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Língua Inglesa:

Intermediário
Material Teórico
Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Responsável pelo Conteúdo:


Prof.ª Me. Silvana Nogueira da Rocha

Revisão Técnica:
Prof.ª Me. Fátima da Penha Furlan

Revisão Textual:
Prof. Esp. Bruno Reis
Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission
& Possibility

· Theoretical Contents
· Grammar – Can / Can’t
· Grammar – Could / Couldn’t
· Grammar – May / May not
· Grammar – Might / Mightn’t
· Phonetics - “a” sound

To enlarge the way of expressing ourselves correctly in situations that are


related to ability, permission and possibility.

In order to have a good performance and make satisfactory use of the information about
the grammar topics, it is important to read all the theoretical contents presented in the unit,
pay a lot of attention to the examples given, do all the exercises that are suggested in the
systematization and reflection activities, and also read the extra material, which will help you
improve your knowledge. There are several exercises with answer keys! Therefore you can
do your self-assessment!
It is also fundamental to watch the Narrated Presentation (Apresentação Narrada) and the Video
Lecture (Videoaula), for both summarize important concepts about the topics of the unit.
Also remember that learning a new language is a hard task, but it is not impossible once you
do the activities suggested and spend some hours studying. As it is always said, there are no magic
formulas or magic potions that perform miracles other than your own effort and persistence.
To accomplish this, organize a standardized routine and avoid accumulating contents and
activities to be done at the last minute. In case you have any doubts, do not hesitate to use
the tools Message (Mensagens) or Chat (Fórum de dúvidas) to get in touch with you tutor.
You will see that your knowledge about the language will get richer and richer, your
difficulties will decrease, and you will notice that you can’t live in a globalized world without
mastering the English language.

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Contextualização

Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images


How many times have you heard, read or even said (in your English classes) the sentences
“Can I help you?” and “May I come in?”? Have you ever paid attention to these structures?
I suppose since you started to get in touch with the English language these structures are
familiar to you. But are you aware of all the details and uses they may have?
If you are, it’s time to remember! If you’re not, it’s time to study!
There are many characteristics concerning the Modal Verbs that you’ve never imagined!

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Theoretical Contents

Focus – Ability, permission & possibility

Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images


Mini dialog 1:

A: Can you skate?


B: Yes, I can, a little. Can you?
A: No, I’m afraid, I can’t, but I can ski rather well.
Disponível em: http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com.br/2012/08/examples-of-modal-verbs-in-texts-and.html. Acesso em:
18 out. 2014.
Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images

Mini dialog 2:

A: Can you come to the party tomorrow?


B: I am not sure I’ll be able to join you. I am very busy.
Disponível em: http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com.br/2012/08/examples-of-modal-verbs-in-texts-and.html. Acesso em:
18 out. 2014.

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images


Mini dialog 3:

A: Does this bus go to the station?


B: No, you’ll have to get off at the bank, and take 178.
A: Can you tell me where to get off?
B: It’s the next stop.
Disponível em: http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com.br/2012/08/examples-of-modal-verbs-in-texts-and.html. Acesso em:
18 out. 2014.

Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images

Mini dialog 4:

A: Excuse me, please. Could you tell me how to get to the town centre?
B: First right, second left. You can’t miss it
A: Thank you.
B: That’s OK.
Disponível em: http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com.br/2012/08/examples-of-modal-verbs-in-texts-and.html. Acesso em:
18 out. 2014.

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Grammar – Can / Can’t
The modal verb can expresses or indicates ability, permission and general possibility.
The following table shows us how it is conjugated:

Affirmative Negative Affirmative Negative


Interrogative Interrogative
I can I can’t Can I? Can’t I?
You can You can’t Can you? Can’t you?
She can She can’t Can she? Can’t she?
He can He can’t Can he? Can’t he?
It can It can’t Can it? Can’t it?
We can We can’t Can we? Can’t we?
You can You can’t Can you? Can’t you?
They can You can’t Can they? Can’t they?

Important!

Note that the negative form when not contracted is just a single word.
can’t = cannot

If you want to talk about ability in the future, you have to use will be able to or its negative
form won’t be able to.

See some examples:


Our baby will be able to walk in a few weeks.
(Nosso bebê poderá andar em poucas (dentro de poucas) semanas.)

