GrammarModal verbs 情态动词 (I)Unit1 Festivals around the world· 情态动词的语法特征1 ) 情态动词 不能单独做谓语,除 ought 和 have 外,后面只能接不带 to 的不定式
2 ) 情态动词没有人称,数的变化,但有些情态动词,如 can 、 will 也有一般式和过去式的变化
3 ) 情态动词的“时态”形式并不是时间区别的主要标志,不少情况下,情态动词的现在式形式和过去式形式都可用来表示现在时间、过去时间和将来时间
can, could 和 be able to 的用法She can/be able to sing the song in English
This machine can make you feel comfortable
can, be able to 都可表示“能力”Can 的主语是人或物 ,be able to 的主语是人 We’ll be able to finish the work soon
I haven’t been able to see the film
can 只用于现在式和过去式 (could)
be able to 可以用于各种时态
could 用于表示泛指过去的能力
如: I could read when I was four
Although the soldier was badly wounded, he was able to tell what had happened
She ran fast but she couldn’t /wasn’t able to catch the bus
表示特定的某一过去能力或表示成功地做了某事时,只能用 was/were able to , 不能用 could
He was able to