Modal Verbs

Could, Can, May and

Might

Modal Verbs Verbos

Modulares o de modal
Estos

se utilizan en combinacin con

otros verbos para expresar diferentes
grados de capacidad, posibilidad,
permiso, necesidad, obligacin,
prohibicin, seguridad, etc.

Cuadro de Verbos Modulares

Modal Verbs

Negative Form

CAN

CAN NOT / CANT

COULD

COULD NOT/ COULDN'T

MIGHT

MIGHT NOT

MAY

MAY NOT

Verbs Can - Could

Can:
Can indica habilidad o posibilidad. En estos casos
puede ser traducido como "poder" en espaol.
Example:
I can speak Italian.

Could:
El verbo 'Could' Expresa poca probabilidad o
condicionalidad. Significa: podra, pude, poda,
pudiera de acuerdo con el contexto:
Example:
I could dance if I could practice.

Examples Can - Could

Modal Verbs

CAN

COULD

Afirmative
Form

Negative
Form

Interrogative
Form

I can play I cant

soccer
play soccer
tomorrow.
tomorrow.

Can i play
soccer
tomorrow?

He could
play the
piano.

Could you do
me a favor?

He couldn
t play the
piano.

Verbos May - Might

May:
El verbo may pude usarse de la misma manera que could,
pero es ms formal y educada. Tambin se puede utilizar para
dar permisos o instrucciones. En las preguntas de s o no, el uso
de "may" es ms educado que "can".
Example:
May i go to the bathroom please?

Might:
El verbo modal MAY se encuentra relacionado estrechamente con
MIGHT dado que ambos tienen el mismo uso y significado,
aunque MAY indica un grado mayor de certeza.
Example:
She may forget the problems (Ella puede olvidar los
problemas)
She might forget the problems (Ella podra olvidar los
problemas)

Examples May - Might

Modal Verbs

MAY

MIGHT

Afirmative
Form
They may
forgive me.

Negative
Form

Interrogative
Form

She may
May you
not
take me
apologize
to the
her friend.
school?

You might
You might
not pay
pay the bills.
the bills.

Might I
use your
telephone
please?

EXERCISES
Fill
1.

2.
3.
4.

in the black with can or cant:

Im sorry, I _____ take you to the airport
in the morning because Ive got a business
meeting at 9 oclock.
I _____meet you for coffee at 11, but Ill
only have fifteen minutes.
Ill do the washing and the ironing, but I
______ do the shopping.
4. I ______go for a run this evening. My
parents are coming to visit and I wont
have time.

 Fill

in the black with could or couldn

t:
1. I ______ play the piano when I was
four.
2. Marco wanted to see the final of the
European Cup, but he _______get
tickets.
3. Lucho grew up near the beach in
Paracas. He _______swim, when he
was very young.

 Fill

in the blacks with may or might according

to the meaning in Spanish
He_____be working. l puede estar trabajando
She_____be in the school. Ella podra estar en el
colegio
_____I take this book? Puedo coger este libro?
_____I listen to the radio? Podra escuchar la
radio?
He_____have sold his car. l puede haber vendido
su coche
I_____go to the cinema this Saturday. Yo podra ir
al cine este sbado
She_____come with us to the party. Ella podra
venir con nosotros a la fiesta
You_____ask him. T podras preguntarle a l