I won’t be able to play the piano so well from 15 years on!


(Não poderei tocar piano tão bem daqui a 15 anos!)

Well, once it was said the modal verb can expresses or indicates ability, permission and
general possibility; let’s see now examples of each one of these situations mentioned.

Showing that someone has an ability:


I can walk. (Eu posso caminhar.)
It means “I have this ability”.
Showing that someone doesn’t have an ability:
I can’t swim. (Eu não posso nadar.)
It means “I don’t have this ability”.
Showing that someone is allowed to do something:
You can go with them. (Você pode ir com eles.)
It means “You have the permission to do it”.

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Showing that something is possible (the circumstances permit it):


You can ski on the hills. (Você pode esquiar nas montanhas.) *There is enough snow.

We can’t swim here on (Não podemos nadar aqui por conta dos tubarões.) *It isn’t safe.
account of the sharks.

Can you get to the top of the (Você pode subir no topo da montanha em um dia?) *Is it possible?
mountain in one day?

Important!

It is important to notice three aspects when we are studying Modal Verbs:


1. The final -s used in the third person singular doesn’t exist anymore. So, we say “He can”;
“She can”; “It can”.
2. Modal verbs are not followed by the infinitive particle to as most of the verbs in English,
as we already studied. So, we say “I can go”, for example.
3. Modal verbs don’t need an auxiliary verb for negative and interrogative forms because
they themselves are the auxiliary verbs in the sentence. So, to ask a question, just invert
the position of the subject and the verb, and to deny, just add the negative particle not
in front of them.

Focus – Hypothetical Situation, Polite Requests and Past Ability Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images

Check-in at a hotel
David Yes, I can wait. I am not in a hurry.
Clark Sorry, sir. The hotel is fully booked
David It is just a single room, for one night
Clark Just one night? Which date exactly, sir?

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David It’s April 21st. I will arrive at 12 o’clock.
Clark Eh... I have a single for that date. Could you tell me your name, please?
David David Lewis. I work for the government.
Clark Oh, really? I think you have stayed with us before
David Yes, this is my third time in Paris.
Clark Will you be paying by credit card?
David Yes. It is Visa. Do you accept Visa?
Clark Yes, sir. What is the number?
David It’s 4335-1713-6094.
CURTIN, J.; VINEY, P. Survival English. Oxford: Heinemann, 1994.

Grammar – Could / Couldn’t


The modal verb could indicates possibilities in more hypothetical situation, it introduces a
polite request and is also used to talk about ability in the past (past ability).

Hypothetical situation:
Could you run the business by yourself? (Você poderia administrar o negócio sozinho?)

Could he get another job? (Ele poderia conseguir outro emprego?)

I could get you a copy. (Eu poderia conseguir uma cópia pra você.)

Using could you? or couldn’t you? is a very good way of introducing a request.

Polite request:
Could you show me the way? (Você poderia me mostrar o caminho?)

Could you please send me an application form? (Você poderia, por favor, enviar um formulário?)

Could you come and mend a leak in a pipe? (Você poderia vir e consertar um vazamento em um cano?)

Couldn’t you come a little earlier? (Você não poderia vir um pouco mais cedo?)

Ability in the past (past ability):


When I was young, I could climb any tree. (Quando eu era jovem, eu podia subir em qualquer árvore.)

She could play the piano when she was just (Ela podia tocar piano quando tinha apenas cinco anos)
five years old.

However, it’s possible to find other uses of could, such as the following cases.
Could is also used together with the Perfect Infinitive when the action was not performed or
when we don’t know whether it was performed or not.

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Past ability when the action was not performed:


I could have lent you the money. (Eu poderia ter emprestado o dinheiro a você.)

When we don’t know whether the action was performed or not:


The money has disappeared. Who could have (O dinheiro desapareceu. Quem poderia tê-lo levado?)
taken it?

Important!
By using the construction above, we can also show some kind of irritation or reproach for the
non-performed action. But, in this case, it’s necessary to stress the word we want to emphasize.
You could have told me!
(Você poderia ter me contado!)

Take a look at the following table and see how easy it is to conjugate the modal verb could.
It is the same for all pronouns (I, You, He, She, It, We, You, They).

