Can/could,

may/might
& their Serbian equivalents
What are they?
CAN & MAY are MODAL VERBS OF
POSSIBILITY
Three types of modals/functions: EPISTEMIC,
DEONTIC, DYNAMIC

Epistemic
MAY = EPISTEMIC modal
Judgement by the speaker about the truth of the
proposition he is presenting (what he is talking
about)
MAY/MIGHT both used for all persons in the
present & future
MIGHT in conditional sentences & after verbs
in past tense


1. MAY/MIGHT + present infinitive -
possibility in the present or future
He may/might tell his wife that he cheated on her.
(Perhaps he tells/will tell his wife...)
She may/might beat him. (Perhaps she will beat him.)
Similar with the continuous infinitive:
He may/might be waiting at the station. (Perhaps he
is waiting)
Either can be used
Might slightly increases the doubt




Stressing MAY/MIGHT
indicates increased doubt (in
speech)
Brian may be in luck today.
(Implies that this is not very
likely)
Brian might be in luck today.
(Implies that this is not likely
at all)
2. MIGHT must be used in the conditional
& when the expression is introduced by a
verb in the past tense

If you invited him, he might come.
I knew we might have to wait at the frontier.
He said he might hire a car. (Indirect speech)

3. MAY/MIGHT in the negative &
interrogative
Negative:
He may/might not believe your story. (Perhaps he doesnt/will not
believe your story)
MAY for possibility seldom introduces a sentence, it may be placed later
on:
When may we expect you?
MIGHT is just possible:
Might they be waiting outside the station?

Interrogative do you think? or be + likely (more
usual)
Do you think she believes your story? (Is it likely that
she will believe?)

4. MAY/MIGHT + perfect infinitive - used
in speculations about past actions

He may/might have gone. (It is possible/perhaps he has gone)
MAY/MIGHT can be used in conditional sentences instead of
will/would to indicate a possible instead of a certain result:
If he sees you, he will shoot. (Certain)
If he sees you, he may shoot. (Possible)
MIGHT - used when the main verb is in a past tense &
when the uncertainty no longer exists:
He stayed home alone. You shouldnt have left him; he
might have got robbed. (But he didnt)

5. COULD - an alternative to
MAY/MIGHT:
I wonder where Tom is. He MAY/MIGHT/COULD be in the
library. (Perhaps he is)
Interrogative - MIGHT or COULD can be used:
Might/could he be waiting for us at the station?
Negative - a difference in meaning between COULD and
MAY/MIGHT:
He may/might not be driving the car himself. (Perhaps)
He couldnt be driving the car himself. (It is impossible)


6. CAN - used to express possibility
Subject + can - meaning it is possible, i.e. circumstances
permit (quite different from MAY):
You can ski on the hills. (There is enough snow)

CAN can also express occasional possibility:
Measles can be quite dangerous. (Sometimes it
is possible for them to be quite dangerous)
COULD is used in the past:
He could be very unreasonable (Sometimes it
was possible that he was unreasonable)

Deontic
MAY & CAN = DEONTIC modals
Permission, laying an obligation,
influencing/directing behaviour of his addressee
Used for all persons in the present & future
Followed by bare infinitive
1. MAY/CAN for permission in the
present or future

You may kiss the bride. (Not It is allowed,
but I give you a permission to)
MAY/MIGHT - more usual in indirect speech:
He says we may leave./He said we might
leave.
MAY in impersonal
statements concerning
authority and permission:
A police officer may (has the
right to) ask a driver to take
a breath test.

CAN - an informal
alternative to may, can also
express the idea of having
permission:
I can park here.

COULD or WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO -
permission in the past

COULD - general permissions in the past:
On Saturdays we could stay up late.
WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO instead, when a particular action was
permitted & performed:
I had a visa so I
was allowed to cross the frontier.


COULDNT - used a little
more widely than could:
We couldnt bring our dog
into the restaurant.
BE ALLOWED TO - for
perfect and continuous
tenses and passives:
Since his accident he hasnt
been allowed to drive.

3. Requests for permission

Can I?, Could I?, May I?, Might I? all possible
Used for the present & future
Can I? most informal
Could I? - most generally used, both formal & informal requests
May I? - the most formal
Might I? - indicates greater uncertainty about the answer
Negative interrogative forms: Cant I? & Couldnt I? - show that the
speaker hopes for an affirmative answer
Cant I stay up till the end of the programme?
Dynamic
CAN = DYNAMIC modal
Subject has the ability to do something
CAN in conjuction with ABLE alternative form for for the present &
past tense
Only one future form
CAN used in the future only to express permission
Conditional two forms: could/would be able
Present: I can pay you
today.
Future: Our baby will be
able to run like a Kenyan in
a few weeks
Present Perfect: Since his
accident he hasnt been able
to leave the house


1. COULD used with a present meaning when
there is an idea of condition
I could get you a copy.
Could you? - a very good way of introducing a
request politely:
Could you show me the way?
2. COULD & WAS/WERE ABLE used for
past ability

Ability only - either can be
used:
When I was a young
vampire I could/was able to
climb any tree in the forest.
Ability + particular action -
was able is used:
Although the pilot was badly
hurt he was able to explain
what had happened. (He
could and did explain)

3.COULD + perfect infinitive used for past
ability when the action was not performed

I could have lent you the
money. Why didnt you ask
me?I HAVE LOTS OF
MONEY



Also used when we dont know
whether the action was performed
or not:
The money has disappeared! Who
could have taken it? Vlad could
have taken it; he was alone here
yesterday.

*Compare:
1. He was able to send a message.
2. He could have sent a message.
COULD + perfect infinitive - irritation at or
reproach for the non-performance of an action
You could have told me. (I am
annoyed/disappointed that you didnt tell me.)

THANK YOU!