FUNCTIONS EXPLANATION AND EXAMPLES
Expressing Ability CAN (be able to, ability in the present): They can sing a lot of songs.
WILL BE ABLE TO (ability in the future): When you grow up, you will
be able to live alone. (CAN WHEN WE DECIDE NOW ABOUT
SOMETHING WE WILL DO IN THE NEAR FUTURE: I don’t have
enough time now, but I can finish my homework tomorrow)
COULD (USUALLY: see, hear, smell, taste, feel, understand, guess and
remember. Used to be able to, ability in the past, repeated past action. –
No differences in meaning with was/were able to): I could/was able to
play basketball when I was younger.
WAS/WERE ABLE TO (managed to do, had the ability to do something
in a particular situation in the past): Although they were tired, they were
able to dance disco music.
NEGATIONS: couldn’t or wasn’t/ weren’t able to: I wasn’t able to
/couldn’t find her in the disco.
Expressing MUST (future or present. Your duty/ you are obligated to do… The
Obligation/ speaker decides it): I must do their homework.
Duty/Necessity HAVE TO (necessary to do… Somebody else has made the decision. The
same meaning of HAVE GOT TO. In other tenses): They have to be at
school at 8 o’clock.
SHOULD/OUGHT TO (duty, less emphatic than must): He should study/
ought to study for the exam.
NEED (it is necessary to. As a main verb-DO in questions- or modal verb
–mainly in questions and negations-): I need to talk to my mother right
now. // Need I book a room in advance?
QUESTIONS: MUST (do you insist…): Must I walk the dog?
HAVE TO (is it necessary…): Do I have to walk the dog?
Expressing NEEDN’T/DON’T HAVE TO/DON’T NEED TO + PRESENT
Abscense of INFINITIVE (present or future. It isn’t necessary to do…): I
Necessity needn’t/don’t have to/don’t need to go to class this afternoon.
DIDN’T NEED TO/DIDN’T HAVE TO (it was not necessary to do… An
action did not happen in the past because we knew then that it was not
necessary): I didn’t need to/didn’t have to travel to Buenos Aires by
plane.
NEEDN’T+ BARE PERFECT INFINITIVE (it was not necessary to do,
but it was done): They needn’t have picked the children up. Mr. Wilson
had already done it.
Prohibition MUSTN’T/ CAN’T (it is forbidden to do/you are not allowed to do/ it is
against the rules/law to do): You can’t/mustn’t hit your teacher.
Logical MUST (I’m sure/certain that sth is true. Affirmative sentences and
Assumptions expresses positive logical assumptions): It is 10 o’clock. He must be
working.
CAN’T/COULDN’T (I’m sure that sth is not true. Negations and
expresses negative logical assumptions): It’s 10 o’ clock. He
can’t/couldn’t be at home.
Probability SHOULD/OUGHT (probably. To express that something is likely to
happen in the present or future): It’s eight o’clock. My husband
should/ought to be at home.
Possibility CAN+PRESENT INFINITIVE (general possibility- it is theoretically
possible. Affirmative sentences, something is possible not referring to a
specific situation): The cat can get angry if you touch him.
COULD/MAY/MIGHT+PRESENT INFINITIVE
(possible/likely/perhaps. Something is likely to happen in a specific
situation): The cat could/may/might get angry if you touch him when he is
asleep.
COULD/MIGHT+PERFECT INFINITIVE (to the past, it was possible,
but it didn’t happen). Last night, my daughter fell down. She could/might
have been hurt, but luckily anything happened.
QUESTIONS: CAN/COULD/MIGHT (in specific or general
possibilities) NOT MAY: Who could/can/might stole the car?
Permission Asking for permission:
CAN/COULD/MAY/MIGHT I…? (Do you/Would you mind if…?.
COULD and MAY more polite than CAN. MIGHT formal. MAY and
MIGHT when we don’t know the other person. Reply with: Certainly/Of
course/ Why not?/ No, I’m afraid you can’t): Can I use your dictionary?
Giving permission:
CAN/MAY (you are allowed to do sth. CAN informal, MAY formal and
used in writing. NOT COULD OR MIGHT): You may use your phone to
do researches.
Refusing permission:
CAN’T/MUSTN’T/MAY NOT (you are not allowed to do sth. MAY
NOT formal and used in writing. NOT COULDN’T): I’m sorry, but you
can’t/mustn’t use your phone here.
Talking about permission:
CAN/BE ALLOWED TO (refer to laws or regulations): All the people
over the age of 18 can/are allowed to drive a car.
COULD/WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO (we had permission to do sth in
the past in a general situation. Only WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO when
we had permission to do sth in the past in a particular situation.): I was
allowed to/could go to the disco when I was young (general situation). I
was allowed to go to a disco last weekend (particular situation).
QUESTIONS: MAY (Will you allow me to…): May I use your phone?
BE ALLOWED TO (What is the rule?): Are we allowed to
use our phones here?
Requests CAN/COULD/WILL/WOULD YOU…? (to ask someone to do
something for us. CAN/WILL informal. WOULD/COULD more polite.
Reply with: Yes, I’d be happy to/Yes, I’d be glad to/ Certainly/ Of
course/I’m sorry but I can’t): Can/Will you close the door?
MAY/MIGHT/CAN/COULD I…? (to ask for something politely.
MIGHT formal and not often used. Reply with: Certainly/ Yes, certainly/
Of course/ Yes, of course): Can/Could/May I leave the class, please?
Suggestions SHALL I/WE…?/WHY DON’T WE/HOW ABOUT…?
I/WE CAN/COULD/WHAT ABOUT…?/LET’S… : Shall we go to the
disco tonight? I’d rather not. We can/could go to a bar, instead.
SHALL IN QUESTIONS (to ask for instructions or suggestions): Where
shall I put this vase? In that table.
Offers I’LL (willing to do something-informal-): You look tired, I’ll wash the
dishes for you.
SHALL/CAN/COULD I/WE…? (would you like me/us to…?/do you
want me/us to…?) : Shall we walk the dog?
Advice SHOULD/OUGHT+ PRESENT INFINITIVE (I advise you to/ You had
better do sth. A piece of advice which may or may not be followed): You
should buy/ought to buy your girlfriend a gift.
MUST (strong advice, an order which is likely to be obeyed): You must
sleep eight hours a day.
Criticism SHOULD/OUGHT+PERFECT INFINITIVE (it would have been better if
you had… To criticize someone else actions): You should have killed the
snake (but you didn’t).
