the CAN will be used in the meaning of physical opportunity. Consider the grammatical features of these modal verbs and the features of their use.

Grammatical features of CAN and COULD

Like most modal, CAN / COULD are used without particle to after them, that is, with the so-called "naked" or bare infinitive. Eating to after these modals is one of the richest and caricature errors. This is equivalent to the offer "He haves" instead of grammatically correct "." Modal, which after themselves require a part of the infinitive, not so much and can be easily remembered. According to the general rule, to after modal verbs is not installed:

• I can do this of course, of course, I can do this, but you should take care of yourself carefully.
• Who Can Translate This Text Into Spanish? - I CAN, I am a Translator But with Little Practice. - Who can translate this text in Spanish? "I can, I am a translator, but I have little experience."
• Could You Help Me With this Luggage? IT's Too Heavy and Not Allowed to Lift Heavy Things - Could you help me with a luggage? He is very heavy. And I only recently after surgery and I can not be lifted in gravity.

In all three examples it can be seen that after CAN / CULD there is a verb without an infinitive particle.

The following feature, more relating to the CAN, is that this verb has the form of past time - Could. It is used not only directly in the past time, but also in proposals with the coordination of speech, as well as in conditional proposals.

• I Could Do It WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, BUT I Am Not Twient Now and Even Not Thirty, You Should Admit. - I could do it when it was younger. But I'm not twenty, and not even thirty, as you must have noticed.

In this case, the speaker considers his speech to the past when he could make a certain action. Here we simply use Could basically mean - the physical ability to do something in the past time and nothing more.

• The Doctor SAID THAT THEY COULD SWIM IF THEY WANT TO BUT NOT FOR LONG DISTANCES - Doctor said they can swim if they want, but it should be avoided long distances.

Here is a proposal that was obviously translated from direct speech to the indirect. According to the rule of time, CAN should have proceeded in the past time, namely, becoming a COULD due to the fact that in the first part of the sentence there is a SAID pointer to the need for approval.

In question and negative offers, CAN / COULD are used without auxiliary verbs and themselves occupy their place in sentences:

• CAN WE GET OUT OF HERE? I don't Like This Place, I am Scared and i Don; T Believe This Woman, She Looks Strange - Can we get out of here? I do not like this place, I'm scared and I do not trust this woman. She looks strange.
• I CAN'T TELL YOU THE THRUTH JUST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, I Am Not The Person to Be Asked for Truth in this Matter - I can not tell you the truth, because I do not know all the details. I am not the person who needs to ask about the truth concerning this situation.

In the first sentence, in the question, CAN took the place of the auxiliary verb in the overall issue. And in the second case, it is located where in meaning should be auxiliary with negative particle not. These are the reflection of the history of the development of modal, when the auxiliary verbs have not yet appeared as we know them, and the modal already existed and used. In order to emphasize the special status of most modal, later they began to be used without auxiliary verbs.

CAN has no form of a future time. This means that an equivalent to Be Able to: is used to refer to the future.

• I Will Be Able to Read This Book in English in A Year I Suppose - I think I can read this book in English.

Also modal CAN / COULD do not change on persons. That is, they only use one form:

• WE CAN SING, SHE CAN SING, BUT YOU - YOU CAN'T AT ALL - We are able to sing, she knows how to sing, and you - you can not at all.

Using CAN / COULD in different situations

As mentioned above, CAN, mostly rule, denotes the physical or mental ability to do something. That is, this is what a person can do, relying on his own strength and skills. It is best that the rule is illustrated by cases for the designation of physical ability:

• I CAN Swim Well, Don't Be Afraid - I can swim, do not worry.

The second case is a common possibility or probability, something that is easy to assume from the existing facts.

• SHE CAN BE THERE, IT'S QUITE HER STYLE - TO VANISH IN SOME HIDDEN NOOK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS - She may be there, it looks like her - disappear for a couple of days and sitting in some kind of secluded corner.

The third is not a specific, but theoretical opportunity. Offers of this type are familiar with everyone since the school program:

• You can see a lot of pictures in the museum - in the museum you can see many paintings.

Often CAN is used in matters expressing the request. By the way, in denials that the failure mean, only CAN is used, which is seen from the following example:

• CAN I COME IN? - No, You Can't, I Am Too Busy. - Can I enter? - No, it is impossible, I am very busy.

CAN has an equivalent - may. But even the question that begins with May in the answer will still be CAN't. This question is more formal and polite than the option with CAN.

• May I Take This Cake? - no, you can't. IT's for Guests. - Can I take a cake? - No, you can not, it is for guests.

Could, unlike CAN, is used either as a more polite option, or to express action in the past. For the designation of reproof, Could + Have + v3 is used:

• Look What You Did! You Could Have Been More Careful! - See what you have done! You might be more inactive!