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Ficha 3. Las diferencias entre can / could / shall (y might/may).

Son varios los usos que pueden tener estos cuatro verbos modales (verbos que ayudan a

otros a tener ms significados), pero bsicamente nos vamos a centrar en: peticiones,

permisos, ofrecimientos, capacidad, sugerencias y probabilidad. Asimismo, el verbo

modal would indica condicin (a): me gustara, me pasaras Por ello, tambin lo

podemos utilizar para pedir algo de un modo muy formal: I would like to have a beer,

please (me gustara tomar una cerveza, por favor).

Todos los verbos modales se forman del siguiente modo:

Sujeto + verbo modal + verbo en infinitivo

I can swim, I would buy

REQUESTS (peticiones)

Utilizamos tanto can y could como may y might para peticiones. May, might son

bastante formales, could lo es algo menos. Tambin podemos utilizar will y would.

Fjate en los diferentes grados de formalidad.

- Can/will you help me with my French homework? (informal)

- Could/would you help me with this exercise? (more polite)

- May I have a pen and some paper, please? (formal)

- May I come in? (formal)

- Might I have one of those leaflets? (bastante formal)

ASKING PERMISSION (pidiendo permiso)

Usamos can, could, may o might para pedir permiso para poder hacer algo. Could y

may son ms formales que can.

- Can I go swimming? (informal)

- Could I ask you another question? (more polite)

- May/might I have a look at this report? (formal)

GIVING/REFUSING PERMISSION (dando o negando permiso)

Usamos may y can, pero no might o could para dar permiso. May es muy formal.

- You cant see Kim tonight, but you can see her tomorrow if you like.

- You can leave your luggage here (informal)

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- You may not leave your luggage here. (formal) (Por ejemplo, un panel en la terminal

de un aeropuerto)

- Passengers may take only one item of hand luggage on board (formal)

OFFERS (ofrecimientos)

Para ofrecimientos utilizamos generalmente can y could (could es ms fomal que can).

Shall tambin es posible, aunque es mucho ms formal.

- Can/could I get you anything from the store?

- Shall I help you cross the road?

SUGGESTIONS (sugerencias)

- Speaker A: What shall we do tonight?

- Speaker B: We can/could go to the movies.

- We can/could go out for a meal later.

ABITLITY (capacidad)

Usamos can y could para expresar que alguien puede hacer algo en el presente y/o en el

futuro.

- After months of lessons, she can finally drive!

- Ive called off my appointment so I can come shopping with you on the weekend

(Recuerda que en Ingls britnico se dice at

the weekend, at weekends)

- I could see you next week if thats easier.

Tambin usamos could para expresar que alguien poda hacer algo de forma general en

el pasado, de manera repetida.

- I could swim quite well when I was at school.

- When she was three, she could count to ten.

Para expresar que alguien hizo algo en una determinada ocasin no utilizamos could,

sino succeed, manage, able to

- He succeeded in his ambition of becoming a pilot.

- Did you manage to climb the mountain in three days?

- We were able to see him before he left for Amsterdam.

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POSSIBILITY (probabilidad)

Usamos can y could para expresar una probabilidad de manera general.

- Everyone could come if they wanted.

- You can shop online to save time.

Usamos could, may o might para expresar que algo puede suceder o est sucediendo.

- We may see him when we are in Rome.

- The weather could be good by March.

- I might pop in later if Ive got a minute.

- I might not be able to come on Friday.

Ejercicios

Peticiones

[ ] you help me? [Muy formal]

[ ] you give me this paper? [informal]

[ ] I have a beer? [formal]

[ ] I come in? [bastante formal]

Pidiendo permiso

[ ] I go there? [informal]

[ ] I ask you another question? [Muy formal]

[ ] I have a look at this report? [Formal]

Dando permiso

You [ ] leave your luggage here [Formal]

You [ ] leave your luggage here. [Informal]

Ofrecimientos

[ ] I help you cross the road? [Muy formal]

[ ] I get you anything from the store? [Informal]

Sugerencias

We [ ] go out for a meal later [Muy formal]

Capacidad

I [ ] swim quite well when I was at school.

After months of lessons, she [ ] finally speak English!

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Probabilidad

We [ ] see him when we are in Rome.

The weather [ ] be good by March.

Everyone [ ] come if they wanted.

You [ ] shop online to save time.

We [ ] see him when we are in Rome.

The weather [ ] be good by March.

I [ ] pop in later if Ive got a minute.