Affirmative Negative Affirmative Negative


Interrogative Interrogative
I could I couldn’t Could I? Couldn’t I?
You could You couldn’t Could you? Couldn’t you?
She could She couldn’t Could she? Couldn’t she?
He could He couldn’t Could he? Couldn’t he?
It could It couldn’t Could it? Couldn’t it?
We could We couldn’t Could we? Couldn’t we?
You could You couldn’t Could you? Couldn’t you?
They could You couldn’t Could they? Couldn’t they?

Focus – Possibility and permission


Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images

12
Renting a car
Clark Yes, ma’am. For how long?
Natalie For three days.
Clark All right. Where do you want to leave the car?
Natalie Can I leave it at the downtown office?
Sure, you can leave our cars at any of our offices. What kind of car would you
Clark like to rent?
Natalie Can I see your brochure?
Clark Here you are.
Natalie How about this one?
Clark Ok. May I see your driver’s license?
Natalie I have an International Driver’s License and a French one.
Clark Fine. Thank you. Now, do you want a personal accident insurance?
Natalie Sure
Clark Right. How do you want to pay?
Natalie American Express, please.
Clark That’s fine.
CURTIN, J.; VINEY, P. Survival English. Oxford:Heinemann, 1994.

In the dialog we could notice that can and may are being used to ask for permission. However,
we have to consider that when Natalie is asking the clerk, she makes use of can (Can I leave it at
the downtown office?; Can I see your brochure?) and when the clerk asks her to see her driver’s
license, he makes use of may, which implies a certain degree of formality or hierarchical matters.

Grammar – May / May not

The modal verb may is used to indicate a factual possibility or ask for permission in a formal way.

Factual possibility:
He may like to talk (Talvez ele goste de conversar Mayn´t is
about astrology. sobre astrologia.) a spoken
form of
He may tell his wife. (Talvez ele conte à sua esposa.)
“May not”.
Ann may know Tom’s address. (Talvez Ann saiba o endereço de Tom.)

Permission:
He may leave the office as soon as I have (Ele pode deixar o escritório assim que eu tiver
finished the reports. terminado os relatórios.)

He says we may leave the office as soon as we (Ele diz que podemos deixar o escritório assim que
have finished the reports. tivermos terminado os relatórios.)

May I use the fax machine now? (Posso usar a máquina de fax agora?)

It is also possible to use “may” in speculations about actions in the past. In this case, it is used
with the Perfect Infinitive.

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Speculations about actions in the past:


He may have gone (Talvez ele tenha ido)

She may have spoken. (Talvez ela tenha falado)

They may have lost their keys. (Talvez eles tenham perdido suas chaves)

Take a look at the following table and see how easy it is to conjugate the verb.
It is the same for all pronouns (I, You, He, She, It, We, You, They).

Affirmative Negative Affirmative Negative


Interrogative Interrogative
I may I may not May I? May not I?
You may You may not May you? May not you?
She may She may not May she? May not she?
He may He may not May he? May not he?
It may It may not May it? May not it?
We may We may not May we? May not we?
You may You may not May you? May not you?
They may You may not May they? May not they?

Focus – Weakened possibility Fonte: Thinkstock / Getty Images

Helen I can’t find my phone.


Steve It might be in your briefcase
Helen No. I always…Oh dear, I think I might have left it in the taxi.
Steve Oh Helen. You’d better call them.
Helen Oh great, yes, of course. But I haven’t got a phone, have I??
Disponível em: http://www.bbc.co.uk/slovak/news/story/2004/11/041123_exr_modalcafe.shtml. Acesso em: 20 out. 2014.

In the dialog, the possibilities (or chances) are very remote or unlikely. That’s why might is
used instead of may. May would state a possibility only without raising any doubts.

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Grammar – Might / Mightn’t
We use the modal verb might to refer to a weakened possibility. This means that might
increases the doubt.
The price of Apple notebooks might go down next (O preço dos computadores portáteis da Apple talvez
month. diminua no próximo mês.)

He mightn’t believe your story. (Talvez ele não acredite na sua história.)

*Might they be waiting at the station? (Eles talvez possam estar esperando na estação?)

