modal verbs of possibility
DESCRIPTION
Modal verbs of possibility.TRANSCRIPT
Modal verbsofpossibility
can will shall may mustcould would should might -
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
sometimes it rains a lot
He can arrivevery late.
He can arrivevery late.
sometimes he arrives very late
compare:
It may rain this evening.
It may rain this evening.
it’s possible that it’ll rain
He may arrive late.
He may arrive late.
it’s possible that he’ll
arrive late
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It may rain this evening.
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It may rain this evening.
present repeated possibility
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It may rain this evening.
futureone-time possibility
N.B.
requests / permission
possibility
can Can I have… ? It can rain…
may May I have… ? It may rain…
requests / permission
possibility
can Can I have… ? It can rain…
may May I have… ? It may rain…
can = may can ≠ may
may / might / could
Itmay
mightcould
rain later.
Itmay
might could
not rain later.
Itmay
might could
not rain later.
don’t use ‘could’ in negatives
meaning ‘maybe not’
contrast with the indicative
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It rains a lotin India in July.
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It rains a lotin India in July.
sometimes
always
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It rains a lotin India in July.
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It’s raining a lotthis month.
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It’s raining a lotthis month.
sometimes
this time
It can rain a lotin Rome in November.
It’s raining a lotthis month.
I may play tenniswith John later.
I’m going to play tenniswith John later.
I may play tenniswith John later.
I’m going to play tenniswith John later.
it’s possible
it’s my intention
I may play tenniswith John later.
I’m going to play tenniswith John later.
We may watch the match this evening.
Perhaps / maybe we’ll watchthe match this evening.
it’s possible-modal-
it’s possible-adverb-
We may watch the match this evening.
Perhaps / maybe we’ll watchthe match this evening.
these sentences express ‘possibility’
convert them to modal sentences using
may and might
the meaning is always ‘possibility’
indicative etc modal may / might
It’s possible that he has a car. He may ...
He probably doesn’t understand. He …
Perhaps she wants to dance.
Maybe they are asleep.
Perhaps he can’t see us.
It’ll probably be a nice day.
It probably won’t be a nice day.
Perhaps it won’t happen.
Maybe she loves him.
Maybe they’re at home.
indicative etc modal may / might
It’s possible that he has a car. He may have a car.
He probably doesn’t understand. He might not understand.
Perhaps she wants to dance. She may want to dance.
Maybe they are asleep. They might be asleep.
Perhaps he can’t see us. He may not be able to see us.
It’ll probably be a nice day. It might be a nice day.
It probably won’t be a nice day. It may not be a nice day.
Perhaps it won’t happen. It might not happen.
Maybe she loves him. She may love him.
Maybe they’re at home. They may be at home.
introduce or remove ‘possibility’ in these sentences
convert indicatives to modal sentences and modals to
indicatives.
indicative etc modal may / might
I’m going to buy a phone. I might buy a new phone.
He needs … He might need some help.
She doesn’t want to study. She …
We might be able to pass the exam.
It isn’t going to rain.
She may be angry!
They are hungry.
I might have a pen you can borrow.
He certainly knows the answer.
She may like to go shopping.
indicative etc modal may / might
I’m going to buy a phone. I might buy a new phone.
He needs some help. He might need some help.
She doesn’t want to study. She may not want to study.
We are able to pass the exam. We might be able to pass the exam.
It isn’t going to rain. It might not rain.
She will be angry! She may be angry!
They are hungry. They may be hungry.
I have a pen you can borrow. I might have a pen you can borrow.
He certainly knows the answer. He might know the answer.
She wants to go shopping. She may like to go shopping.
module 6, part 22
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