Grammar, CAN, 212

All the verbs are classified into three groups:

• According to durative verbs

• According to meaning

• According to continuous forms

• According to the object the verb takes

The verb can has two forms: 1) ... for the Present 2) ... for the Past

• can, can

• be allowed to, could

• can, could

• be allowed to, can

These verbs are used to supply the missing forms of the modal verb 'CAN'

• can

• to be able to

• could

• to manage

Their daughter could walk when she was ten months old

• Permission

• Prohibition

• Ability

• Possibility

You can come with us if you want to

• asking for permission

• giving permission

• Incredulity

• Unreality

'Oh!' cried Fleur. 'You could not have done it!'

• Unreality

• Incredulity

• Possibility

• Prohibition

Can she be waiting for us?

• Incredulity

• Surprise, Astonishment

• Prohibition

• Unreality

Choose the following meaning of the modal verb 'can': ASTONISHMENT

• Can I take that umbrella?

• I told him that he could take another umbrella.

• He can’t be playing football now.

• Can he be playing football now?

What are modal verbs?

• connect the subject with some extra information about it (e.g., to be).

• help to build the forms of other verbs

• udenote an action or a state

• express speaker’s attitude to the action expressed  by a notional verb