Ph_Gr

Use

Present/Future

Past

Ability

He can read Arabic.

He could/was able to read Arabic when

She's able to run a marathon.

he was four (repeated action - ability in

the past).

He was able to escape, (single action)

He can win the race. (90% certain)

She could have been killed in the

They could still be at school. (50%

car crash. (Luckily, she wasn't

certain; it's possible they are still at

killed.)

Possibility

school.)

He may have spoken to Jenny

He might want some more food.

It was likely that he had arrived the day

Tom may be studying in his room,

yesterday. (Perhaps he spoke to Jenny.)

(perhaps; 50% certain; it's possible

He might have forgotten. (Perhaps he

that he's studying.)

has forgotten.)

(40% certain; perhaps he wants some

before.

more food.)

He was likely to have arrived the day

It is likely that he will arrive tonight.

before.

He is likely to arrive tonight.

They will be home soon.

He should have received his prize by

Probability

(100% certain; prediction)

now. (He has probably received it by

Greg should win easily. (90%

now.)

certain; future only; he'll win

They ought to have arrived an hour

easily.)

ago, (They have probably arrived.)

They ought to be home by now.

(90% certain; they will probably

be home.)

assumption

She must be working. (90% certain -

She must have been working, (positive,

positive; I'm sure she's working.)

I'm sure she was working.)

She can't be over forty. (negative;

She can't have stolen the money,

I'm sure she isn't over forty.)

(negative; I'm sure she didn't steal the

Logical

He couldn't be at work (negative;

money.)

I don't think he's at work.)

He couldn't have been at work

yesterday. (negative; I don't think he

was at work yesterday.)

You can/can't borrow my car.

He wasn't allowed to/couldn't cross the

(giving or refusing permission;

border.

informal)

He was allowed to enter the country,

Could I use your phone? (more

(not: could)

Permission

polite; asking for permission)

You may use the phone. (formal;

giving permission)

Might I speak to Mr Jones, please?

(more formal; asking permission)

I'm afraid you can't/mustn't see the

patient. (informal; refusing

permission) Children may not be left

unaccompanied. (formal; refusing

permission - written notice)

I must buy a new jacket. (I say so.)

I had to buy a new jacket. (I was

He has to put some petrol in the car.

obliged to.)

(necessity coming from outside the

Since his car was being repaired he had

speaker).

to go to York by train.

I’ve got to go to the bank now.

I had to go to the bank yesterday.

(informal)

My car needed repairing. or

Necessity

My car needs repairing. or

My car needed to be repaired. (it was

My car needs to be repaired. (it's

necessary)

necessary)

She didn't have to go. (it wasn't

They don't have to/don't need

necessary – absence of necessity)

to/needn't come if they don't want

He needn't have worn such heavy

to. (it isn't necessary - absence of

clothes. (It wasn't necessary for him to

necessity)

wear such heavy clothes but he did.)

I ought to get my hair cut. (it's

She didn't need to/didn’t have to buy

necessary)

any apples. (It wasn't necessary for her

to buy any apples and she didn't.)

You should drink more water,

You should have gone to bed earlier

(general advice; I advise you)

last night. (but you didn't)

You ought to respect the elderly. (I

He ought to have seen a doctor earlier.

advise you; most people believe

(but he didn’t)

Advice

this)

You had better finish it. (it's a good

idea; advice on a specific situation)

It would have been better if you had

finished it yesterday. (but you

didn't)

Shall I buy that car? (asking for

advice)

You could at least help me.

You could have at least helped me last

Criticism

night.

They should have tried harder. (but

they didn't)

You ought to have behaved yourself

yesterday. (It was the right thing to do

but you didn't do it.)

I must go on a diet. (I'm obliged to; I

I had to go on a diet a month ago.

Obligation

say so.)

I have to go on a diet. (I'm obliged

to; the doctor says so.)

We ought to help the poor. (It’s the

right thing to do, but people don’t

always do it.)

Can I borrow your book? (informal)

Could I borrow your book? (polite)

Requests

May I have a cup of coffee, please?

(formal)

Might I use your phone? (very

formal) Will you phone Jane

tonight? (very friendly)

Would you mind sending this fax?

(polite)

Offers

Can I/we do anything for you?

(informal)

Shall I/ we do it for you? (informal)

Would you like me to help you?

Suggestions

Shall we dance?

He could have consulted a lawyer.

I/we can go if you like.

We could leave if you want.

Prohibition

You can't smoke there. (you aren't

They couldn't smoke there. (they

allowed to)

weren't allowed)

You mustn't smoke there. (it's

forbidden)

You may not smoke there. (formal)

Everyone must obey the law.

All the villagers had to obey the law.

Duty

People ought to be more tolerant.

He ought to have been more tolerant.

(It's the right thing to do but they do

(It was the right thing to do but he

not always do it)

didn't do it.)

Mood

Example

It expresses

Indicative

The film is much talked

Real action in any tense

about.

and voice

He is

swimming

against

the current.

Imperative

Book tickets in advance.

Order

Fasten your belts, please.

Request

Let’s travel round the

Suggestion

world.

Subjunctive

I wish I were in London.

Unreal action expressing

If

only

he

went

doubt, possibility, advice,

sightseeing.

probability, etc.

The Subjunctive Mood

Principal

Conj.

Subordinate

Examples

Clauses

Clauses

1. It’s urgent that he be

important

there.

2. It’s necessary that she

necessary

do

should come.

advisable

that

smb should do

3. It’s arranged that the

It is

urgent

smth

library supply (should

“it”

requested

supply) the students with

arranged

by

the books.

introduced

odd

have done it.

