Translate into English. 1) Неужели она все еще ждет нас у станции метро?

1) Неужели она все еще ждет нас у станции метро?

2) Неужели она согласна?

3) Не может быть, чтобы он сказал это.

4) Неужели он все еще в больнице?

5) Не могу не смеяться при одном ее виде.

6) Терпеть не могу быть одной в доме.

7) Мне ничего не остается, как принять этот факт.

8) Мне ничего не оставалось, как приютить ее у себя.

9) Я не мог не восхищаться ее пением.

10) Не может быть, чтобы он так все легко воспринимал.

11) Не может быть, чтобы она не узнала нас.

12) Не может быть, чтобы она нам не доверяла.

13) Неужели она так и не получила мое письмо?

14) Неужели так никто и не видел, как он это сделал?

15) Не может быть, чтобы они не осознали опасность.

16) Ты можешь взять словарь. Мне он больше не нужен.

17) Можно мы возьмем Джека с собой?

18) Нет, малыш, зимой мороженое на улице есть нельзя.

19) Вы не могли бы продиктовать мне эту страницу?

20) Вы не могли бы привести свой пример? Нельзя давать примеры только из учебника.

21) Вы можете сейчас продиктовать письма? – Нет, я собираюсь принять несколько посетителей сейчас.

22) Вы не могли бы представить меня некоторым из своих коллег?

23) Когда бы я мог увидеться с вами?

24) Не могли бы вы передать ему мои наилучшие пожелания?

Unit 3 May/might

The modal verb may has two forms: may for the present tenses and might for the past tenses. The expression to be allowed and to be permitted can be used to supply the missing forms of the verb may: You are to stay in bed until you are allowed to get up.

May is chiefly used to express permission or possibility. It is also used to express uncertainty, criticism, and wish.

§ 1 May/might to express permission

1. May is found:

· to grant permission: You may watch TV for as long as you like.

· to ask for permission: May I borrow your umbrella, please? It is more polite than Can I borrow your umbrella?

Might is also used, it is very polite and formal but is less common: Might I join you?

NOTE: To be allowed to is also used to ask about permission, yet there is a difference.

Compare: May I take a photo of you? = Will you allow it?

Are we allowed to take photos? = What is the rule?

· to refuse permission: You may not put TV оn!

2. To make these sentences past the expression to be allowed is used (not might): I may go today. – I was allowed to go that day.

But might is used when the main verb is in the past: He told me that I might smoke in the room (Reported Speech ).

§ 2 May/might to express possibility

1. Both may and might + Present Infinitive are used to express possibility in the present or future. Might is mostly used as a less definitive or more hesitant form of may. It suggests a smaller chance, when you think something is possible but not very likely.

Compare: I may go to London tomorrow. (≈a 50% chance)

Joe might come with me. (≈a 30% chance)

Might must be used:

· whenthe main verb of the sentence is in the past: He said that he might be late that night. (Reported Speech)But: He said, “I may/might be late tonight”.

· in conditional sentences: If you poured hot water into, it might crack.

May/might + not means ‘ it is possible that it is not …’: It may/might not be true. (=It’s possible that it is not true)

2. May and might + Perfect Infinitive are used in speculations about past actions: He may/might have gone.

Might + Perfect Infinitive is used:

· whenthe main verb of the sentence is in the past: He said/thought that she might have missed the plane;

· in sentences with unreal condition: If he had taken the other road we might have arrived earlier.

§ 3 May/might to express wishes, persuasive requests, and criticism

1. May expresses wishes and hopes. May always comes at the beginning of the sentence: May you both be very happy! May God be with you! (Might is not used in this case.)

2. Might is often used to make requests or suggestions in the affirmative clauses: You might try asking your uncle for a job.

3. Might + Perfect Infinitive occurs to talk about the past criticizing something or somebody: You might have helped us. (but you didn’t) It sounds like a reproach.

§ 4 May/might in set phrases

Learn the following set phrases with may/might:

· May/might as well + Infinitive are a very mild and unemphatic way of expressing an intention. It also suggests or recommends an action because there is nothing better, nothing more interesting and etc: I may as well have something to eat. I might as well stay at home tonight. It is rendered in Russian as: пожалуй, будет лучше, если я…

· It might have been worse means‘things are not so bad after all’. (могло (бы) быть и хуже)

· He might have been taken for her brother means ‘ He looked like her brother'. (можно было (бы) принять за …)

§ 5 Compare may and can for permission and

possibility

Notice some peculiarities in the usage of may/can and might/could.

1. May is more common when the speaker gives permission: You may borrow my book = ‘I give you permission to take it’, or in impersonal statements concerning authority: An accused person may (=has the right) to appeal). A police officer may ask for your driving license. Though in informal English, in colloquial speech can/could are used: He can borrow my car.

2. Can would be much more usual than may in the meaning ‘to have permission’: I can leave / I ’m allowed to leave…. But may/might are more usual than can/could in indirect speech: He says he may leave the room / She said they might leave the room.

3. May/might express future probability. Can doesn’t express this idea: We may/might go hunting this autumn. (Not * we can go …)

4. Both cannot/could not and may not/might not are used to express improbability. But the degree of faith expressed by may not/might not are less, this verb points to a less definitive improbability or possibility.

Compare:

It may not be true (Perhaps it is not true).

It can’t be true (It is certainly not true).

He may/might not have understood (Perhaps he didn’t understand).

He can’t/couldn’t have understood (He certainly didn’t understand).

5. Can/could occur when there is an idea of condition: Why don’t you ring him? You can/could use my mobile phone.

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