CAN
poder
capacity
informal permissio
PRESENT
Sarah can solve that problem. (capa
She cannot (can’t) solve it. (capacity
Can she really solve it? (capacity)
Can I turn on the TV? (informal permissio
Of course, you can . (informal permission
COULD
podia
capacity in the past
PAST
When I was younger I could stay up
all night and not get tired.
Last week Windows could not (couldn’t)
start because a configuration problem.
Could he have done a better job
yesterday ?
BE ABLE TO
poder
can
be able to
ser capaz
PRESENT – PAST - FUTURE
PAST
PRESENT
You could do that.
You can do that.
You are able to do that.
You were able to do that
FUTURE
You will be able to do that.
MAY
poder
possibility
formal permission
FUTURE
The explosion may have been caused by a
malfunction. (possibility)
We'd better not interfere - she may not like
it. (possibility)
May it cause a problem ? (possibility)
- May I come in?
- Yes, you may come in. (formal
permission)
MIGHT
poderia
possibility
possibility in the past
uncertain possibility
hypothetical possibility
FUTURE - PAST
Don't go any closer – it might/may be
dangerous.
(possibility)
Might he have
come if he wanted ? (possibility in the pas
I thought he might be hungry.
(uncertain possibilit
If you were older you might understand.
(hypothetical possibility)
MUST
dever
obligation
strong necessity
deduction
PRESENT - FUTURE
You must help them. They're relatives of yours!
Joan must pay attention to the class.
(necessity)
John's been driving all day - he must be tired. (
MUST NOT
dever
(negative)
prohibition
demand
PRESENT - FUTURE
You must not smoke. (prohibition)
You must not talk inside here. (prohibition)
You mustn’t behave like that. (demand)
You mustn't leave your stuff there. (
HAVE TO
must= have to
necessity
PRESENT– PAST- FUTURE
You must focus in the text.
= You have to focus in the text.
You had to focus in the text.
(past)
You will have to focus in the text.
(future)
PRESENT – PAST - FUTURE
SHOULD
OUGHT TO
should= ought to
advice
PRESENT – FUTURE
They should stop writing reports.
They should not (shouldn’t) stop writing re
Should they stop writing reports ?
They ought to consider the possibility.
They ought not to consider the possibili
Ought they to consider the possibility ?
Complete with the correct form of "can" and "may“ .
1.She ________speak
four languages. (capacity)
can
2.______I
May come in, Mr. president? (formal permission)
3._______
Can I press that key, teacher? (informal permission)
4.It_______happen
to everyone. (possibility)
may
5.He________be
telling the truth. (possibility)
may
6.He _______be
telling lies, too. (possibility)
may
7. _______you
read that sign from this distance? (capacity)
Can
8.The students_______do
it without your help Peter. (capac
can
9.____I
Can use your computer for a moment, please ? (informal
10.You_______try
once more. (possibility)
may
Complete the sentences using the correct form of
have to.
1.We must call someone to help.
We________call
someone to help. (past)
had to
2.They must wait here for a while.
They will
___________wait
here for a while. (future)
have to
3.She must make a decision as soon as possible.
She___________make
a decision as soon as possible.
will have to
(future)
4.You have
musttofollow the rules, man.
You _________follow the rules, man. (present)
5.He must send that e-mail message now.
He_________send
that e-mail message now. (present)
has to
6.We must handle this situation immediately.
We____________handle
this situation immediately.
will have to
(future)
7.They had
musttocall the police. They are at risk!
They ________call the police. They were at risk!(past)
has hurry
to
8.He must
otherwise he will be caught!
He ________hurry otherwise he will be caught! (present)
Fill the blanks using "should" or "ought" according
to the sentence.
1.You _______talk
to the dentist.
should
2._________they
to provide the equipment?
Ought
3.He ________to
take those remedies.
ought
should
4. Every American________know
that, forty years ago, it was
the law in many states for a black person to sit in the front o
5.The counselor________have
helped that poor guy.
should
6.They__________to
do their best in order to win the prize.
ought
ought to be kinder to him.
7.You________
ought
8. Keep in mind that this price
_______ to be very, very low.
(FMU) - You__________play tennis
better some years ago.
a)can
b)had
c)ought
d)could
e)might
Test 1
(FMU) - They___________do this
tomorrow.
a)is able to
b)can to
c)will be able to
d)would be able
e)could to
Test 2
(Makenzie) - In the sentence, "You may be
wrong, but you may be right." MAY means:
a) possibility
b) permission
c) ability
d) deduction
e) obligation
Test
3
(FECAP) - “I don’t know what these words mean. I
should have brought my dictionary”. “should” can
be replaced (substituído) by____
a)may
b)must
c)could
d)ought to
e)would
Test 4
(Unesp) - Indique a sentença que expressa um
conselho.
a) When depressed, teens always ask for adult
guidance.
b) Teens see more of what life has to offer and then
they become depressed.
c) Adolescents who never make new friends
become depressed.
d) Adolescents don't try to make new friends when
they feel depressed.
e) When teens become depressed, they shouldTest
try 5
to ask an adult for help.
(Unesp) - Assinale a alternativa correta:
Doctors and dentists should always ______ with the
a) continued
b) continue
c) continuing
d) will continued
e) have continue
Test 6
(Unirio) - Assinale a alternativa correta:
I'm sorry the train was late and I .......... arrive earli
a) couldn't
b) ought not
c) don't
d) mustn't
e) wouldn't
Test 7
(Mackenzie) - Indicate the alternative
that best
completes the following sentence.
"Look how wet the ground is! It _________
last night.
a) might be sunny
b) must have rained
c) should have been warm
d) may be snowing
e) ought to dry
Test 8
(Unesp) - Universities abroad may ________ a
more recent result when the IELTS was taken a
long time ago.
a) requires
b) require
c) to require
d) requiring
e) required
Test 9
(PucCamp) - Assinale a letra correspondente à alternativa que
preenche corretamente as lacunas da frase apresentada.
Janet: Look, our boat is sinking!
Peter: Oh, dear! Can you swim?
Janet: Yes, but we won't have to, there's a life boat on board.
In the above dialogue, the verbs "CAN" and "HAVE TO" express respectively
....... and ........ .
a) ability - obligation
b) permission - prohibition
c) possibility - prohibition
d) permission - possibility
e) ability - necessity
Test 10