Untitled

MODALS

ABILITY AND POSSIBILITY

ABILITY

POSSIBILITY

Modals of ability are:

*Can

*Could

*Be able to

Modals of possibility are:

*May

*Might

*Could

Can/Can´t:

*Skill or general abilities

*Connect present with future

EXAMPLES:

*He can run like a tiger

*I can´t see you

Could/Couldn´t

*Skill or abilities in the past

*Could+have+past participle= had opportunity didn´t do it

EXAMPLES:

*He could run like a tiger

*He could have played in major leagues

Be able to:

*More formal than "can"

*After modal verbs

*Was/were: something someone succeeded in doing

*Perfect and future

EXAMPLES:

*I´m free this evening, I might be able to go to the party

Negative:

Couldn´t, wasn´t/ weren´t able

*Might= unreal situations

*May and might are interchangeable

EXAMPLE:

If I were in your position, I might look for another job

Continuous form:

Might be+ing

May be+ing

Could be+ing

EXAMPLE:

I may be playing soccer

Negative:

Might not be-possible

May not be-possible

Couldn´t-don´t exist probability