Related non-modal expressions

Had better – this is a recommendation, refers only to the present or future: You’d better not phone her again.

Be bound to – this is used for making future predictions of certainty: It’s bound to rain tomorrow.

Be supposed to + infinitive means ‘should’ but it expresses the idea that someone else expects something to be done. You’re supposed to wear a suit to work. (Your employer expects you to.) You should wear a suit. (It is a good idea because it makes a better impression.)

Be likely to means ‘may’ (possibility). To express possibility in questions we don’t use ‘may’, we use: Is he likely to ...?, Is it likely that he ...?, Can he ...?, Could he ...?, Might he ...? Is he likely to understand my feelings? Is it likely that he will understand my feelings? Could he understand my feelings?

Would you mind is used to express polite, formal requests. Would you mind holding this for a moment?

Let’s... / How about...? / Why don’t we...? / What about...? are used to make suggestions. Let’s stay in tonight. How about staying in tonight? Why don’t we stay in tonight? What about staying in tonight?

Would you like to / Would you like me to...? (= Shall I...?) are used when we offer to do something. Would you like me to read you a story? (Shall I read you a story?)

Be allowed to is used to express permission, to say what the rule is. He was allowed to visit the prisoner. Was he allowed to visit the prisoner?

 

Can

The modal verb ‘can’ has the following forms: ‘can’ – for the present tense and ‘could’ – for the past tense and for the subjunctive mood: I can’t dance but I could when I was young. I wish I could go with you.

The form ‘could’ is used in two ways:

1) in past-time contexts as a form of the Indicative mood: He could speak English when he was a child.

2) in present-time contexts to express unreality, or as a milder and more polite form of ‘can’, or as a form implying more uncertainty than ‘can’: Could I help you? Could it be true? He could speak English if necessary.

‘Can’ has the following meanings:

1) physical and mental ability or capacity: I can imagine how angry he is. Mary can speak English quite well. I couldn’t understand him when he spoke very fast. This meaning may also be expressed by ‘to be able to’. The phrase can be used in all tense-forms if necessary.

2) possibility

a) possibility due to circumstances: Anybody can make a mistake. You can hardly blame him for that.

In this meaning ‘can’ is found in all kinds of sentences. It is followed by the simple infinitive and refers the action to the present or future.

b) possibility due to the existing rules of laws: In old days a man could be sentenced to death for a small crime. The Lower House alone can initiate financial measures.

c) theoretical possibility: The railways can be improved. (It is possible for the railways to be improved, as they are not perfect yet.)

3) permission: ‘can’ in this meaning is found in affirmative sentences, interrogative sentences in which a request is expressed and in negative sentences where can expresses prohibition.

You can use my car. (permission)

He can go now. (permission)

Can I use your car? (request)

Can you hold on a minute, please? (request)

You can’t use my car today. (prohibition)

You can’t cross the street here. (prohibition) In this meaning can is combined with the simple infinitive.

4) uncertainty, surprise: in this meaning ‘can’ is found in interrogative sentences (in general questions). It corresponds to the Russian ‘неужели’ and sentences of this kind are often emotionally coloured. Depending on the time reference, can in this meaning is used in combination with different forms of the infinitive.

If reference is made to the present, the continuous infinitive is used with the verbs that can have the continuous form and the simple infinitive with the verbs that cannot have the continuous form: Can she be telling lies? Can he really be ill?

‘Can’ in combination with the perfect infinitive refers the action to the past: e.g. Can she have said that?

The verb ‘can’ expressing surprise is not used in the negative form. Therefore the Russian negative questions of the type – ‘неужели он не’ … is translated into English in different ways:

a) by complex sentences: Can / could it be that you haven’t seen him? Can / could it be that she hasn’t read this book?

b) by different lexical means: Can / could you have failed to see him? Can / could she have never read this book? Can / could you dislike this film? Can / could nobody have seen her do it? Can / could you disapprove of her decision? Can / could they fail to realize the full significance of the event?

5) improbability, strong doubt: in this meaning ‘can’ is found only in negative sentences and they are often emotionally coloured. In Russian it is usually rendered by ‘не может быть (невероятно), чтобы …’. In this meaning ‘can’ is used with different forms of the infinitive depending on the time reference. ‘Could’ is also used in this way making the statement less categorical. The time reference is indicated not by the form of the modal verb but by that of the infinitive.

It can’t (couldn’t) be true. He can’t (couldn’t) be so old. She can’t (couldn’t) be telling the truth. He can’t (couldn’t) have said it.

The Russian ‘не может быть , чтобы он не …’ / ‘он не может не …’ may be translated in the following way: He can’t (couldn’t) be unaware of her arrival. He can’t (couldn’t) have failed to notice you. Nobody can (could) have seen him do it.

6. ‘Can’ and ‘could’ (with reference to the present) are found in speacial questions where they are used for emotional colouring (for instance, to express puzzlement, impatience, etc.): What can (could) he mean? Where can (could) he be hiding? How can (could) he have done it? Who can (could) have painted this picture? What can (could) he have been doing there?

7. reproach: this meaning is found only with the form ‘could’. In this sense ‘could’ is interchangeable with ‘might’.

You could have helped me.

8. purpose: this meaning occurs only with the form ‘could’ in clauses of purpose: I left the newspaper on the table so that he could see it at once.

9. in some set expressions:

a) cannot / can’t help doing smth – не могу не …

When I saw him I couldn’t help laughing. She can’t help crying. I couldn’t help seeing that she was ill.

b) cannot / can’ t but do smth – ничего не остается как …

I can’t but ask him about it. We cannot but hope he is right. They couldn’t but refuse him.

c) one cannot but wonder – нельзя не задуматься

I cannot but wonder what I should do next.

d) as can be – an intensifying expression

They are as pleased as can be. It’s as ugly as can be.

e) can but – во всяком случае

I can but try. I can but hope.

f) can’ t possibly do – просто не может (не мог, не мог бы)

He can’t possibly do it. He couldn’t possibly afford a car on his present salary. He can’t possibly have done it.

 

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