§3.4 kunnen

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 2,3

§3.4 Modal Verbs

Kunnen

Mogelijkheid (kans)

• Can =  iets kan gebeuren (waarschijnlijk)
  
• Could = iets zou kunnen gebeuren (minder waarschijnlijk)
• May = iets zou misschien kunnen gebeuren (nog minder waarschijnlijk)
  
• Might = iets zou heel misschien kunnen gebeuren (minst waarschijnlijk)
  
  

In staat zijn (vermogen)

• Can = Je kan iets
  
  
• Could = Je kon iets of je zou iets kunnen
  
  
• To be able to = in staat zijn om iets te doen

toestemming

• Can = present simple (tegenwoordige tijd)
• Could = past simple (verleden tijd)
• May = formeel
• To be allowed = alle tijden

Beleefde vragen stellen

• Can  = kan/mag 
• Could = zou kunnen/zou mogen 
• May = zou misschien mogen
• Might = zou heel misschien mogen

minst beleefd

meest beleefd

1 I ___ go to the movies tonight if I finish my work on time.

2 Sarah ___ speak three languages fluently.

3 You ___ borrow my pen if you promise to return it.

4 It ___ rain later, so you might want to take an umbrella.

5 He ___ run a marathon if he trains regularly.

6 We ___ visit the museum tomorrow if it's not too crowded.

7 They ___ be late to the meeting because of the heavy traffic.

8 The cat ___ open the door by jumping onto the handle.

9 Jane ___ be at home, but I'm not sure.

10 Tom ___ play the piano when he was younger.

1. may / might
2. can
   
3. can / may
4. may
   
5. can 
6. could / may / might
7. could / might
   
8. can / could 
9. may
   
10. could

Exercise 1

Can, cannot, could or could not?

Complete each sentence with the missing modal verbs.

Type the whole sentence!

You __ park here, it is forbidden.

Sam __ go to the party because he was too busy.

He does not have a racket so he __ play tennis.

___ you ride a bike when you were seven?

Pamela is a ballerina, she __ dance very well.

They __ see the lunar eclipse yesterday.

If my sister were younger, she __ learn English.

I looked everywhere but I __ find my keys.

__ dinosaurs fly?

If you are hungry, you __ eat a banana.

Exercise 2

Could or Was/were able to?

Complete each sentence with the missing modal verbs.

Type the whole sentence!

Only use was/were able to for successes!

Our team ___ win the cup six times.

Walter __ avoid the dog at the last moment.

Frank ___ speak any Spanish before he moved to Spain.

John __ walk for a couple of weeks because his leg was broken.

Scientists ___ take a picture of a black hole last year.