Example

Sentence: ‘Could I ask you something?’ ‘Yes, of course you could.’

Correction: ‘Could I ask you something?’ ‘Yes, of course you can.’

1. When I was a child, I should watch TV whenever I wanted to.

2. Peter wouldn’t watch TV yesterday because he was naughty.

3. He would borrow my car if he asked.

4. I should have married her if I had wanted to.

5. I wish you must not keep making that stupid noise.

6. It is important that she would talk to me when she gets here.

7. It must not be the postman at the door. It’s only seven o’clock.

8. ‘Look at those tracks. That must be a fox.’ ‘It must not be – it could be a dog.’

9. In my job I must travel a lot.

10. You should be Jane’s sister – you look just like her.

Answers

1. When I was a child, I could watch TV whenever I wanted to.

2. Peter couldn’t watch TV yesterday because he was naughty.

3. He could borrow my car if he asked.

4. I could have married her if I had wanted to.

5. I wish you would not keep making that stupid noise.

6. It is important that she should talk to me when she gets here.

7. It can’t be the postman at the door. It is only seven o’clock.

8. ‘Look at those tracks. It must be a fox.’ ‘Needn’t be – it could be a dog.’

9. In my job I have to travel a lot.

10. You must be Jane’s sister – you look just like her.

1. Auxiliaries alone can be negated by adding not.

She can swim. (Affirmative)
She cannot swim. OR She can’t swim. (Negative)
They have come. (Affirmative)
They have not come. OR They haven’t come. (Negative)
She would smoke. (Affirmative)
She would not smoke. OR She wouldn’t smoke. (Negative)

Compare this property with other verbs.

She smokes. (Affirmative)
She does not smoke. (Negative) (NOT She smokes not.)
He came. (Affirmative)
He did not come. (Negative) (NOT He came not.)

2. Auxiliaries alone can be inverted.

She is working. (Affirmative)
Is she working? (Interrogative)
They have arrived. (Affirmative)
Have they arrived? (Interrogative)

Compare this property with other verbs.

He smokes. (Affirmative)
Does he smoke? (Interrogative) (NOT Smokes he?)

3. Auxiliaries alone have the ability to allow a following verb phrase to be deleted.

Will she accept the job? I think she will (accept the job). Here the verb phrase ‘accept the job’ isn’t necessary, though it can be used.

Have they come? They have (come). Here the verb come is not necessary though it can be used.

4. Auxiliaries alone can be emphasized.

She CAN go.
You MUST wait.
She DOES smoke.

In all the three sentences given above, the stress falls on the auxiliaries.

In modern English, the simple addition of not is not enough to form negative statements.

Study the following sentences.

You know him. (Affirmative)
You do not know him. (Negative)
(NOT You know not him.)

We waited for them. (Affirmative)
We did not wait for them. (Negative)
(NOT We waited not for them.)

In modern English, the auxiliaries are the only verbs which can form their negatives by the simple addition of not.

Will you come?
I will not. OR I won’t.
Can I do it?
You cannot. OR You can’t.

The auxiliaries are also the only verbs which can be used along with the shortened form of not.

Will not = won’t
Cannot = can’t
Should not = shouldn’t

To form questions

A question is usually formed by putting an auxiliary verb before the subject of the sentence.

He is a nice fellow.
Is he a nice fellow?
They have won the race.
Have they won the race?

Note that the auxiliaries are the only verbs that can thus be inverted with the subject. In the case of other finite verbs, the auxiliary do and its forms are used.

He fell off the ladder.
Did he fall off the ladder? (NOT Fell he off the ladder?)
They went to Mumbai.
Did they go to Mumbai? (NOT Went they to Mumbai?)
They make good cheese.
Do they make good cheese? (NOT Make they good cheese?)

