English Grammar with Kudjo. Part 4. Понятная и забавная грамматика для детей и взрослых. Larisa Lubimova
просто поджечь деревянные доски…
(продолжение следует)
Unit 2
Modal Verbs of Ability
Before speaking about the modal verbs of ability, let’s remember three important characteristics of all modal verbs:
1. They have only one form, so you cannot add -s, -ed, -ing or make any other modifications.
2. They are used together with main verbs. You cannot put two modals together: Kudjo
You also can’t use auxiliary verbs like do/does/did with modals, because modals themselves already function as auxiliary verbs!
To make the negative form of a modal verb, add not immediately after it: Chilly couldn’t remember anything after that.
To make a question with a modal verb, put it in front of the subject: Could the dogs find him?
3. Never use to between a modal verb and a main verb: We
PRESENT ABILITY
To describe physical and mental abilities in the present as well as the possibility to perform an action, we use can/can’t or be able to / be not able to. In everyday speech, can/can’t are more common.
Kudjo can drive a car far better than Chilly. = Kudjo is able to drive a car far better than Chilly.
Can is also used to express:
Permission (informal). e.g. You can take my dad’s car.
Request (informal). e.g. Can I go out?
By the way, could expresses a more polite request. e.g. Could you help us?
Prohibition (informal). You can’t tell anybody about it.
Note: am/is/are able to would be unusual when we are commenting on something that is happening at the time of speaking:
Look! Kit can stand on his front legs! (not:
If the present ability is surprising or involves overcoming some difficulty, we can also use is/are able to:
Despite his injury Chilly is able to drive a car.
We don’t usually use be able to with stative verbs (such as see, hear, understand, believe, etc.): Cuba can’t understand what is going on. (not:
We cannot usually use be able to with a passive:
This road can be used to cut the distance. (not:
EXERCISE 1
Choose the correct form (in two sentences both options are possible):
1 Listen! Our kitten is able to /can bark now! When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
2 Are you able to / Can you look for Kit? I haven’t seen him since the morning.
3 The dogs have been looking for Kit but he can’t / isn’t able to be found anywhere.
4 The dogs can’t /aren’t able to see their kitten anywhere, which makes them worried a lot.
5 The kitten can’t / isn’t able to live on his own. He is too little.
6 Who do you think they can /are able to find first: Kudjo or Kit?
Fixed phrases with the verb can:
Can is used with some verbs to create idiomatic expressions widely used by native English speakers:
1. can’t wait – to be excited about something
Ex: Cuba can’t wait to see her French friends soon.
2. can’t stand – to strongly dislike something
Ex: Chilly can’t stand cats in Lion.
3. can’t bear – to strongly dislike something because it makes you unhappy
Ex: Luna can’t bear to be away from Kudjo longer than a week.
4. can’t take it – cannot tolerate something
Ex: Luna can’t take her parents’ control anymore.
5. can’t be bothered – to have no interest in something
Ex: Luna knows she should be home now but she can’t be bothered.
6. can’t win – life is difficult
Ex: Sometimes no matter what you do in life, you can’t win.
7. can’t help it – to have no control over something
Ex: Cuba can’t help it, she finds cheese irresistible!
8. Can you imagine? – it is amazing
Ex: Dogs can have a kitten as a pet. Can you imagine?
9. No can do. – it cannot be done. It’s impossible.
Ex: Chilly refused to do it, he wanted to help, though. No can do.
10. What can I say? – I have no comment right now.
Ex: Everybody is shocked. What can they say?
11. Can it! – Shut up!
Ex: Luna can’t stand the words «Can it!»
12. as can be – as much as possible
Ex: The dogs were sure that everything would be fine with Kudjo. He is as smart as can be.
EXERCISE 2
Put