Can

It is often used:

 To express ability, e.g.

I can swim.

Can you speak English? A little.

I can read English, but I can’t speak it well.

 To express possibility, e.g.

Anybody can make a mistake.

Bad days can come to anyone.

 For asking or giving permission to do something, e.g.

Can I borrow your car Ali? Yes you can or sorry, I’m using it now.

Can I use your phone, Sami? Certainly, you can.

 To make a request (informal) friends and in shop and restaurants, e.g.

Can you pick me up to the airport?

Can you bring me some more paper?

Can you give me the bill?

Could

It is often used:

 to express several possibilities, e.g.

What shall we do this weekend?

We could have a picnic or go swimming.

Where is your father?

He could be at home or at the mosque.

 For asking permission to do something, e.g.

Could I speak to M. David, please?

Could I have your ID number, sir?

Could I sit here?

 to make a polite request e.g.

Could you help me please? with pleasure.

Could you show me the way to the Libyan Embassy?

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Could you open the door? My hands are full.

Could you speak more slowly?

Could you ……? Is more formal and polite than can you ……?

 To express past ability, e.g.

Amina could swim when she was young.

My mother could cook beautifully

I could not sleep last night.

May
It is often used: to express possibility, e.g.

 To express possibility, e.g.

I may go to Cairo this summer.

Dr. Ali may not come today.

It may rain now. Take your umbrella.

Mustafa didn’t reply my call. He may be sleeping.

“You may lead the horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”

 May can also be used for asking or giving permission (more formal than can )

May I ask a question?

May I have your name and address?

Excuse me, Sir. May I use my dictionary?

May I leave the hall, Mam? Of course, you may.

 May is also used to express wish, e.g.

May Allah help you.

May Allah bless you

Might

 Can be used in the same way as may especially if we are not so sure about things, e.g.

I might go to Tunisia this weekend.

Ali might be at home now (very uncertain)

 Can use with have like (might + have +PP(V3).

Ali is not at home now. He might have gone to Tripoli (past possibility )

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 Must

It is often used: to express strong obligation, e.g.

We must obey the elders.

You must renew your passport.

We must rest for a little.

I must be at home by 9.00p.m

You mustn’t smoke here.

 We use have to when we want to say this is necessary and about rules and laws (like must),
e.g.

You have to drive on the lift in Malta.

All the students have to follow the regulations of the institute.

I have to go to Benghazi the day after tomorrow to attend the meeting.

We have to wear the seat belt, when driving a car.

 We use had to for the past of must and have to, e.g.

You had to wait for him.

Ali did not respect his teacher so he had to leave the school.

 We use will have to for the future of must

You will have to take mid-trim test in grammar next week.

 Must is also used to express deduction, e.g.

He lives in a palace. He must be rich.

Karima is vomiting. She must be sick.

It’s seven o’clock. He must be sleeping.

Ought (to) = should

It is often used: to indicate advice, e.g.

We ought to (=should) do what our teacher tell us.

You look unwell. You ought to see a doctor at once.

He ought to (=should) keep his promise.

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Exercise (1): divide the given sentences into subject and predicate:

1. I am a student
2. The weather is pleasant today.
3. Ahmed and his class went on a school visit.
4. I don’t like that place.
5. The rich aren’t always happy.

Exercise (3): how many axiliary verbs are there in English language? Write them.

Exercise (2): fill the spaces with suitable auxiliary verbs:

Example: she has two brothers and one sister. (possession)

1. They ……….speak English. (ability)

2. I ………..not sleep last night. (past ability)
3. ………….we hire a taxi? (suggestion)
4. Hospitals……….always be clean.( duty)
5. Ahmed ………a car .(possession)
6. …………..you open the window, Ali?(request)
7. Ali ……….not come to school today. He is still sick. (possibility)
8. ………...i help you? (permission)
9. I ………….be at home at lunch time (obligation)
10. …………..you have some more tea? (invitation)

Exercise (4A):Re-arrange these words to make good sentence:

Example: (likes – salma – English ) salma likes English.

1. (teaches – my sister – English – at Tripoli university) ………………………………………...

2. (bought – Ahmed- yesterday – a dictionary ) ………………………………………………….
3. (see – Amal – I – at college – everyday)……………………………………………………….
4. (live – we – in – house – a big) ………………………………………………………………..

Exercise (4B): use these verbs in simple sentence of your own:

Example: speak: we speak Arabic.

1. Lives: …………………………………………………………………
2. Bought: ……………………………………………………………….
3. Visited: ……………………………………………………………….
4. Works………………………………………………………………….
5. Finish: ………………………………………………………………...

Exercise (5): give the types of sentences:

1. We speak Arabic (A statement)

2. Why are you late (…………………………..)
3. Don’t get late again (……………………………)
4. Water is colorless (……………………………)
5. Take your seats (…………………………….…)
6. Do you speak English (………………………....)
7. Listen to me please (……………………….……….)
8. How cold it is now (……………………………)
9. What beautiful scenery it is! (………………………….)
10. Whose mobile phone is this (………………………….)

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 FORMATION OF QUESTION: YES/NO QUESTION

There are two main types of questions in English:

(A) Yes/ No questions:

 The question with auxiliary verbs is made by putting the auxiliary verb before its subject. It
can be answered by “yes or No “. e.g.

Examples

1. This is a good book.

Is this a good book? Yes it is.
2. Ali has arrived.
Has Ali arrived? No, he hasn’t.
3. He will get back soon.
Will he get back soon? Yes, he will. No he won’t

Exercise (6): change these sentences into questions.

1. Tomorrow is a holiday. …………………………………………………………………..

2. Ahmed can speak good English …………………………………………………………..
3. There is a bookshop near here ……………………………………………………………
4. Amina and salma are sisters. ……………………………………………………………….
5. You were absent from school yesterday ………………………………………………………
6. You have seen Ali today ………………………………………………………………………
7. You are busy now …………………………………………………………………………….

 Interrogative of the present simple tense:

We use question in present simple tense by using do or does:
Examples:
1. Diya and Noor go to KG (kindergarten) on foot.
Do Diya and Noor go to KG (kindergarten) on foot? Yes they do.
2. They live near kindergarten.
Do they live near kindergarten? No they don’t.
3. The children like to go to the forest.
Do the children like to go to the forest? Yes they do or No they don’t.

Exercise (7): change these sentences into questions.

1. You speak English. …………………………………………………………………………

2. They sell milk in that shop. …………………………………………………………………
3. Olive trees grow in Tarhuna . ……………………………………………………………….
4. I always see fatima at college. ………………………………………………………………
5. Bank close early on Saturdays. ………………………………………………………………
6. You know Ali’s phone number. ……………………………………………………………
7. I have a lecture now. ………………………………………………………………………..