Prime Time 6, Coursebook mit Audio-CD und DVD
G Modal auxiliaries Can , may , must , and needn’t are the most common modal auxiliaries . May , must and needn’t can only be used in the present tense ; can has the past tense form could . Use substitutes for all the other tenses. Modal auxiliaries Substitutes Past Future can, could cannot/can’t, could not/couldn’t to be able to was/were able to will be able to may, can may not/mustn’t, cannot/can’t to be allowed to was/were allowed to will be allowed to must needn’t to have to had to will have to needn’t to not have to didn’t have to won’t have to Modal auxiliaries express functions such as ability , obligation , possibility and permission . Ability Surprisingly many people can’t swim. Mike couldn’t find his swimming trunks yesterday. Lisa has been able to swim since she was five. • Can (cannot/can’t) and could (couldn’t) express that someone (or something) is/was able or unable to do something. Obligation I’m sorry, but I really must leave now. • Must expresses that something is necessary or should be done. • Needn’t expresses that something is not necessary. • Should and ought to can be used to give advice or to express criticism. Thanks, but you needn’t drive me home. It’s not far to walk. You’ve had too much to drink. You really shouldn’t be driving. I think you ought to be more careful. Possibility Surely this can’t be Tracy’s mobile, can it? • You may be right. But whose is it? Ask Sarah, she might know. • I think Tracy must have left hers at home. • Can , could , may and might express that something is possible or seems to be possible. Must expresses that the speaker expects something to be certain or very probable. Permission May we take photos in the cathedral, Mrs Dent? – I don’t think you’re allowed to. There’s a sign that says, “Visitors are not permitted to take photos.” So I’m afraid you can’t. And you certainly mustn’t take your ice-cream inside, Sam. • May is used to ask for permission politely. Mustn’t , can’t and may not (more formal) are used to refuse permission. Be careful with must, mustn’t and needn’t ! I must do that. Ich muss das tun. I needn’t do that. Ich brauche das nicht zu tun. I mustn’t do that. Ich darf das nicht tun. I don’t have to do that. Ich muss das nicht tun. The passive voice In passive sentences the focus is on the activity itself . e emphasis is on what is done, while the “doer” is either obvious, unimportant or unknown. e same rules about which tense to use apply in both the passive and the active voice . However, only the present tense and the past tense are used in the progressive form. G4 G5 176 Grammar Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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