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6. Modals in the past form

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Modals in the past form

Modals

present

Past

can

could

will

would

shall

should

may

might

1. Could + Verb base

 to offer suggestions or possibilities

Example: Rio : Oh, no! I left my shorts.

Aldo : Don’t worry, rio. You could borrow my shorts.

Ismi : I’m having trouble with English.

Rasya : Why don’t you ask Agnes? Perhaps she could help you.

 to indicate that the ability existed in the past but doesn’t exist now.

Example: Riski : Ras, can you climb the durian tree?

Novi : Well… I could climb durian tree when I was so young. But I think I’m too heavy to climb it.

Nova : Grandma, what could you do when you were younger?

Grandma : When I was younger, I could swim across the big river very well and faster.

 to express polite requests

Example: Could I borrow your pencil (please)?

Could you lend me your jacket now?

Could you please close the door?

Could you pass the salt?

2. Would + Verb base

 for an action that was repeated regularly in the past

Example: When I was a child, I would visit my grandparents every weekend.

On Sundays, when I was a child, we would all get up early and go fishing.

 insert rather into the pattern and use this expression to express preferences

Example: daud : What would you rather do in the weekend, go to the party or stay home?

Emerald : I would rather go to the party than stay home.

Dea : Which country would you rather visit?

Vanna : I would rather visit Italia than Somalia.

 to express polite requests

Example: Andi : Would you mind cycling with me, Kala?

Kolo : No, not at all. It would be nice.

Alvin : Would you please pass the helmet, Bella?

Zevanna : No problem.

3. Should + Verb base

 to give definite advice (advisability)

Example: Bunda : Putri, you should study tonight. You will have English test tomorrow, won’t you?

Putri : I will, Bunda.

Debby : You should paint your door, Bobby. It looks terrible.

Bobby : Yes, I know I should.

to express the subject’s obligation or duty:

Example: You should practice for more than an hour. (to musical friend)

They shouldn’t allow parking here; the street is too narrow.

Application should be sent before March 25th.

4. Might + Verb base

 to tell possibilities

Example: David : Where is Deddy?

Copperfield : He might be in the studio with Kalina.

 To express polite requests

Example: Tian : Might I borrow your coat?

Ringgo : I’m afraid not. It has been brought by Donny for weeks and I don’t know when he’ll return it.

Modal auxiliary verbs give more information about the function of the main verb that follows it. Although having a great variety of communicative functions, these functions can all be related to a scale ranging from possibility (can) to necessity (must). Within this scale there are two functional divisions: one concerned with possibility and necessity in terms of freedom to act (including ability, permission and duty), and the other (shall not included) concerns itself with the theoretical possibility of propositions being true or not true, including likelihood and certainty: must = absolute (often moral) obligation, order, requirement, necessity; can/could = physical or mental ability; may/might = permission, option, choice; will = intention in 1st person, volition in 2nd and 3rd persons; and shall/should = in 1st person objective though not moral obligation, no choice, as in: One day I shall die: we all shall die one day; in 2nd and third persons shall implies an incumbent obligation, destiny (It shall come to pass) or a command, decree, necessity imposed by the speaker, as in: A meeting shall take place on the last Friday of every month or a promise, namely that the speaker is stating his obligation to another party that an action or event take place, as in: You shall go to the ball, Cinderella. However, if a speaker states: I will let you go to the ball, Cinderella, in stating his intention, he is, in this instance, also making a promise.

16. Passive voice

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1.

Simple present

Active

passive

We


OB on RCTI

watched

is watched

OB on RCTI

(by us)

everyday.

everyday.

2.

Simple past

Active

passive

Rita


A letter

wrote

was written

a letter

by Rita

yesterday.

yesterday.

3.

Simple Future

Active

passive

My family


A villa

will rent

will be rent

a villa

by my family

for holiday.

for holiday.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

· the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence

· the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

· the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Agent

In a passive clause, we usually use a phrase beginning with by if we want to mention the agent - the person or thing that does the action, or that causes what happens.

Examples:

My mother makes sandwich every morning.

Subject verb1+s/es O C (adv. of time)


Sandwich is made by my mother every morning.

Subject to be+V3 Agent C (adv. of time)

present continuous : [ S + to be + being +V3 (past participle)

present perfect: [ S + has/have + been + V3 (past participle)

present continuous

Active

Passive

A young boy is catching a butterfly.

A butterfly is being caught by a young boy.

present perfect

Active

Passive

Yano has returned the book to the library.

The book has been returned to the library by Yano.

If you want to change an active sentence which has two objects into its passive forms, there are two ways:

1. Make its indirect object into the subject of the passive sentence.

2. Make its direct object into the subject of the passive sentence.

Examples:

Active:

John is giving his girl-friend a bunch of flower.

indirect object direct object

Passive:

The indirect object as the subject

John’s girl-friend is being given a bunch of flower.

Passive:

The direct object as the subject

A bunch of flower is being given to John’s girl-friend.