1. He ………………. writing a novel. (is / am / has)

2. He ……………….. to retire next year. (is / am / was)

3. They ……………….. marching forward. (are / have / will)

4. The dinner ………………. being cooked. (is / has / will)

5. They …………………. being questioned. (are / has / will)

6. They ………………… engaged in a heated argument. (were / will / am)

7. I ………………. a cable from my son in New York. (am / had / was)

8. They ……………….. violated the agreement. (have / are / were)

9. She ……………….. never promised to do it. (had / is / were)

10. I …………………. forgotten to post the letter. (am / had / was)

Answers

1. He is writing a novel.

2. He is to retire next year.

3. They are marching forward.

4. The dinner is being cooked.

5. They are being questioned.

6. They were engaged in a heated argument.

7. I had a cable from my son in New York.

8. They have violated the agreement.

9. She had never promised to do it.

10. I had forgotten to post the letter.

1.       When I was young, I …………………… run four miles at a stretch. (could / can / might)

2.       Why …………………… you not attend the meeting yesterday. (could / can / will)

3.       The doctor said he …………………… operate on the patient. (will / would / shall)

4.       Behave towards others as you …………………… like them to behave towards you. (would / will / could)

5.       If I were a king, I …………………… make you my queen. (will / can /would)

6.       You ………………….. take one of those books if you like. (can / must / should)

7.       I …………………… rather read a book than watch that ridiculous movie. (would / should / must)

8.       If I ………………….. interrupt you for a moment, Sir, how is this new scheme going to improve the situation? (would / should / might)

9.       Farmers use fertilizers so that they ……………….. have a rich harvest. (may / should / would)

10.   She says she ………………….. have her own way in the matter. (can /must / might)

Answers

1.       could, 2. could, 3. would, 4. would, 5. would, 6. can, 7. would, 8. might, 9. may, 10. must

1.       When I was a child, I ………………………. watch TV whenever I wanted to.

a)      must
b)      could
c)       shall
d)      should

2.       He ……………………….. borrow my car if he asked.

a)      must
b)      should
c)       could
d)      would

3.       Don’t throw the battle out of the window. Somebody …………………….. get hurt.

a)      should
b)      could
c)       must
d)      need

4.       This coat ……………………… be washed in the machine.

a)      can’t
b)      won’t
c)       ought not
d)      would not

5.       This time tomorrow, I …………………. be sitting in the sun.

a)      will
b)      can
c)       would
d)      ought

6.       Sulphuric acid ……………………… dissolve most metals.

a)      will
b)      shall
c)       would
d)      should

7.       On Saturdays, when we were kids, we ………………………. all get up early and go swimming.

a)      will
b)      would
c)       shall
d)      should

8.       Look at the clouds and they ……………………. often remind you of animals.

a)      will
b)      shall
c)       should
d)      may

9.       Don’t phone them now – they …………………….. be having dinner.

a)      will
b)      shall
c)       should
d)      ought

10.   I ……………………. to have phoned him this morning, but I forgot.

a)      ought
b)      should
c)       must
d)      could

Answers

1. b)      could
2. c)       could
3. b)      could
4. a)      can’t
5. a)      will
6. a)      will
7. b)      would
8. a)      will
9. a)      will
10. a)      ought

1. Possibly she isn’t John’s sister.

2. Perhaps we will visit them next week.

3. She was able to read when she was two years old.

4. It is important that you do not disclose this to anyone.

5. It is not necessary for you to wait any longer.

6. I am certain that they have already left.

7. When I was in Bangalore, I used to go for a walk every evening.

8. Perhaps he forgot to post the letter.

9. I suggest going for a long drive.

10. Nobody has answered the phone; perhaps they have gone out.

11. I am sure he is over sixty.

12. It was not necessary for me to meet him, but I did.

Answers

1. She may not be John’s sister.

2. We may visit them next week.

3. She could read when she was two years old.

4. You must not disclose this to anyone.

5. You need not wait any longer.

6. They must have already  left.

7. When I was in Bangalore, I would go for a walk every evening.

8. He may have / might have forgotten to post the letter.

9. Shall we go for a long drive?

10. Nobody has answered the phone; they must have gone out.

11. He must be over sixty.

12. I needn’t have met him.

1.  I don’t think I ——————- be able to go.

a) will

b) should

c) can

2. He —————— not pay unless he is asked to.

a) will

b) dare

c) shall

3. You —————— be honest.

a) should

b) would

c) ought

4. ——————– I help you?

