4º Año

MODAL VERBS

MODAL VERBS express feelings and opinions rather than facts. Gives an additional information about the mood of the main verbs that follows it. The main verb is always in a base form.

CAN

It is a modal verb  used to...

• Express physical ability:

Examples:  Ben CAN play basketball very well.
                   She CAN walk long distances.
                   My brother CAN'T swim.

• Express an acquired skill:

Examples:  Miguel CAN play the guitar.
                   I CAN speak Japanese.
                   Mary CAN dance very well.

• Express possiblity:

Examples:  You CAN buy that CD at the nearest mall.
                   Felix CAN call his friend in an hour.
                   I CAN pick you up at 3 p.m.

• Give permission in informal situations:

Examples:  You CAN use my computer tomorrow.
                   She CAN wear my new sweater.
                   Of course, We CAN go to the party.

• Make an INFORMAL polite request:

Examples:  CAN I borrow you pen?.
                   CAN I ask a question?.
                   CAN we go to the beach on Friday?.

• Express impossibility (in the negative form):

  Examples: Students CAN'T take the chemical substances from the laboratory.
                    You CAN'T miss classes today.
                     What? Are you crazy? Animals CAN'T talk.

COULD

It is a modal verb  used to...

• Express past ability:

Examples:  Allison's father COULD run fast when he was a child.
                   Manuel COULD practice extreme sports when he was young.
                   Last year, I COULD climb that mountain.

• Make a polite request

Examples:  COULD you help me, please?.
                   COULD you open the door?.
                   COULD you pass me the salt, please?.

• Make a suggestion

Examples:  You COULD go home if you feel sick
                   If you need help in math, you COULD talk to your teacher.
                                               

MAY

It is a modal verb  used to...

• Make a FORMAL polite request:

Examples:  Teacher, MAY I come in?.
                   MAY we sit down?.
                   MAY I close the window?
         

• Give FORMAL permission:

Examples:  "You MAY go home", said the teacher.
                   You MAY you CV tomorrow.
                   We MAY leave at eight.

MIGHT

It is a modal verb  used to express LESS than 50% CERTAINTY.

Examples:  The teacher MIGHT give us an extra point in the test.
                   Miguel MIGHT go with you to the party.
                   You MIGHT understand my unpolite attitude.
           

Information taken form: Friends 1st year Diversified and Professional cycle.

 Richmond Publishing/Santillana

REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS

When the Subject and the Object in a sentence refer to the same person or thing we use a Reflexive Pronoun.

It is the only area of English grammar that is reflexive.

Subject Pronouns	Reflexive Pronouns
I	Myself
You	Yourself
He	Himself
She	Herself
It	Itself
We	Ourselves
You (pl)	Yourselves
They	Themselves

If you are using YOU in the plural, the reflexive pronoun is yourselves.

Examples of sentences using reflexive pronouns:

• My daughter likes to dress herself without my help.
• I taught myself to play the guitar.
• My cat always licks itself.

When to use reflexive pronouns

1. When the subject and the object refer to the same person or thing.

• He accidentally cut himself while he was chopping the vegetables.
• She bought a present for herself.
• We helped ourselves to the free drinks at the launch party.
• They injured themselves during the rugby match.
• I enjoyed myself at the concert.
• The dog is scratching itself – it must have fleas!

2. We use them for emphasis.

• The author signed the book for me herself!
• I did it myself.

When NOT to use reflexive pronouns

1. There are a number of verbs in English that rarely or never use reflexive pronouns.They describe things people usually do for themselves, such as wash, shave, dress, 
adapt, complain, concentrate, get up, hide, lie down, meet, move, relax, remember, shower, sit down.

Examples:

He washed [himself] in cold water.
He always shaved [himself] before going out in the evening.
Michael dressed [himself] and got ready for the party.

2. After a preposition of place or location we use a personal pronoun and not a reflexive pronoun.

• He put the backpack next to him.

Reflexive Pronouns with Objects

We use verb + object + reflexive pronoun when we want to emphasize that another person did not do the action (or assist).

Examples:

                          I repaired the tire myself.
                          They did the homework themselves.
                          My brother spoke to his boss himself.

By + Reflexive Pronouns

We use by + myself/yourself/himself etc when we are alone or not with another person.

• Jacob went to the party by himself.
• Emma was sitting by herself.

Information taken from: http://www.grammar.cl/Notes/Reflexive_Pronouns.htm