Can / May

 Éstas son algunas instrucciones para que puedan llenar el siguiente

ejercicio.


a) Posibilidad vs Probabilidad

"Can" indica que algo es posible (las circunstancias lo permiten o alguien tiene

la habilidad de hacerlo).

 I can play tennis quite well

 I can open that door with my key
 I can run for two hours
 This car can go faster than 200 km per hour
 You can go to France without a passport

"May" indica que algo es probable; equivale a "perhaps"

 My friend may win the race

 The sky is very dark. It may rain

 b) Permiso

Se utilizan ambos verbos modales, con los siguientes matices:

- Tener permiso: "can" es más habitual.

 I can smoke in the office

- Dar permiso: "may" es más habitual, "can" más informal.

 You may smoke here if you want

 You may use my computer
 You can take my car (informal)

Si el permiso viene de un tercero se utiliza "can".

 You can smoke here (la ley lo permite o las normas de esta oficina)

- Pedir permiso: "can" es más habitual y también más informal

 Can I smoke in the office? (informal) / May I smoke in the office? (formal)
 Can I speak to you? (informal) / May I speak to you? (formal)
 

c) Petición

- Solicitar algo: Se utilizan ambos verbos modales

 May (Can) I get your dictionary?

- Pedirle a alguien que haga algo: se suele utilizar "can"

 Can you give me that book?

d) Ofrecimiento

Se utiliza ambos verbos modales

 Can (May) I help you?

Ejercicios - Can / May

1.- Elige "Can" o "May" para completar las siguientes oraciones, según sea la
forma más habitual o aquella que se indica entre paréntesis:

1) My boss   speak English very fluently

2) You   take my dictionary for your exam (formal)
3) Your sister   come with us to the cinema. It depends on your mother (formal)
4) You   open the bottle with that corkscrew
5) You   use my computer if you want (formal)
6)  you bring me a glass of water, please?
7) My father is very strong, he   lift 100 kg
8) You   enter the party with this invitation
9) You   find that book in the Central Library
10)  I switch on the light? I would like to read the newspaper (informal)
11) Philip   use his father's motorbike
12) If you need it you   use our lawnmower (formal)
13)  you help me to clean the swimming pool, please?
14) I   use the company car for private trips (informal)
15) There are rumours that the Spanish airline Iberia   merge with British Airway
16) We are going to the park; you   come with us if you want (formal)
17) With that telescope you   see Mars
18) You should buy lottery tickets; you   become millionaire
19)  you help me to move this heavy box? I cannot do it on my own (informal)
20) If you have any questions you   ask me (formal)
21) My brother works in the Air Force; he   fly a fighter plane
22) If you study hard you   pass your exams
23) During the flight you   not use your mobile
24) With my savings I   buy a new car
25) Mark doesn't answer the phone; he   have left his office because he didn't feel well

Can / Could
 Éstas son algunas instrucciones para que puedan llenar el siguiente
ejercicio.

"Can" y "could" se utilizan para expresar permiso, posibilidad o habilidad.

Como regla general "can" se utiliza en el presente y "could" en el pasado,
pero hay ciertos matices:

 a) Posibilidad / habilidad

En el presente "can" y en el pasado "could" o "was / were able".

 With the new motorway you can go from Madrid to Barcelona in less

than 4 hours
 Ten years ago you could go from Madrid to Barcelona in 6 hours
 I can play tennis
 I could (was able) to play tennis when I was a child

"Could" también se utiliza con un sentido condicional, mientras que en

el futuro se emplea "will be able":

 If I had money I could buy a new car

 In two years I will be able to speak English fluently

 
b) Permiso

En el presente distinguimos:

- Tener o pedir permiso: "can" tiene un sentido informal y "could" formal.

 I can use the company's car for my private trips (informal)

 I could use the company's car for my private trips (formal)
 Can I borrow your car ? (informal)
 Could I borrow your car ? (formal)

- Dar permiso: se utiliza "can"; "could" únicamente se emplea con un

sentido condicional.

 Tonight you can stay with us

 If you don't find any other place, you could stay with

En el pasado se utiliza "could" y en el futuro "can".

 c) Ofrecimiento

Sólo se utiliza "can".

 Can I help you?

Ejercicios - Can / Could

1.- Elige "Can" / "Could" / "Be able" para completar las siguientes oraciones,
según sea la forma más habitual:

1)  I watch the football match in your house? (informal)

2) When I asked him, he said his daughter   come with us to the party
3) You are very strong, I am sure that you   lift a weight of 75 kilos
4) I told my son that it was too late and he   not go to the party
5) If I continue training I will   to run the marathon next summer
6) My father was very fit; he   run a mile in less than 4 minutes
7)  I open the window? It is very hot in here (formal)
8) The anaesthetist asked the doctor if he   postpone the operation for at least one hour
9) The soldiers are very tired. Please, tell them that they   rest for two hours
10) James says that his daughter   come with us to the cinema
11) My boss gave me an invitation so I   enter the conference
12) In this building you   not smoke
13)  I use your phone, please? (dirigiéndote a tu jefe)
14) Mr Wilson,   I explain to you our new offer? (formal)
15)  I use your phone, please? (dirigiéndote a un amigo)
16) If you continue drinking you won´t   to drive home
17) With these new engines, rockets   reach Mars in half the time than before
18) Henry,   you be quiet, please?. I cannot concentrate (informal)
19) He   go to France because he had lost his passport
20) When my father bought the car we   go to the beach at the weekends
21) You   leave your car here; we will be back soon
22) My sister is an artist; she   dance like a professional
23)  you pick me up at the airport at 6 0'clock? (informal)
24)  you explain the lesson to me again, please? I didn't understand it at all (formal)
25) When I was a child I was very shy. I   not speak in public

Should / Must / Have to

 Éstas son algunas instrucciones para que puedan llenar el siguiente
ejercicio.

