Кит был уверен, что таинственный синий свет знает, где Куджо сейчас и он надеялся найти синий шар в подвале. Подбежав к маленькому подвальному окошку, Кит остановился как вкопанный. Не веря свои глазам, он залез на дерево.
Окно было наглухо заколочено досками. Жаль, что я такой маленький и слабый, подумал котенок, вздохнул и побежал искать помощи у котов района. Ему пришлось потратить немало усилий и времени, чтобы объяснить каждому коту, зачем ему опять нужно попасть в подвал. К вечеру огромная стая котов собралась около подвала, обсуждая варианты проникновения. Наконец, самый старый и самый мудрый сфинкс предложил просто поджечь деревянные доски…
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Unit 2
Modal Verbs of Ability
Before speaking about the modal verbs of ability, let’s remember three important characteristics of all modal verbs:
1. They have only one form, so you cannot add -s, -ed, -ing or make any other modifications.
2. They are used together with main verbs. You cannot put two modals together: Kudjo
You also can’t use auxiliary verbs like do/does/did with modals, because modals themselves already function as auxiliary verbs!
To make the negative form of a modal verb, add not immediately after it: Chilly couldn’t remember anything after that.
To make a question with a modal verb, put it in front of the subject: Could the dogs find him?
3. Never use to between a modal verb and a main verb: We
PRESENT ABILITY
To describe physical and mental abilities in the present as well as the possibility to perform an action, we use can/can’t or be able to / be not able to. In everyday speech, can/can’t are more common.
Kudjo can drive a car far better than Chilly. = Kudjo is able to drive a car far better than Chilly.
Can is also used to express:
Permission (informal). e.g. You can take my dad’s car.
Request (informal). e.g. Can I go out?
By the way, could expresses a more polite request. e.g. Could you help us?
Prohibition (informal). You can’t tell anybody about it.
Note: am/is/are able to would be unusual when we are commenting on something that is happening at the time of speaking:
Look! Kit can stand on his front legs! (not:
If the present ability is surprising or involves overcoming some difficulty, we can also use is/are able to:
Despite his injury Chilly is able to drive a car.
We don’t usually use be able to with stative verbs (such as see, hear, understand, believe, etc.): Cuba can’t understand what is going on. (not:
We cannot usually use be able to with a passive:
This road can be used to cut the distance. (not:
EXERCISE 1
Choose the correct form (in two sentences both options are possible):
1 Listen! Our kitten is able to /can bark now! When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
2 Are you able to / Can you look for Kit? I haven’t seen him since the morning.
3 The dogs have been looking for Kit but he can’t / isn’t able to be found anywhere.
4 The dogs can’t /aren’t able to see their kitten anywhere, which makes them worried a lot.
5 The kitten can’t / isn’t able to live on his own. He is too little.
6 Who do you think they can /are able to find first: Kudjo or Kit?
Fixed phrases with the verb can:
Can is used with some verbs to create idiomatic expressions widely used by native English speakers:
1. can’t wait – to be excited about something
Ex: Cuba can’t wait to see her French friends soon.
2. can’t stand – to strongly dislike something
Ex: Chilly can’t stand cats in Lion.
3. can’t bear – to strongly dislike something because it makes you unhappy
Ex: Luna can’t bear to be away
