Making suggestions

When shall is used with I or we in question, the speaker is usually making a suggestion and asking another person if s/he agrees with the suggestion. This use of shall is relatively formal and infrequent.

Shall I open the window? Is that’s OK with you?

Could can be used to make suggestions.

Why don’t we go on a picnic?

We could go on a picnic.

Both examples are similar in meaning, the speaker is suggesting a picnic.

Should gives definite advice. In

You should talk to your teacher

The speaker is saying:”I believe it is important for you to that. That’s why I recommend ”

Should have gives “hindsight advice” In

You should have talked to your teacher and gotten some help from her during the term.

The speaker is saying:”It was important for you to talk to the teacher, but you didn’t do that. You made a mistake”

Degrees of certainty

Must expresses a strong degree of certainty about a present situation, but the degree of certainty is still less then 100%. In

He must be sick. (Usually he is in a class every day, but when I saw him last night, he wasn’t feeling good. So my best guess is that he is sick today. I can’t think of another possibility) – the speaker is saying:”Probably John is sick, I have evidence to make me believe that he is sick. That is my logical conclusion, but I do not know for certain.”

May, might and could express a weak degree of certainty. In

He may be sick/ He might be sick/ He could be sick – the speaker is saying:” Perhaps, maybe, possibly John is sick I am only making a guess. I can think of other possibilities.”

Ability: CAN and COULD

Can is used to express physical ability, as in

Tom is strong. Ha can lift that heavy box.

Can is used to express acquired skill. In

Maria can play the piano. She’s been taking lessons for many years – knows how to play piano.

Can is used to express possibility. In

You can buy a hammer at the hardware store – it is possible for one to buy.

Can is used to give permission in informal situations, as in

I’m not quite read to go, but you can leave if you’re in a hurry. I’ll meet you later.

In informal situations, may rather than can is usually used to give permission, as in

When you finished the test, you may leave.

Expressing preference: WOULD RATHER

Would rather expresses preference:

I would rather go to a movie tonight than study grammar.

THE NON-FINITE FORMS OF THE VERB

(THE VERBALS)

THEIR FUNCTIONS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE SENTENCE

The verb has finite and non-finite forms, the latter being also called verbals. The verbals unlike the finite forms of the verb, do not express person, number or mood. Therefore they cannot be used as the predicate of a sentence.

There are three verbals in English: the participle, the gerund and the infinitive.

THE INFINITIVE

The Infinitive developed from the verbal noun, which in course of time became verbalized, retaining at the same time some of its nominal properties. Thus in Modern English, the infinitive, like the participle and the gerund has a double nature, nominal and verbal.

Поиск по сайту: