Larisa Lubimova – English Grammar with Kudjo. Part 4 Понятная и забавная грамматика для детей и взрослых (страница 2)

c excited / leave

EXERCISE 7

Translate the story:

Похоже, Кит знал, где искать Куджо. Если бы собаки не были так зациклены на заброшенном лагере, они бы тоже вспомнили про подвал. Кит был уверен, что таинственный синий свет знает, где Куджо сейчас и он надеялся найти синий шар в подвале. Подбежав к маленькому подвальному окошку, Кит остановился как вкопанный. Не веря свои глазам, он залез на дерево.

Окно было наглухо заколочено досками. Жаль, что я такой маленький и слабый, подумал котенок, вздохнул и побежал искать помощи у котов района. Ему пришлось потратить немало усилий и времени, чтобы объяснить каждому коту, зачем ему опять нужно попасть в подвал. К вечеру огромная стая котов собралась около подвала, обсуждая варианты проникновения. Наконец, самый старый и самый мудрый сфинкс предложил просто поджечь деревянные доски…

(продолжение следует)

Unit 2

Modal Verbs of Ability

Before speaking about the modal verbs of ability, let’s remember three important characteristics of all modal verbs:

1. They have only one form, so you cannot add -s, -ed, -ing or make any other modifications.

2. They are used together with main verbs. You cannot put two modals together: Kudjo will can return. Instead of it you can say: Kudjo will be able to return. or Kudjo can return.

You also can’t use auxiliary verbs like do/does/did with modals, because modals themselves already function as auxiliary verbs!

To make the negative form of a modal verb, add not immediately after it: Chilly couldn’t remember anything after that.

To make a question with a modal verb, put it in front of the subject: Could the dogs find him?

3. Never use to between a modal verb and a main verb: We must not to panic.

PRESENT ABILITY

To describe physical and mental abilities in the present as well as the possibility to perform an action, we use can/can’t or be able to / be not able to. In everyday speech, can/can’t are more common.

Kudjo can drive a car far better than Chilly. = Kudjo is able to drive a car far better than Chilly.

Can is also used to express:

Permission (informal). e.g. You can take my dad’s car.

Request (informal). e.g. Can I go out?

By the way, could expresses a more polite request. e.g. Could you help us?

Prohibition (informal). You can’t tell anybody about it.

Note: am/is/are able to would be unusual when we are commenting on something that is happening at the time of speaking:

Look! Kit can stand on his front legs! (not: Look! He is able to stand on his front legs!)

If the present ability is surprising or involves overcoming some difficulty, we can also use is/are able to:

Despite his injury Chilly is able to drive a car.

We don’t usually use be able to with stative verbs (such as see, hear, understand, believe, etc.): Cuba can’t understand what is going on. (not: Cuba isn’t able to understand what is going on.)

We cannot usually use be able to with a passive:

This road can be used to cut the distance. (not: This road is able to be used to cut the distance.)

EXERCISE 1

Choose the correct form (in two sentences both options are possible):

1 Listen! Our kitten is able to /can bark now! When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

2 Are you able to / Can you look for Kit? I haven’t seen him since the morning.

3 The dogs have been looking for Kit but he can’t / isn’t able to be found anywhere.

4 The dogs can’t /aren’t able to see their kitten anywhere, which makes them worried a lot.

5 The kitten can’t / isn’t able to live on his own. He is too little.

6 Who do you think they can /are able to find first: Kudjo or Kit?

Fixed phrases with the verb can:

Can is used with some verbs to create idiomatic expressions widely used by native English speakers:

1. can’t wait – to be excited about something

Ex: Cuba can’t wait to see her French friends soon.

2. can’t stand – to strongly dislike something

Ex: Chilly can’t stand cats in Lion.

3. can’t bear – to strongly dislike something because it makes you unhappy

Ex: Luna can’t bear to be away from Kudjo longer than a week.

4. can’t take it – cannot tolerate something

Ex: Luna can’t take her parents’ control anymore.

5. can’t be bothered – to have no interest in something

Ex: Luna knows she should be home now but she can’t be bothered.

6. can’t win – life is difficult

Ex: Sometimes no matter what you do in life, you can’t win.

7. can’t help it – to have no control over something

Ex: Cuba can’t help it, she finds cheese irresistible!

8. Can you imagine? – it is amazing

Ex: Dogs can have a kitten as a pet. Can you imagine?

9. No can do. – it cannot be done. It’s impossible.

Ex: Chilly refused to do it, he wanted to help, though. No can do.

10. What can I say? – I have no comment right now.

Ex: Everybody is shocked. What can they say?

11. Can it! – Shut up!

Ex: Luna can’t stand the words «Can it!»

12. as can be – as much as possible

Ex: The dogs were sure that everything would be fine with Kudjo. He is as smart as can be.

EXERCISE 2

Put one of these fixed expressions in the gaps: