Учебник Кобрина. Грамматика. Синтаксис.1999. Учебное пособие для студентов педагогических институтов и университетов по специальности 2103 "Иностранные языки". Спб., Союз, 1999. 496 с
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MODAL VERBS§ 153. Modal verbs, unlike other verbs, do not denote actions to states, but only show the attitude of the speaker towards the action expressed by the infinitive in combination with which they form compound modal predicates. Thus modal verbs may show that the action (or state, or process, or quality) is viewed by the speaker as possible, obligatory, doubtful, certain, permissible, advisable, requested, prohibited, ordered, etc. Modal verbs occur only with the infinitive. This or that meaning is to a great degree determined by the comminicative type of the sentence and the form of the infinitive. There are 12 modal verbs in English. They are: can, may, must, should ought, shall, will, would, need, dare, to be, to have (to have got). The latter two are modal only in one of their meanings. Ten of them (that is, all but to be and to have) are also called defective or anomalous verbs as they lack some features characteristic of other verbs, that is: 1) they do not take -s in the third person singular; 2) they have no verbals, so they have no analytical forms; 3) they have (except for can and may) only one form and no past tense; 4) they are followed (except for ought) by a bare infinitive (that is by the infinitive without the particle to); 5) they need no auxiliary to build up the interrogative and negative forms. All modal verbs have 2 negative forms, full and contracted.
Some of them have peculiarities both in spelling and pronunciation:
Can§ 154. This modal verb has two forms: can - for the present tense and could - for the past tense and for the subjunctive mood. I can’t dance now but I could when I was young. I wish I could go with you. I. Can followed by the non-perfect common aspect infinitive expresses: 1. Physical and mental ability or capacity. The notion of ability is also expressed by “to be able to”. Mary can speak English quite well but she can’t write it at all (can = to be able, to know how to...). John can keep a secret if he wants to (can = to be capable of). I can drive a car = I know how to... I couldn’t understand him when he spoke very fast (= was unable to, was incapable of...). He could (was able to) speak English very well when he was twelve. The meaning of ability is expressed only by “to be able to” when the reference is to the future, as can, having no infinitive, has no future tense form. Soon he will be able to speak English quite fluently. Can is interchangeable with to be able to when it denotes mere capacity, I couldn’t/was not able to do that new job; it was too difficult. This man could/was able to cure all diseases. But only to be able to is used to express attainment or achievement of something through some capacity. Thus to be able to often combines the idea of “ability” and “achievement”. In this case was able to means “managed to” or “succeeded in”, and could is impossible. The fire brigade was able (succeeded in putting, managed) to put out the fire before it destroyed the other buildings. Пожарные сумели, им удалось ... I was able to go to the mountains yesterday as I had a day off (I could and went). I was able to finish my work in an hour (I managed, I could and did it). 2. Possibility. a) possibility due to circumstances: Anybody can make a mistake. Ошибаться может каждый. You can hardly blame him for that. Вряд ли можно его за это винить. I couldn’t take your coat without paying you for it. b) possibility due to the existing rules of laws: In old days a man could be sentenced to death for a small crime. В старые времена можно было приговорить человека к смерти за небольшое преступление. The Lower House alone can initiate financial measures. Только Палата представителей может выносить на рассмотрение финансовые вопросы. c) possibility of the idea (the so-called “theoretical” possibility): The railways can be improved. (It is possible for the railways to be improved, as they are not yet perfect.) In general statements of possibility can has roughly the same meaning as “sometimes”. The sea can be rough. = The sea is sometimes rough. Mope иногда бывает бурным. Can is generally used in questions about possibility and in statements about impossibility. Can this be true? (Is it possible that this is true?) Неужели это правда? This can’t be true. (It is impossible that this is true.) 3. Permission. Can we go home, Miss? Можно идти домой, мисс? Не cango now. Теперь он может идти. The teacher said we could go home. Учитель разрешил нам идти домой. Can is now more common than may (or might) to express the idea permission. 4. Prohibition (it is found only with the negative form of the modal verb, as prohibition may be understood as the negation of permission - not to be allowed to...). It corresponds to the Russian нельзя, ненадо. You can’t cross the street here. Здесь нельзяпереходить улицу. You can’t touch the exhibits in a museum (it is not allowed). - Can we stay here? - No, I’m afraid you can’t. (It’s not allowed.) 5. Request. Can you hold on a minute, please? Can I have some water? Can you put the meat in salted water? Could suggests a greater degree of politeness: Could you come again tomorrow? II. Can followed by any form of the infinitive may express: 1. Strong doubt, improbability, incredulity. This meaning occurs only with the negative form of the modal verb + perfect infinitive, continuous infinitive, or be.
Could is used instead of can to express greater doubt. Thus the difference between can and could is in the degree of expressiveness, could showing a greater degree of doubt or incredulity. The time-reference is indicated not by the form of the verb but by that of the infinitive.
2. Surprise, when can/could is used in questions. It corresponds to the Russian неужели ... Can it be so late as all that? Неужели уже так поздно? То refer the action to the past a perfect infinitive is used. Could he have known her before? Неужели он знал ее раньше? Could he have been telling her the truth? Can (could) he have let you down? The verb can expressing surprise is not used in the negative form. Therefore the Russian negative questions of the type - нeyжeли он не... is translated into English in different ways: a) by complex sentences: Can if be that you haven’t seen him? Неужели вы не видели его? b) by different lexical means: Can you have failed to see him? Неужели вы не видели его? Can you dislike the book? Неужели вам не нравится эта книга? Can nobody have seen him? Неужели никто не видел его? Can he have never written that letter? Неужели он так и не написал письмо? 3. Reproach, implying that a person should have done something, or behaved in a certain way, but didn’t do it. This meaning is found only with the form could. You could at least have met me at the station, couldn’t you? In this sense could is interchangeable with might. 4. Purpose. This meaning occurs only with the form could in clauses of purpose. I wrote down the telephone number so that I could remember it. Note some set expressions with the modal verb can: Cannot/can’t help doing smth. - He могу не делать что-то When I saw him I couldn’t help laughing. - Когда я увидел его, я не мог не засмеяться. Cannot/can’t but do smth. - не могу не ... Icannotbutsuggest... - Я не могу не предложить ... Wecannotbuthopeheisright. - Нам остается только надеяться, что... (не можем не надеяться...) One cannot but wonder - нельзя не задуматься as can be - an intensifying expression They are as pleased as can be. - Они очень (страшно) довольны. It’sasuglyascanbe. - Это необычайно уродливо (трудно себе представить что-либо более отвратительное). | |||||||||||||||||||||
