CARACTERÍSTICAS
A forma infinitiva não possui to e esse tipo de verbo é sempre seguido de infinitivo sem to. Jamais recebem o “s” na terceira pessoa do singular, ou seja, o verbo mantém a mesma forma para todas as
pessoas.
Exemplos:
• Afirmativa:
Paul can pilot a plane. (Paul pode pilotar um avião.)
Kate can clean the house for us. (Ken pode limpar a casa.)
• Negativa:
John can not (can’t) help us tonight. (John não pode nos ajudar essa noite.)
• Interrogativa:
Peter, may I take your car? (Peter, posso pegar seu carro?)
Can Cathy and Bob do the assignments? (Cathy e Bob podem fazer o trabalho?)
Could I have something to drink? (Posso beber algo?)
LISTA DOS MODALS
CAN
• general ability – habilidade/capacidade
Também pode ser usado to be able to could (para o passado).
Exemplos:
I can speak Spanish.
I couldn’t speak Spanish when I was a kid.
I will be able to speak Spanish by the time I nish my course.
• permission – permissão
Também pode ser usado may.
Exemplo:
He can drive his father’s car when he is out of town.
He can’t drive Susan’s car when she is out of town.
He may drive his father’s car while he is out of town.
• possibility/impossibility – possibilidade/impossibilidade
Pode ser usado could.
Exemplo:
Anyone can become rich and famous if they win the lottery.
Learning English can be a real challenge.
The apartment can’t cost more than one million dollar.
COULD
• possibility – possibilidade
Também pode ser usado might, may.
Exemplos:
Mary could be the one who entered to UFRJ.
Mary couldn’t be the one who entered to UFRJ.
• suggestion – sugestão/conselho (sem forma negativa)
Exemplos:
You could save more money. (ideia presente)
You could have spent your vacation in Paris. (ideia passada)
You could spend your vacation in Paris. (ideia futura)
• past ability – habilidade no passado
Também pode ser usado be able to.
Exemplos:
I could swim twelve miles in my twenties.
I couldn’t run more than a mile in my twenties.
I was able to run more than a mile in my twenties.
• polite request – pedido educado
Também pode ser usado can, may, might.
Exemplos:
Could I have something to read?
Could you borrow me your glasses?
MAY
• possibility – possibilidade
Também pode ser usado might, can.
Exemplos:
John may be nervous. I can’t really tell if someone broke into his house.
Pamela may not be upset. Perhaps she is tired.
• permission – permissão
Também pode usar can.
Exemplos:
She may leave the hotel now because she paid the bill.
You may not leave the hotel until you pay your bill.
• requests – pedido
Também pode ser usado can, might. Sem forma negativa.
Exemplos:
May I borrow your car?
May I use your cell phone?
MIGHT
• possibility – possibilidade
Pode-se usar também could e may.
She might take the bus. I think her car is having problems.
She might not take the bus. She might drive her car.
