PRIMBON 2 _asrie dewayani_

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 25^th.

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.