a) would

b) will

c) shall

5. ——————– you please help me with my home work?

a) should

b) would

c) shall

6. You ——————— to pay your debts.

a) ought

b) should

c) must

7. If you ——————– see her, give her my love.

a) would

b) should

c) shall

8. I ——————— him, so I sent him a letter.

a) needn’t to see

b) needn’t have seen

c) didn’t need to see

9. —————– you direct me to the manager’s cabin?

a) shall

b) might

c) could

10. I ——————– to be an atheist, but now I believe in God.

a) used

b) would

c) could

11. ——————- you like another cup of coffee?

a) would

b) should

c) could

12. You ———————- for me. I could have reached there on my own.

a) couldn’t have waited

b) needn’t have waited

c) didn’t need to wait.

Answers

1. a) will

2. a) will

3. a) should

4. c) shall

5. b) would

6. a) ought

7. b) should

8. c) didn’t need to see

9. c) could

10. a) used

11. a) would

12. b) needn’t have waited

Compare:
She can knit.
He can speak ten languages.
She could write when she was three.

Note that we use will be able to and not can to talk about future ability.

You will be able to speak good English in a few months.
One day scientists will be able to find a cure for cancer.

In reported speech

Could is the past tense form of can in reported speech.

‘Can you help me,’ she said to him. (Direct speech)
She asked him if he could help her. (Indirect speech)

Possibility
Can is used to talk about theoretical possibility.

Glass can be blown.
Accidents can happen any time.

We use may, might or could to talk about the chances that something will actually happen.

It could rain this evening.
We may/might go camping this summer.

Can is used in questions and negatives to talk about the logical possibility that something is true.

‘There is the doorbell.’ ‘Who can it be?’ ‘Well, it can’t be the postman.’

Note that can is not normally used in affirmative sentences with this meaning. Instead we use may, might or could.

‘Where is John?’ ‘He could/may/might be at the library.’ (NOT He can be at the library.)

Permission

Can is used to ask for and give permission. Can’t is used to refuse permission.

‘Can I have a look at your papers?’ ‘Yes, of course, you can.’
‘Can I have another cup of coffee?’ ‘No, I am afraid, you can’t.’

Could is also used to ask for permission. Note that could is more polite than can.

‘Could I have a look at your papers?’

1. He fasted for a week.

a) Adjective
b) Verb
c) Adverb
d) Preposition

2. Muslims observe fast in the month of Ramzan.

a) Noun
b) Verb
c) Adjective
d) Adverb

3. He is the right man in the wrong place.

a) Adjective
b) Verb
c) Adverb
d) Preposition

4. God defend the righteous.

a) Adjective
b) Adverb
c) Verb
d) Noun

5. There is not much truth in what he says.

a) Adjective
b) Adverb
c) Preposition
d) Conjunction

6. I hate him because he boasts too much.

a) Adverb
b) Adjective
c) Verb
d) Preposition

7. Men who work hard enjoy life to the fullest.

a) Verb
b) Adverb
c) Preposition
d) Conjunction

8. Is she any better today?

a) Adjective
b) Adverb
c) Verb
d) Preposition

9. He is all for amusement.

a) Adjective
b) Adverb
c) Verb
d) Preposition

10. What most annoys me is his obstinacy.

a) Adverb
b) Adjective
c) Verb
d) Conjunction

11. Please call me early.

a) Adverb
b) pronoun

c) Verb
d) Noun

12. Little learning is a dangerous thing.

a) Adjective
b) Noun
c) Conjunction
d) Verb

13. He is well known all over the world.

a) Adjective
b) Adverb
c) Verb
d) Noun

14. We still live with our parents.

a) Conjunction
b) Preposition
c) Verb
d) Adverb

15. Take this parcel over to the post office.

a) Adverb
b) Verb
c) Preposition
d) Conjunction

Answers

1. Verb
2. Noun
3. Adjective
4. Adjective
5. Adjective
6. Adverb
7. Adverb
8. Adverb
9. Adverb
10. Adverb
11. Pronoun
12. Adjective
13. Adverb
14. Adverb
15. Adverb