Modal verbs
CAN
Ex. 1. Read, translate and comment on the form and meaning of the modal verb can.
1. On a clear day, you can see the shores of Haiti and Cuba from the summit of Blue Mountain Peak. 2. I know you can do it because you have the courage. 3. Bungalows are for old people who can't manage the stairs. 4. She gave Mary the names of several friends, whom she could trust. 5. We wish we could rely on him! 6. If I could, I would get the moon for you! 7. I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. 8. Warm thoughts can fill a day with sunshine. 9. I can't stop talking! I just can't help it! 10. – Can I keep your CD till Sunday? – You could if it were mine. 11. Can this young girl really be my boss? 12. Oh, no! You can't have failed the exam again! 13. Can the child have been watching the telly all day long? 14. Ben can't be still sleeping! It's time he went to college. 15. Who could have expected him to become a politician? 16. You can't use your own name in a novel. 17. Even the best memory can let you down. 18. My God, what those walls could tell us if they could talk!
Ex. 2. Read, translate and comment on the following sentences. Find their Russian equivalents.
1. One Englishman can beat three Frenchmen. 2. You can't please all of the people all of the time. 3. Life cannot be one endless round of pleasures. 4. Good advice can be given, good name cannot be given. 5. You can't put new wine in old bottles. 6. A man can do no more than he can. 7. You never know what you can do until you try. 8. God could not be everywhere, therefore he made mothers. 9. You can take a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink. 10. Where nothing is, nothing can be had there. 11. Love can neither be bought or sold; its only price is love. 12. One cannot love and be wise. 13. You cannot get blood from a stone. 14. You cannot make bricks without straw. 15. Man cannot live by bread alone. 16. You can't change the number of hours in a day. But you can take control of your schedule. You can increase efficiency.
Ex. 3. Insert can (not), could (not), be able to. In some cases there can be more than one answer.
1. ... you tell me the time, please? 2. No more for me, thanks. I ... eat another thing. 3. Who is that outside? ' It ... be the policeman – he has already been here. 4. I ... open the drawer in my desk as it was stuck. 5. You ... make an omelet without breaking eggs. 6. We loved the cake. ... you give us the recipe for it? 7. Mr. Marshall is busy this week, but he ... see you next week. 8. It ... be 12 o'clock already! 9. We told him he ... leave whenever he wanted to. 10. I'll get a car of my own as soon as I ... drive. 11. Interpreters ... translate without thinking. 12. It would help if you ... give me friendly advice. 13. Sometimes gossiping ... be a real pleasure. 14. He promises he ... inform us of the turn of events in future. 15. Angela ... speak French when she was four, she ... do it now and she ... speak it perfectly in some years. 16. He ... sell his car unless he reduces the price. 17. My aunt ... tell fortunes from tea leaves.
Ex. 4. Open the brackets with could (expressing a possibility) or could have (expressing a possibility that did not happen) and make all necessary changes.
1. A car is pulling up. It could (be) Lucy. 2. He could (get) a credit, but he did not prepare all the documents in time. 3. Why didn't you ask me? I could (do) it for you. 4. He could (be) there tomorrow. 5. They could (be) there yesterday. 6. Why are you so depressed? He could (tell) a lie. 7. You should have told us about your delay. We could (cancel) our meeting. 8. He could (do) it if he tries. 9. Somebody has called on you today. – It could (be) a friend of mine. 10. I think he could (commit) a crime, but he's got an alibi. 11. The train arrives at 11.30. She could (come) at noon. 12. Yesterday I saw him driving at a very high speed. He could (crash).
Ex. 5. Express your surprise and disbelief using can/could.
(A) in interrogative sentences.
l. He was at the party yesterday. 2. They are in Germany. 3. He has broken his leg. 4. They were sent to prison. 5. She got married. 6. He studies at Cambridge University. 7. She has been practicing the violin for five years. 8. He has made an interesting report. 9. He has won a lot of money in the casino. 10. They will go to the Canaries next summer. 11. He has passed his English exam. 12. She will be forty in June. 13. She is stubborn. 14. He was a cruel man.
(В) in negative sentences.
l. You are mistaken. 2. They forgot about the meeting. 3. He is writing a new novel now. 4. She has bought a new fur coat. 5. He had an accident. 6. Mary will invite the Jones to her place for the weekend. 7. They upset our plans. 8. She wastes a lot of time. 9. Mr. Fox is a reliable person. 10. She is making a cruise now.
Ex. 6. Translate into English.
1. Она никогда не может прийти вовремя. 2. Нельзя игнорировать влияние всеобщей компьютеризации. 3. Они были счастливы, что сумели помочь друзьям. 4. – Ты можешь ей помочь? – Мог бы, если бы хотел. 5. Она не могла заставить себя приняться за работу. 6. Петр не посоветовался с отцом, а ведь он мог бы дать ему дельный совет. 7. Эмили и в голову не приходило, что с Робертом могло что-то случиться. 8. Не может быть, чтобы он был такой жестокий! Не мог он этого сделать! 9. Где она может быть? Неужели она все еще делает покупки? 10. У него есть слабые стороны, это верно. И все-таки не мог он вас так подвести. 11. Не может быть, чтобы редактор не заметила этой ошибки. 12. Я тебе не верю, ты не мог не узнать меня. Неужели я так изменилась? 13. Неужели вы его неправильно поняли? Ведь он так четко все объяснил. 14. Неужели вы не нашли время, чтобы поговорить с сыном? 15. Не может быть, чтобы она неправильно истолковала его слова. Ведь это на него непохоже. 16. Он просто не мог этого сделать! Он не может быть настолько глуп! 17. Не могу не смотреть телевизор до конца по вечерам, и это просто ужасно. 18. Мне ничего не остается, как уступить вам. (Не могу не уступить вам.) 19. Ну что я могу сказать? Правилам нужно подчиняться. 20. В этой горячей точке могла разразиться война, но, к счастью, люди сумели предотвратить ее.
Ex. 7. Translate into English.
1. He может быть, чтобы он был дома вчера в это время. 2. Неужели он сказал вам об этом? 3. Возможно, он и заходил к ним, когда был в Москве. 4. Он мог бы сделать это, но не захотел. 5. Неужели он отказался ехать туда? 6. Не может быть, чтобы он спал сейчас. 7. Не может быть, чтобы они уехали, не попрощавшись с нами. 8. Не может быть, чтобы она вам так ответила. 9. Он мог бы приехать завтра. 10. Не может быть, что он столкнулся (collide) с другой машиной. Он такой осторожный водитель. 11. Вряд ли он забыл о своем обещании, я напоминала ему об этом вчера. 12. Он не мог прочитать эту книгу так быстро, она слишком трудна для него. 13. Они смогли бы подняться на вершину, но им помешала погода. 14. Вряд ли они поженятся; они слишком разные люди. 15. Разве мог кто-нибудь подумать, что он выиграет матч?
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