Should

Se utiliza para dar consejos. Se indica que algo es bueno y por lo tanto se
debería hacer. Es una recomendación, no una obligación. Tiene menos fuerza
impositiva que "must" y que "have to".

 If you feel bad you should go to the doctor

También se utiliza para dar una orden pero de forma muy educada.

 Anyone who wants to enter the conference should show his credentials

(Se trata realmente de una obligación -es obligatorio mostrar las

credenciales para entrar en la conferencia-, pero está expresada de forma
poco coercitiva)
Construcción: este verbo modal va seguido del infinitivo del verbo principal
sin la partícula "to".

Se utiliza en pasado, presente y futuro.

 I should have finished my report yesterday (pasado)

 You should help me, I can not do it alone (presente)
 Tomorrow you should call your parents (futuro)

El pasado se utiliza para indicar algo que se debería haber hecho y no se

hizo.

La forma negativa es: shouldn't

 You shouldn't smoke

Y la forma interrogativa: Should + sujeto...?

 Should I wear a dark suit for the party?

 Must / Have to

Expresan una obligación, algo que hay que hacer.

 You must come here immediately (es una orden)

 If you want to make a career in a company you have to speak English
(No hay alternativa: o hablas inglés o no hay carrera posible)

Comprueba la diferencia con la siguiente oración:

 Nowdays it is very important to speak English. You should do it.

Aquí se trata de un consejo, mientras que en la anterior era una obligación.

Por otra parte, cuando se utiliza "must" / "have to" el emisor tiene la

convicción de que la obligación va a ser cumplida, mientras que cuando se
utiliza "should" no se sabe si el consejo se va a seguir o no.

 We should buy a new car (es un deseo; no hay seguridad de que

vayamos a hacerlo)
 We must buy a new car (hay muchas probabilidades de que lo hagamos)
Ejercicios - Should / Must / Have to


1.- Elige "Must" / "Should" / "Have to" (en el tiempo correspondiente) para

completar estas oraciones:

1) You   speak to your brother and try to solve that problem

2) You   come with us to the cinema; the film we are going to see is marvellous
3) You are very fat. You   practice sport (consejo)
4) Please, we are in the church; you   stop making that unpleasant noise (A father to his son)
5) If you want to watch TV, first you   finish your homework
6) If I want to buy a new house I   get a mortgage (A mother to her daughter)
7) You cannot go out with your friends. You   stay at home because you have fever
8) In internal flights you   check in one hour before the departure
9) I   go to the bank to get some money
10) You   visit Paris. What a beautiful city!
11) The doctor is very worried about my dad and has told him that he   work less
12) I   fill the tank; it is almost empty
13) Our teaches have told us that we   be quiet during the class (A father to his son)
14) You will have exams in two weeks. You   study harder (obligation)
15) (The police officer to the protesters) You   leave this place immediately
16) I   leave immediately; it is very late and tomorrow I have to get up early
17) In the petrol station we   switch off the engine before filling the tank
18) The weather is really nice. We   go for a walk
19) You   to go to the dentist; you have lost a filling (consejo muy enfático)
20) You   go by plane; by car it is a very long journey
21) You   read more; it is very good for your education
22) Kevin, you   shave yourself; you look a little bit scruffy (A mother to her son)
23) You   get up; it is very late (orden)
24) Jane, you   rest; you look very tired
25) The police told us that we   get out of the car

Reading
En esta sección de lectura deberán hacer un video leyendo éste texto y
luego subirlo la plataforma.

Coca Cola is drunk all over the world. 1.6 billion gallons are sold every year, in
over one hundred and sixty countries.

The drink was invented by Dr John Pemberton in Atlanta, on 8th May 1886, and
it was given the name Coca Cola by his partner, Frank Robinson. Frank Robinson
suggested the name 'Coca-Cola' because both words named two ingredients
found in the drink. They are the cola leaf and the kola nut.

In the first year, only nine drinks a day were sold. It was originally called a 'brain
and nerve tonic' in Chemists. It was one of the thousands of exotic medicines
sold in the 1800's that actually contained cocaine.

In 1888 the business was bought by a man, Asa Candler and the first factory was
opened in Dallas, Texas in 1895. Coca Cola is still made there.

'Diet Coke' has been made since 1982, and it's now the world's most popular
brand of diet soft drinks.

It is certain that Coca Cola and Diet Coke will be drunk far into the twentieth
century.