Базовый курс английского языка - Эккерсли К.Э.
ISBN 5-7871-0174-X
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Jan could play football well when he was quite young.
(2) значение разрешения. Например:
You can go now.
Father said we could go to the theatre.
PEDRO: Excuse me, but wouldn't it be better to say "You may go now" or "Father said we might go to the theatre"?
MR. PRIESTLEY: In theory it would, and some writers of grammar books advise you to use may to express permission and can only for ability. But English people and American people in ordinary conversation use can in these circumstances.
1 Например: have, need, dare.
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HOB: I remember I once said to Aunt Eliza, "Can I smoke in your house?" She replied. "You probably can but you certainly may not."
LUCILLE: Has can any other parts besides could!
MR. PRIESTLEY: No. It has no infinitive, no imperative, no participles.
FRIEDA: How do you get over the difficulty of the missing parts? Suppose you want the future tense? You can't say "1 shall can".
MR. PRIESTLEY: We use be able. The form be able can generally be used instead of can, e. g.
"I can do the work" or "I am able to do the work."
"I could do the work" or "I was able to do the work."
For the Future Tense we say:
"I shall be able to do the work."
For the Present Perfect:
"I have been able to do the work."
For the Infinitive:
"I hope to be able to do the work."
Could, besides being the past tense, is also used for the conditional, e.g.
"If you tried, you could do that work."
"I would help you if I could."
Even if he had been here, he couldn't have helped you.
PEDRO: Is there any difference in usage between can and be able? I have a feeling they are not always interchangeable.
MR. PRIESTLEY: You are quite right, Pedro. It is rather a difficult point.
The question only arises in the past tense with could. The difference seems to be that for something that you can do because of knowledge or skill (swimming, speaking English, playing football, for example) you can use either could or was able. Examples:
A.
I could (was able to) swim when I was only six years old.
Jan hurt his foot and couldn't (wasn't able to) play football.
The door was locked and I couldn't (wasn't able to) open it.
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в.
But we use was able and not could if we want to express the meanings: "managed to do something" or "succeeded in doing something".
You will see that usage in these sentences:
1. He worked very hard, and was able to pass his examination.
2. We had a holiday yesterday and so were able to go to the seaside.
3. " I wonder why Jane hasn't come here. " " She may not have been able to get away from the office."
In sentences В it would be wrong to use could because be able in each case means managed or succeeded.
"...he managed to pass (he succeeded in passing) his examination."
"... we succeeded in getting to the seaside."
"... she may not have managed to get away (succeeded in getting away) from the office."
Strangely enough, if these sentences are negative, could may be used, e.g.
"He worked very hard but couldn't (or wasn't able to) pass his examination."
"We had a holiday yesterday, but couldn't (or weren't able to) go to the seaside."
"Perhaps Jane couldn't (or wasn't able to) get away from the office."
Were you able to understand all that, Pedro?
PEDRO: Yes, I think we were all able to understand it.
MR. PRIESTLEY: Good. Now just one final word about could. We sometimes use could as a kind of weaker variety of can. We have a feeling that it is perhaps rather more polite, e.g.
"Could you tell me the right time, please?"
And sometimes we use could to express a gentle doubt:
"I could do the job tomorrow but I'd rather put it off till Friday."
"Yes, his story could be true but 1 hardly think it is."
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УПРАЖНЕНИЯ
1. Образуйте страдательный залог:
1. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
2. Our College Dramatic Society gave the play last year.
3. Jan took the part of Hamlet.
4. They are giving it again this year.
5. Jan will take the part of Hamlet again.
2. Замените выделенные курсивом слова конструкцией с глаголом to be. Все необходимые конструкции есть в Уроке 23:
1. It is arranged that we meet at five o'clock.
2. When will the party take place?
3. Jan does all he can to pass his examinations.
4. We had planned to go to Switzerland last year, but we couldn't go.
5. Today we face great difficulties.
6.1 support the idea, whole-heartedly.
3. Хоб хочет, чтобы вы объяснили его шутку:
"The Americans grow a lot of fruit. They eat what they can, and can what they can 7."
4. Замените can или couid на to be able в соответствующем времени:
1. Jan can speak English.
2.1 can swim.
3. Hob can't do this exercise.
4.1 could swim when I was six years old.
5. He couldn't speak English before he came to England.
6. They can all understand this lesson.
7. They could all understand this lesson.
5. Напишите следущие предложения в будущем времени, добавляя слова в скобках:
1.1 can speak English (after I have had some lessons).
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2. I can play football (when my foot is better).