1. It’s natural that she’d

natural

feel hurt.

strange

should do

2. It’s strange that he’d

Clause

It is

curious

that

smb should have

3. It’s doubtful that they

impossible

done smth

4. It’s impossible that they

Subject

doubtful

could have solved it.

should have survived.

1. It’s possible that she

may do

may know it.

2. It’s possible that she

smb may have

It is possible

that

may have heard it.

done smth

3. It’s was possible that she

might do

might return.

1.

You look as if you’d

been running.

2.

She felt as if she’d lost

smb

looks

did

smth.

feels

3.

It looks as if they were

as if

smb had done

smth

seems

out.

Clause

smth

is (not)

4.

It’s not as if I could help.

5.

It seems as if he knew

the way.

Predicative

The order

1.

Her request was that we

request

should do it in time.

suggestion

do

2.

The rule is that the

demand is

that

smb should do

students should not take

plan

smth

the books away from the

idea

reading hall.

3.

My suggestion is that we

stay here.

1.

He demanded that all be

demands

do

present.

requests

smb should do

2.

She suggests that it’d be

smb

suggests

that

smth

done in time.

insists

smth should be

3.

They insist that we’d

orders

done

come at once.

Clause

fears

smb does (did,

1.

I fear that she’ll miss the

trembles

train.

that

had done)

smb

dreads

2.

I fear lest she’d miss the

lest

smb should do

worries

train.

Object

smth

is afraid

smb wishes

I wish

did

-

I were at home

-

had made a report

smb had done

-

could help you

that

smth

-

you would go away

could do

-

the music would stop

would do

-

she would come

-

you would help me

ve

It is time

1.

It’s time me went home.

high time

2.

It’s time we’d go home.

Attributi Clause

smb did smth

about time

__

should do

Real condition

If smb does

smb will do

If I book a ticket

smth

smth

I’ll go to the cinema

condition

Present

If smb did

smb would do

If I booked a ticket

Unreal

Future

smth

smth

I would go to the cinema.

Past

If smb had

smb would

If I had booked a ticket (then)

done smth

have done

I would have gone to the

smth

cinema (then).

Present

If smb did

smb would

If I were a cinema-goer

Mixed

Past

smth

have done

I would have gone to the

smth

cinema (then).

Past

If smb had

smb would do

If I had booked a ticket (then)

Present

done smth

smth

I would go to the cinema

(now)

Present

If it were not

smb would do

If it weren’t for the rain

ɧɟ

for smb/smth

smth

I would go to the cinema.

Past

If it hadn’t

smb would

If it hadn’t been for the rain

əɤɛɢ

been for

have done

(then)

smb/smth

smth

I would have gone to the

cinema (then).

Present

But for

smb would do

But for the rain (now)

smb/smth

smth

I would go to the cinema.

Past

But for

smb would

But for the rain (then)

smb/smth

have done

I would have gone to the

smth

cinema (then).

əɤɳɨ ɬɪɚɩɢɬɶɫɹ ɬɚɤ, ɳɨ

If smb

smb

If you should book a ticket

should/would

will/would do

do smth

smth

Should you book a ticket

Should smb

do smth

I will/would go to the cinema.

do smth

call me at once.

əɤɛɢ

If smb were to

smb would do

If I were to book a ticket

do smth

smth

I would go to the cinema.

əɤɛɢ ɥɢɲɟ

Present

Oh, if

smb did smth

Oh, if

Oh that

I booked a ticket! (now)

Past

If only

smb had done

Oh, if

smth

I had booked a ticket! (then)

Set Expressions

ɛ ɪɚɞɲɟ

Present

Smb would

do smth

I’d rather

rather

go to the cinema (now).

Past

Smb would

have done

I’d rather

ə ɤɪɚɳɟ/

rather

smth

have gone to the cinema

(then).

Present

Smb would

smb did

I would rather

/

rather

you went to the cinema(now).

Ʉɪɚɳɟ ɛ ȼɢ ȼɚɦ ɤɪɚɳɟ

Past

Smb would

smb had done

I would rather

rather

smth

you had gone to the cinema

(then).

Subordinating

Sentences

conjunctions or

connectives

a) that, whether, if;

It is strange that he has taken it for granted.

b) who, what, which;

That he has taken it for granted is strange.

c) when, where, how,

It is possible that he may be in management.

Clauses

why

That he may be in management is possible.

It is a mystery why they have broken their

It is uncertain when he got into debt.

When he got into debt is uncertain.

Subject

engagement.

mystery.

Why they have broken their engagement is a

It is not known whether she will come into

money

Whether she’ll come into money is not known.

It is his brother who let me down.

Predicative

Clauses

a) that, whether, if, as if;

She looks as if she feels inclined to come to his

b) who, what, which;

The question was what there was on her mind.

rescue.

c) when, where, how,

The idea is that we should give him a trial.

why

This is why I’ve put in a word for you.

a) that, if, whether;

I was surprised that she should have put on

b) who, what, which;

airs.

c) when, where, how,

Time will show whether they’ll let bygones be

Clauses

why

bygones.

He pointed to the fact that they were beating

about the bush.

Object

She asked why he went out of his way to put a

I wish you could take the rough with the

stop to everything.

smooth.

He owed it to his first teacher that he had a

good pronunciation.

Attributive

Clauses

a) who, whose, that,

She had a gift of mimicry which she kept in

which, as;

check.

b) where, when

He came to that stage of life when he was

bound to earn his living.

She gave him such a treat as he had never had

before.