*Do you think they are waiting at the station? (Você acha que eles estão esperando na estação?)

*Is it likely they are waiting at the station? (É provável que eles estejam esperando na estação?)
*The question with might is less frequent. It’s more common to replace might with “Do you think…?”; “Is it likely…?”

Take a look at the following table and see how easy it is to conjugate the verb. It is the same
for all pronouns (I, You, He, She, It, We, You, They).

Affirmative Negative Affirmative Negative


Interrogative Interrogative
I might I mightn’t Might I? Mightn’t I?
You might You mightn’t Might you? Mightn’t you?
She might She mightn’t Might she? Mightn’t she?
He might He mightn’t Might he? Mightn’t he?
It might It mightn’t Might it? Mightn’t it?
We might We mightn’t Might we? Mightn’t we?
You might You mightn’t Might you? Mightn’t you?
They might You mightn’t Might they? Mightn’t they?

Important!
Trouble arises mainly when may and might convey possibility. Both words can carry this
meaning, but there’s a slight difference between them.
May simply states the possibility or likelihood, while might emphasizes the conditional
nature of the possibility, introducing a greater level of uncertainty.

Examples:
He may go to the theater tonight. *Stating the possibility
(Ele pode ir ao teatro hoje à noite.)

He might go to the theater tonight. *Raising some doubt


(Ele pode ir ao teatro hoje à noite.)

Now you face a big challenge: to read the following text, which presents a lot of Modal Verbs
and answer the questions related to it. It’s a very interesting story!

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Text – The Story of Helen Keller: The Girl Who Could Not See, Hear or Speak
I’d like you to know the story of Helen Keller, who could neither see
nor hear from the time she was a baby. Yet the brilliant girl was able to
overcome all those handicaps, to graduate from a college with honors and
become a useful citizen.
I must say there was nothing wrong with Helen Keller when she was
born. Her father and mother were very proud of their pretty baby, who
tried to say “pa-pa” and “ma-ma”.
For nineteen months Helen grew bigger and stronger. She was able to
walk when she was a year old; she could say a few words.
But one day the child fell ill. She must have been very ill. For days
she was laid up with a high fever and soon the parents learned that their
darling would never be able to see and hear.
The little child was now doomed to a life of silence and darkness. She
could not hear what was said to her and did not know how to talk. She
was unable to play with other children.
When Helen was 6 years old her parents took her to Baltimore and then
to Washington to famous doctors to find out if they could do something to
make her hear and see again, but the doctors could do nothing. The child
was hopelessly deaf. Dr. Bell said the Kellers should address the Perkins
Institution for the blind in Boston and ask if they could send someone to
help the child.
It was a wonderful day for Helen Keller when Ann Sullivan arrived in
March 1887 to take charge of the child who could neither hear nor speak.
Helen was nearly seven, Ann Sullivan was past twenty.
Ann Sullivan found a way to make herself
understood. She gave the child a doll, and
taking Helen Keller’s hand she slowly spelled
out “d-o-l”. The child learnt for the first time
that things must have names.
When Miss Sullivan later spelled into the
little girl’s hand the word “w-a-t-e-r” and
then let the water from the pumps run over
her hand, a new light seemed to brighten the
face of the child. During the next 3 months,
she learned 300 words and could even put
some of them into sentences.
Miss Sullivan loved her pupil who was so quick to learn. She lived with
Helen, played with her and worked with her every hour of the day. By
means of the hand language, Helen and her teacher were able to talk to
each other.
Helen learned to read books that were printed for the blind with raised
letters. She also learned to use the typewriter to write what she wanted to
say.

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When Helen was 10 she was determined that she would learn to
speak. At first she learned only the sounds of the letters of the alphabet,
but soon she was able to say words and sentences.
In the story of her life Helen Keller writes “I shall never forget the
surprise and delight I felt when I uttered my first connected sentence: “It
is warm.”
At first she had much difficulty with her speech, but Ann Sullivan
understood what Helen [was] trying to say. Helen practiced speaking day
after day until at last she developed a clear voice.
Later she was able to speak before large crowds
which came to hear her whenever she lectured.
At the age of 20 Helen Keller passed all the
difficult entrance examinations to Radcliffe College.
Helen did extremely well in her classes and was
able to keep up with the other students. Helen
wrote The story of my life while she was in college.
In her writings and lectures Helen did everything
she could to help and encourage others who were
blind.

