OA Unit 4 Acting on advice

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Unit 4

Ability

Can / Could / Be able to

She can play the piano.   (general ability)

Can you hand me that book?  (present ability)

She couldn't say a word. (past ability)

Eventually I was able to pass the test.  (achieved smth with difficulty)

I was able to reach him in time (specific occasion)

I will be able to speak Spanish fluently after my gap year in Madrid. (future)

Permission

Can / could / may / might

Can I have a word with you?

You can stay and have dinner with us if you like.

She said I could stay and have dinner.  (past permission)

May I go to the cinema?

May I have your daughter's hand in marriage? (tad formal)

Might I suggest to reconsider your answer? (very formal)

Requests, suggestions, polite orders

Can / could 

Can you pick me up at the train station? (request)

I can pick you up from the train station if you want. (suggestion)

You could give it a try. (suggestion)

Could you remove your feet from the table, please? (polite request)

Possibility & probability

May / might / could

The match isn't over yet. We could still winn! (possibility)

Take an umbrella. It may rain today. (possible)

Take an umbrella. It might rain (less probable)

That may have worked for her, but it won't for me! (past possibility)

That can't have been Dave you saw yesterday. He is in the US at the moment. (certainty)

Obligation

must / have to

I must do my homework! (self-command)

You must do your homework. (I order you to do your homework)

I have to do my homework (someone else told me to that)

We had to do our homework  (past simple)

We have always had to our homework  (present perfect)

Necessity

need to / needn't / don't have to

I need your help! I'm desperate.

You needn't help me. I'm fine.

You don't have to hand this in today. You can do it tomorrow.

more practice?

https://www.english-4u.de/en/grammar-exercises/modal-verbs3.htm

https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-modals.php

https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/modals/form.htm