Examples: * You MUST NOT park
your car here. It is forbidden.
Permission
Asking for Permission
Examples: * Are we ALLOWED TO eat here?
* COULD I use your phone, please? * Can I
sit here, or is the seat taken?
Giving / Refusing Permission
Examples: * You are ALLOWED TO park here.
* You COULD take a day off work. * Yes, you
CAN go to that party, if you want.
CAN - COULD - BE ALLOWED TO
Making Requests / Offers
WOULD - COULD - CAN
Annotations:
Examples:
* Would you like to come to the party with me?
* Could you please close the door?
* Can you send these letters for me?
Examples: * WOULD you like to come to the party with me? *
COULD you please close the door? * CAN you send these
letters for me?
Obligation / Necessity
Absence of necessity
Examples: * You DON'T HAVE TO wash the
dishes; I'll do it. * You DON'T NEED TO
remind me of this, I remember.
DON'T HAVE TO - DON'T NEED TO
MUST - HAVE TO - NEED TO
Examples: * You MUST study harder.
* We have to hand in an assignment
next Friday. * I need to practice
Tenses.
Ability
Absence of ability
CAN'T - COULDN'T - NOT BE ABLE TO
Examples: * I CAN'T run a marathon, I'm not prepared. *
My kids COULDN'T ride bikes when they were little. * She
has NOT been ABLE TO walk since the accident.
CAN - COULD - BE ABLE TO
Examples: * I CAN row fairly well.
* He COULD read at the age of 3.
* The team was ABLE TO
complete the taks at a record
time!
Giving Advice / Making Suggestions
SHOULD - SHOULDN'T
Examples: * You SHOULD see a doctor.
* You SHOULDN'T leave for tomorrow
what you can do today.
Possibility
CAN - MAY - MIGHT
Examples: * I CAN be hot next week. *
I MAY go to Hawaii next summer. *
They MIGHT return tomorrow, but I'm
not sure.