(From “Short Stories of Famous Women”)


Disponível em:
http://englishstandarts.blogspot.com.br/2012/08/examples-of-modal-verbs-in-texts-and.html.
Acesso em: 20 out. 2014.

Important!
In the text there are other Modal Verbs, which will be studied in the next units. However, they are
also in bold type for you to memorize and familiarize yourself with them since now.
*Shall, should, must, would

Text comprehension
Question 1: What things was Helen Keller able to do despite her handicaps?

Question 2: How many words did Helen learn in a period of 3 months? What could she do
with them?

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Answer key – Question 1:


Despite her handicaps, she was able to graduate from a college with honors and become a useful citizen.

Answer key – Question 2:


She learnt 300 words in a 3 month’s period and could put some of them into sentences.

Vocabulary
baby bebê
brilliant brilhante
overcome superar
handicap(s) impedimento(s)
useful útil
citizen cidadã(o)
wrong errado
proud orgulhoso(a)
bigger maior
stronger mais forte
child criança
children crianças
fever febre
parents pais
silence silêncio
darkness escuridão
deaf surdo(a)
blind cego(a)
nearly quase, aproximadamente
sentence(s) frase(s)
language língua
typewriter máquina de escrever
voice voz
crowd(s) multidão(ões)
lecture(s) palestra(s)

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Phonetics - “a” sound
The vowel “a” in English has several sounds. The vocabulary studied presents some of its
possible sounds. It’s impossible to guess which sound this vowel has if you have never heard it.
But a good dictionary will help you whenever you need.
Let’s memorize some words from the vocabulary with their particular sound for this letter.

/ eɪ / /æ/ / ɑː /
baby handicap *both “a” darkness
language *the first “a”
parents

Explore
Check the new words in the following link:
http://www.wordreference.com. You will be able to listen to all of them in order to
practice and improve your English!

Practice the “a” sound. Which is / eɪ /, / æ / and / ɑː /?


a. apple
b. apron
c. back
d. bad
e. attic
f. day
g. bay
h. hay
i. dark
j. bark

Answer key – Practice the “a” sound. Which is / eɪ /, / æ / and / ɑː /?


Sound / eɪ /:
apron, day, bay, hay

Sound / æ /:
apple, back, bad, attic

Sound / ɑː /
dark, bark

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Material Complementar

Here are some suggestions for further readings and extra exercises to be done in order to
review the grammar topics studied in the unit. Following the tips, you’ll improve your knowledge
about the English language and won’t stop growing anymore!
Online Dictionaries :
• http://www.onelook.com/
• http://www.teclasap.com.br/

Video lectures on class about grammar structures:


Rachel’s English
http://www.rachelsenglish.com/
Acesso em: 20 nov. 2014.

English Modal Verbs – Can, Could, May and Might


https://youtu.be/SaBH_huiJSM
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Music Videos:
Adelle – I can’t make you love me
https://youtu.be/sLfWPLLn-QI
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Alesso – Heroes (We could be heroes)


https://youtu.be/a7SouU3ECpU
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Barry Manilow – Could it be magic


https://youtu.be/vDEynk7SwxE
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Billy Joel – You may be right


https://youtu.be/Jo9t5XK0FhA
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Bryan Adams – I can’t stop loving you


https://youtu.be/ohyO5Ajxeic
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Celine Dion – Water from the moon (Can’t you see that I’m going out of my mind?)
https://youtu.be/pLfy1XiQpEU
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

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Edwin McCain – Couldn’t ask for more
https://youtu.be/ulrTpG4rLQE
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Elton John – Can you feel the love tonight?


https://youtu.be/cM1Yz6rF73U
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Faydee – Can’t let go


https://youtu.be/N_YcD_yESk8
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Gloria Gaynor – Can’t take my eyes off of you.


https://youtu.be/BT4GIljqr-A
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Jennifer Lopez – Could this be love?


https://youtu.be/rQGDjhGKCc8
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Jimmy Cliff – I can see clearly now


https://youtu.be/xzGV9Bl6CGg
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

