How to express ability and possibility?
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 435.
III.GRAMMAR PRACTICE
| Глагол | Present | Past | Future |
| can | can | could | |
| to be able (to) | am is able to are | was able to were | will (shall) be able to |
| выражает реальную возможность, физическую или умственную способность | I can do it. (I am able to do it.) Я могу (в состоянии, умею) делать это. | I could do it. (I was able to do it.) Я мог (был в состоянии, умел) сделать это. | I shall be able to do it. Я смогу (буду в состоянии, сумею) это сделать. |
| may | may | might (употребляется в косвенной речи) | |
| to be allowed (to) | am is allowed to are | was allowed to were | will (shall) be allowed to |
| выражает допущение возможности, разрешение совершить действие | You may / are allowed togo to the movies. Вы можете (Вам разрешено) теперь пойти в кино. | He said I might go to here. Он сказал, что я могу идти туда. I was allowed to go to the movies. Мне разрешили идти в кино | You will be allowed to watch TV after 10. Вы сможете (Вам разрешат) смотреть телевизор после 10 часов. |
For you to remember!
We use can to say that something is possible or that somebody has the ability to do something. We use can + infinitive (can do / can see etc.):
• We can see the lake from our bedroom window.
• Can you speak any foreign languages?
• I can come and see you tomorrow if you like.
The negative is can't (= cannot):
• I'm afraid I can't come to the party on Friday.
(Be) able to... is possible instead of can, but can is more usual:
• Are you able to speak any foreign languages?
But can has only two forms, can (present) and could (past). So sometimes it is necessary to use (be) able to... . Compare:
• I can't sleep.
but I haven't been able to sleep recently, (can has no present perfect)
• Tom can come tomorrow.
but Tom might be able to come tomorrow, (can has no infinitive)
Could and was able to...
Sometimes could is the past of can. We use could especially with:
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