AI Tutor - Lucy
Talk about activities and abilities in easy ESL. You will practise simple verb phrases like “I can swim” or “We play football” to describe what people can do.
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A simpler way to ask would be 'Can you do this?'
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Not 'may' as in ''having permission to'! In this case it means that rain is quite likely: it may rain, or it may not ~ but we ought to be ready in case it starts.
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'Could you please do ...' is a very standard, polite way to ask for someone's help.
It allows them (if true) to reply 'I would if I could, but I'm afraid I can't because ...' ~ and then they can explain why not. |
This is the very definite form of the future; it allows no space for doubt on the matter!
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'May I .. ' = 'Do you allow me permission to ... ?'
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The important factor is whether he knew how to swim. This would need the 'can' verb in the present tense if it were happening now ('Help me; I can't swim!', he may well have cried, in between mouthfuls of water). The past form, for how things were at the time when he had his accident, is 'could'. He could not swim then ... but maybe, after surviving, he has decided to learn how, so that he will never be in such a situation again!
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We use 'must' when we reach the end of a logical argument: if x = 36, then 3x 'must be' 108. If this man is my father, then I must be his child, etc.
None of the other, less-strong auxiliary verbs is powerful enough to express this idea. |
'Must' is right here, because the person speaking can see no other responsible alternative thing to do ( ... much though they 'might' wish they could stay on at the party!).
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We use 'may' to say that while one thing 'may (well)' be true and good, it doesn't help with something quite different.
'She may have passed Grade 8 on the harp, but give her a clarinet and she can't play a single note.' 'Maybe you know the Russian alphabet, but can you just tell us now what that sign means?' |
The first 'must' means that the person being spoken-to can't really make any other sense of the situation, except to conclude that the speaker has done something very silly (losing a lot of money, for example).
The 'mustn't' means that the second person should not speak to the family about it, because if they do, there will be further problems (so if they want peace and quiet, it is essential for them to keep the secret.) This is the sort of dialogue you may hear in television soap-operas or in a detective series! |