John Lennon – Imagine (You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one)
https://youtu.be/RwUGSYDKUxU
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Kelly Clarkson – Dark side (Everybody’s got a dark side. Do you love me? Can you love mine?)
https://youtu.be/H5ArpRWcGe0
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Luka Bloom – You couldn’t have come at a better time


https://youtu.be/N1dUvNKDOeA
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Maroon 5 – Won’t go home without you. (I may not make it through the night)
https://youtu.be/E4jFVPsTEfM
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

MC Hammer – U Can’t touch this


https://youtu.be/otCpCn0l4Wo
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Parmalee – Close Your Eyes (I might wanna close your eyes for this)
https://youtu.be/IHIy2DcgHKY
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

REO Speedwagon – I can’t fight this feeling anymore


https://youtu.be/zpOULjyy-n8
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Sabrina Carpenter – Can’t blame a girl for trying


https://youtu.be/HibDj27DHMI
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Shakira – Can’t remember to forget you


https://youtu.be/o3mP3mJDL2k
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

R. Kelly – I believe I can fly


https://youtu.be/GIQn8pab8Vc
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Rodney Crowell – I couldn’t leave you if I tried


https://youtu.be/SPi6fW8KBW4
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Shawn Hlookoff – She could be you


https://youtu.be/Fth4sUDuhrE
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Smash Mouth – Walking on the sun (You might as well be walking on the sun)
https://youtu.be/uM2z60kDdZo
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Snow Patrol – You could be happy


https://youtu.be/76Mbnuwk2d4
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Steven Bishop – It might be you


https://youtu.be/HAIQVh7sfmk
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Tamela Mann – I can only imagine


https://youtu.be/-s8HMmvN-Jc
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Terry Linen – Couldn’t be the girl for me


https://youtu.be/5_9zHzxY9AY
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

22
The Calling – Could it be any harder
https://youtu.be/PWp6OuMtbTw
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

UB40 – (I can’t help) falling in love with you


https://youtu.be/vUdloUqZa7w
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Van Halen – Can’t stop loving you


https://youtu.be/mYMcSHzHqxA
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Yo-Yo Ma & Diana Krall – You couldn’t be cuter


https://youtu.be/o8Zp2mdwOrs
Acesso em: 22 fev. 2018.

Practice Modal Verbs:


1. __________ you open the window? (polite request)
2. I ____________ play the piano when I was just 6 years old!
3. Our son ________________ to walk within some months.
4. They _____________ have spoken loudly.
5. She ___________ not believe him. (possibility)
6. He ____________ come later. (weakened probability)
7. They ___________ run faster. (ability)
8. Kathy __________ have been deceived. (speculation about the past)
9. ___________ I take your drink order while you’re looking over the menu?
10. She _____________ wait anymore. (negative form)

Answer Key
1. Could; 2. could; 3. will be able; 4. might; 5. may; 6. might; 7. can; 8. might; 9. May; 10. can’t

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Unidade: Modal Verbs – Ability, Permission & Possibility

Referências

Bibliografia Básica

COE, N.; PATERSON, K.; HARRISON, M. Oxford practice grammar: -basic. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2008.

MCCARTHY, M.; CARTER, R. Cambridge grammar of English: a comprehensive guide.


Cambridge do Brasil, 2006.

SOUZA, A. G. F. Leitura em língua inglesa: uma abordagem instrumental. 2. ed. São Paulo:
Disal Editora, 2010.

Bibliografia Complementar

AZAR, B. S.; HAGEN, S. A. Understanding and using English grammar. 4. ed. Pearson/
Longman, 2009.

CRYSTAL, D. ; SPRES St. M. Spell it out: the singular story of English spelling. Profile Editor
. (E-book)

LAPKOSKI, G. A. O. Do texto ao sentido: teoria e prática de leitura em língua inglesa.


Curitiba: IBPEX, 2011. (E-book)

LIMA, T. C. S.; KOPPE, C. T. Inglês: a prática profissional do idioma. Curitiba: IBPEX, 2008.
(E-book)

MARQUES, F. S. Ensinar e aprender inglês: o processo comunicativo em sala de aula.


Curitiba: IBPEX, 2006. (E-book)

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Anotações

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