Modal verbs

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Goal's for Today

To understand the difference between the following modal verbs:

Can

Could

to be allowed to

to be able to 

Modal verbs - helping verbs

Modal verbs are always used together with another verbs. 

Example: He .......................(to swim) really well. 

He can swim really well. 

Some modals are same form for all subjects.

Example: We can swim really well. 

Can 

Gebruik je voor: vaardigheid (of niet), mogelijkheid, het vragen van toestemming 

• John can play the guitar / John can't play guitar
• We can take a map with us.
• Can we go to the party? 
• Yes, you can go to the party.

Could

 Gebruik je voor: vaardigheid van het verleden, mogelijkheid, een meer beleefde manier om iets te vragen.

• I could play the piano when I was younger.
• We could drink a coffee and then go. 
• Could I have an orange juice please?

To be able to

Gebruik je om te zeggen dat je wel of niet in staat bent om iets te doen (nu, in het verleden of in de toekomst) 

Nu: I am able to wash the windows.

VT: I wasn't able to wash the windows last weekend.

Toekomst: I will be able to wash the windows, when I get my ladder back from the neighbour.

To be allowed to

Gebruik je om toestemming aan te geven of niet (nu, verleden of toekomst) 

 He is allowed to play games all day long.

He was allowed to play games all day long but not any more.

He will be allowed to play games all day long in the holidays.

He won't be allowed to play games all day long in the holidays.

Any questions ?

Let's start the quiz questions and test your knowledge so far

He ...................run very fast when he was a child.

1. can
2. could
3. is able to
4. was able to

If you are under 18 years of age you .................. buy alcohol.

1. couldn't
2. are not allowed to
3. is not allowed to

She .................sing really well. She should audition for " The voice"

1. can
2. could
3. is allowed to

My bike is broken but I think that I ................ fix it myself.

1. can
2. am allowed to
3. am able to
4. was able to

Did you know that Jamie ... go out after 10.00 p.m.? His parents won't let him.

1. can't
2. isn't allowed to

Hopefully, I ..........................travel to different countries next summer.

1. am able to
2. will be able to

Did you know that Jeff .....................speak 5 languages. It's amazing!

1. won't be able to
2. will be allowed to
3. is able to
4. can

After this course he .................... speak better English.

1. can
2. could
3. is able to
4. will be able to

I ................ go out again if I come home too late. My parents will ground me.

1. am not able to
2. won't be allowed to
3. will be allowed to
4. am not allowed to

You.................park your car here! This spot is only for disabled drivers and that isn't you.

1. was not able to
2. can't
3. aren't allowed to
4. weren't allowed to

Continue with....

Unit 3, Lesson 4

 Ex. 5, 6, 7 

Finished and feel that you need extra practice? 

Click on this link

Ex. 2, 3 - Vocabulary exercises

Then Ex. 8, 9 & 10 

I understand the difference in meaning between: can, could, be able to, be allowed to

Not at all

The difference between some of them, but not all of them

Yes, I get the difference between them

Which modal/s are you still not sure about?
Can, could, be able to, be allowed to