Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Study the different use of ‘could’. Identify what it indicate.
Abhi could perform well in his school days.
Options
suggestion
past ability
Advertisements
Solution
Abhi could perform well in his school days. - past ability
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Pick out the modal auxiliary and state its function.
(i) Students must be punctual in their work.
(ii) You can do that work easily.
Insert the appropriate Modal Auxiliary as directed.
(a) You ____ to improve your handwriting (necessity).
(b) There ______ be about fifty chocolates
in that box. (possibility)
(ii) This state of Maharashtra will work for the betterment of the common people of Maharashtra.
(Rewrite it using modal auxiliary showing ‘obligation’)
I must tell the truth.
(Pick out the modal auxiliary verb and state its function)
Do as directed.
Lata will sing tonight. (Make it less certain)
Read the given sentences:
- Does Sam write all his own reports?
- The secretaries haven’t written all the letters yet.
- Terry is writing an e-mail to a client at the moment.
The verbs in bold are broadly used to express tense. ‘Do’ can also be used for adding emphasis, as in “I do know the answer.” The verbs “be’, ‘have’ and ‘do’ are called Primary Auxiliaries. When helping verbs are used to express the mode or action, they are called Modals.
- You shall have a holiday tomorrow. (Simple Future)
- We should obey our elders. (Obligation)
- I can play the piano. (Ability)
- Could you open the window, please? (Request).
In the above examples, the modals indicate the expressions given in brackets. There are other modals that are used for expressions.
Study the given table carefully and do the activities that follow.
| Modals less definite to more definite | Expressions |
| can, could | ability |
| should | advise, obligation |
| shall, will | futurity, determination |
| would | habitual past, request |
| may, might | permission, possibility |
| must, have to | compulsion |
| used to | habitual past |
| ought to | obligation |
| need to | necessity |
| dare to | courage |
(a) Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals according to the situations given in the following sentences.
- Take an umbrella. It _______ rain later.
- People _______ walk on the grass.
- _______ I ask you a question?
- The signal has turned red. You _______ wait.
- I was a sportsperson in my school days. I ________ play badminton.
- I am going to the library. I _______ find my friend there.
(b) Find from the text, the sentences that show past habit.
Expand the following into their full form.
that’s ___________.
Write the shortened form of the following.
I had
Write the shortened form of the following.
ought not _____________.
______ we afford to neglect children? Think Twice!!
