MAIN VERBS AND MODAL AUXILIARIES: CAN AND MAY

SHINTA ARI HERDIANA

NORMILAH

INTRODUCTION

The main verb is also called the lexical verb.This term refers to the important verb in thesentence, the one which shows the action of thesubject. Main verbs can stand alone, or they canbe helped along by some other little verbs (a.k.a.auxiliary verbs).

• I was happy.

In this sentence, was is the main verb.

• I was feeling happy.

In this sentence, feeling is the main verb and was is the auxiliary verb.

• The modal auxiliaries in English are can, could, had

better, may, might, must, ought (to), shall, should, will,

would.

• Modal auxiliaries generally express speakers’ attitudes.

For example, modals can express that a speaker feels

something is necessary, advisable, permissible, possible;

and, in addition, they can convey the strength of those

attitudes.

Basic Modals

I

You

He

She + can do it.

It may do it.

We

They

Modals do not take a final –s,

even when the subject is she,

he, or it.

CORRECT : She can do it.

INCORRECT : She cans do it.

Modals are followed

immediately by the simple

form of a verb.

CORRECT : She can do it.

INCORRECT : She can to do it.

/She can does it. /She can did

it.

MODAL VERBS

a. Modal verbs do not add s or es to the third person singular.

He can swim. He cans swim.

Subject Modal verb Main verb Complement

I

We

They

You

He

She

It

can

may

go to sleep.

drink some water.

eat some food.

II. STRUCTURE

POLITE REQUEST WITH “I” AS THE SUBJECT

May I May I (please) borrow your pen? May I is used to request permission. It is

equally polite.

Can I Can I borrow your pen? Can I is used informally to request

permission, especially if the speaker is

talking to someone s/he knows fairly

well. Can I is usually considered a little

less polite than may I.

Typical Responses

Certainly. Yes, certainly.

Of course. Yes, of course.

Sure. (informal)

Often the response to a polite request is

an action, such as a nod or shake head,

or a simple “uh-huh.”

POLITE REQUEST WITH “YOU” AS THE SUBJECT

CAN

YOU

Can you (please) pass the salt? Can you is often used

informally

INCORRECT: May you pass

the salt?

May is used only with I or

we in polite requests.

• Can

The same forms are uses for other persons: (I, you, she, he, it, we, and they).

Uses:

• ability/ possibility

• informal permission

• informal polite request

• impossibility (negative only)

• I can do it. can: (aux), do: (main verb)

• She can come at 8 p. m. can: (aux), come: (main verb)

• Can they carry it? can: (aux), carry: (main verb)

• They can’t swim. can: (aux), swim: (main verb)

Example in Tenses:

Can

Uses Present/ Future Past

ability/possibi

lity

I can run fast. I could run fast

when I was a

child, but now I

can’t.

informal

permission

You can use

may car

tomorrow.

informal polite

request

Can I borrow

your pen?

impossibility

(negative only)

That can’t be

true!

That can’t have

been true!

May

The same forms are uses for other persons: (I, you, she, he, it, we, and they).

Uses:

• Polite request (only with I or we)

• Formal permission

• Less than 50% certainty

• May I come in?

may: (aux), come: (main verb)

• May he play with their toys?

may: (aux), play: (main verb)

Example in Tenses:

May

Uses Present/

Future

Past

polite

request

(only

with I or

we)

May I borrow

your pen?

formal

permission

You may leave

the room.

less than

50%

certainty

_where’s

John?

He may be at

the library.

He may have

been at the

library.

Gap filling exercise

…you speak German?

Yes, I …. I could speak it fluently when we lived in Germany.

Why do you ask?

I need this letter translated into German, do you think you… do it?

Let me see , Yes, I might be able to. It could take a little time, though. And of course, I … need a dictionary too.

… I borrow yours?

Gap filling exercise

Can you speak German?

Yes, I can. I could speak it fluently when we lived in Germany.

Why do you ask?

I need this letter translated into German, do you think you Cando it?

Let me see , Yes, I might be able to. It could take a little time, though. And of course, I may need a dictionary too. May I borrow yours?

Gap filling exercise

Of course, Oh Wait, my sister might have taken it.

Let me go and have a look. No, it is here, you … borrow it

Oh Yes, your sister is a German teacher, you could have a

Asked her.

She is on holiday at the moment, and this … wait. I need it for tomorrow.

I might not be able to do it for tomorrow, but I … do it for Wednesday.

Gap filling exercise

Of course, Oh Wait, my sister might have taken it.

Let me go and have a look. No, it is here, you can borrow it

Oh Yes, your sister is a German teacher, you could have asked her.

She is on holiday at the moment, and this can´t wait. I need it for tomorrow.

I might not be able to do it for tomorrow, but I can do it for Wednesday.

THE ENDThanks for your attention