can, could

I can help you.

She can't read very well.
Can you speak Portuguese?
I could swim when I was three.
She couldn't come to the party last night.
How many languages could you speak as a child?

Notes:
 The negative of can is cannot or can't. Can't is more common.
 The negative of could is could not or couldn't.

USE
 can, can't is present:
I can play the piano.
We can stop working now.
or sometimes future:
She can come tonight.
I can't see you tomorrow.

 Could, couldn't is past. We use it to talk about ability/knowing how to do something:

She could play the piano when she was five.
She couldn't speak English very well when she arrived.

 Can and could are also used in requests:

Can you help me?
Could you open the door for me, please?
Can I have a drink, please?
Could we use your phone?

Can and could are both correct in requests but could is a little more polite.

PRACTICE
Complete the sentences using can, can't or could, couldn't and one of the following verbs.

hear play land understand help

phone drive speak see read come

1. She can speak three languages.

2. He couldn't come to the party because he had an exam next today.
3. You a car without a license.
4. Sally music but she the violin beautifully.
5. Jack very well when he was younger but now he needs to wear glasses all the
time.
6. I you with your homework now - I'm too busy.
7. I'm sorry could you say that again? I you because the children were shouting.
8. I British people when I first came to Britain but it's easier for me now.
9. I you because our phone wasn't working but it's all right now.
10. Helicopters are very useful here because they anywhere.

should

You don't look well. You should go home.

He shouldn't eat so many sweets - it's
bad for his teeth.
Should we leave now?
Do you think I should write to him?

USE
 We often use should to give advice:
You should go home.
(-I think going home is the right thing for me to do.)
He shouldn't eat so many sweets.
(-I think eating a lot of sweets is the wrong thing for him to do.)

 We can use should to talk about the present or the future:

We should leave now.
We should leave early in the morning.

 We often use you should with I think... or Do you think...?:

I think we should leave.
Do you think I should write to him?

Complete the sentences using You should... or You shouldn't... and a verb from the box of verb may be
used more than once.

drink eat smoke take work sleep

How to stay healthy

1. You should eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
2. You shouldn't eat too much fat.
3. too many sweets.
4. regular exercise.
5. any cigarettes.
6. too much coffee.
7. for about eight hours a night.
8. too hard.
must
I must do some work tonight.
 We must get up early tomorrow.
You must not talk during the exam.

USE
 must do something - it is very important to do something.
must be stronger than should:
I must do some work tonight.
(-I have work to do. It's very important that I do some tonight).
We must get up early tomorrow.
(-It's very important to get up early tomorrow).
You must not talk during the exam.
(-It is very important that you do not talk during the exam).

 We can use must to talk about the present or the future:

We must go now.
We must go soon.

PRACTICE
It is very important that Emma passes her exams. Her parents are giving her strong advice. Rewrite the
sentences using must or must not, mustn't.

1. Don't go out to parties.

You mustn't go out to parties.
2. Study hard for these exams.
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3. Go to all the classes.
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4. Do all your homework.
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5. Don't stay out late.
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6. Don't spend too much time with your friends.
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7. Read all your notes again.
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8. Don't go to bed late.
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may, might
I may start looking for a new job.
We might go away this weekend.
 May I use your phone?
Notes
 The negative of may is may not.
We do not say mayn't.
 The negative of might is usually
might not. Mightn't is possible but
he's not use it very often.

USE
 To talk about the possibility in the future:
They may leave soon. / They might leave soon.
(It's possible that they will leave soon but I'm not sure).

 To talk about possibility in the present when used with verbs that are not activities:
He may be at the office. / He might be at the office.
(It's possible that he's at the office now but I'm not sure)

 To make polite requests:

May I sit here? / May we come in?
We don't generally use might to make polite requests: NOT. Might I sit here?

PRACTICE
Rewrite the sentences using may and might.
It's possible that she's in bed now. I'm sorry but I think I'll be late.
She may be in bed now. I'm sorry but I may be late.
She might be in bed now. I'm sorry but I might be late.
1. I think it’s going to rain tomorrow.
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2. It's possible that we won't come to the party.
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3. It’s possible that he is in the garden right now.
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4. I think you're probably right.
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5. It's possible for me to smoke in here?
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