| Ability – Lack of ability
Kim is five years old. She can read and write.
When she was three, she could count to ten.
She couldn’treach the top shelf, even though she tried.
She couldn’tswim fast when she was young.
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| Permission
Asking for permission
Can I open the window, please? (informal)
Could I open the window, please? (more polite)
May/Might I open the window, please? (formal)
Giving permission
You can leave your luggage here. (informal)
You may leave your luggage in this area. (formal)
Refusing permission
You can’t/mustn’t park here. (informal)
You may not park in this area. (formal, usually written notice)
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| Requests
Can you help me, please? (informal)
Will you get me my glasses, please? (familiar)
Could you make me some tea? (polite request)
May I have a glass of water? (formal request)
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| Offers
I’ll do the shopping if you like.
Shall I help you with your luggage?
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| Suggestions
Shall we go to the theatre?
We can/could go to the pub if you like.
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| Advice
You should stop smoking. (it is the best thing to do; I advise you to)
You ought to treat animals kindly. (ought to is sometimes used for advice based on laws, rules or generally accepted ideas)
Shall I tell him the truth? (asking for advice)
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| Criticism
You shouldn’thave been rude to her yesterday. (but you were)
You should have locked the car before leaving. (but you didn’t)
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| Obligation and Necessity
I mustlose some weight. (I say so)
We ought to respect environment. (it’s the right thing to do)
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| Prohibition
You can’tpark here.
You mustn’t tell anyone.
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| I’m sure she knows him well.
| She must knowhim well.
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| It is possible that he’s working late tonight.
| He could be working late tonight.
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| I’m sure she’ll be working tomorrow.
| She must be working tomorrow.
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| I’m sure he didn’t know the truth.
| He can’t have known the truth.
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| Perhaps they have missed the bus.
| They might have missed the bus.
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| It’s possible he had got lost.
| He may have got lost.
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| I’m certain he was sleeping.
| He must have been sleeping.
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| Perhaps she has been lying.
| She may have been lying.
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| It’s likely they had been hiding.
| They could have been hiding.
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