Page 76 - Grammar Class 08

G Asking for and Giving Permission
· Modals such as may , can and could are used for asking and giving permission.
Read the following examples:

1. Ruhani : Papa, today is a holiday. Can we go out for picnic?
Papa : Why not? We can go out for picnic.

2. Sahib (to a neighbour) : Could I borrow your car, please?
Mr Dhawan : Yes, you are welcome.
3. Simar (to the teacher) : May I come in, Ma’am?

Teacher : Yes, please do.

G Possibility, Ability
,
Modals such as can could , be able are used to suggest possibility and ability.to
· Can is used to say that something is possible or somebody has the ability to do
something.

Read the following examples:
1. He can easily stand on his head.
2. A calculator can do all the mathematical
We have to use ‘be)
calculations. able to’ in perfect and

· Can has only two forms – can (present) and could (past). future tenses.

Read the following examples:
1. She can prepare breakfast in few minutes. (present)
2. She could prepare breakfast in few minutes. (past)

· Be able to can be used in all the tenses.
Read the following examples:
1. The policeman haven’t been able to catch the thief.

2. We will not be able to take you with us.
In all the sentences mentioned above, we can use couldn’t also in place of could to
suggest a negative action.

G Possibility
May might, and could are used to express possibility.
· Both may and might are used to suggest possibility. But if we wish to suggest a

lesser possibility, we use might instead of may . Could is also possible in such cases–
Read the following examples:
1. It may rain tomorrow.

2. You might pay a little more attention to your studies.

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Grammar
Grammar-8-8