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Culture Documents
2015
1. past ability
can ability Im able to play the piano
could past ability I was able to play the piano
could + bare inf. (the action was performed I could play the piano
when I was five So, I played the piano.
could + perfect inf. the action was not performed He could have
walked there, but he was too lazy he didnt walk there
If I had a camera, I could take a photo I dont have a camera
unreal past something that hasnt happened, but may happen
theoretical possibility
If I had had a camera, I could have taken a photo I didnt have a
camera imaginary pas situation
2. asking permission to be allowed, permitted to
Can
Could more polite
May rather formal
3. request
Can you help me?
Could you help me ? often more polite, less direct than can
You might help me criticism regarding something that is not done
but you dont do this
4. possibility
The plan may go wrong
The plan might go wrong smaller possibility
Unlike may, might expresses smaller possibility
go wrong = a nu fi pe drumul cel bun, a o apuca pe o cale greit
could alternative to might
The plan could go wrong perhaps, maybe the plan goes wrong
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may
might smaller possibility
Maths is fun
couldnt + past inf impossibility
The story cannot be true
The story couldnt be true
The story couldnt have been true nu se poate ca povestea s fi
fost
In the speakers opinion, this thing was not true/ didnt take place
should and ought to
You should revise
You ought to revise ar trebui s
must stronger than should
- should and ought to = the same thing
we use them to say what is the right thing or the best thing to do
- in negatives, questions and short answers, we normally use should
You shouldnt go to York
Who should we invite to that wedding?
Should (but not ought to) can be used in formal notices (anunuri
formale)
On hearing the alarm bell, hotel guests should leave their rooms.
Candidates should be prepared to answer questions
should, ought to expressing advice
You had better/ should/ ought to revise before the exam
had better +inf
youd better
had better = stronger than should or ought to
We had better not waste any time
to waste time = a pierde timpul
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Suggestion
We could meet later
Shall we meet later? suggestion regarding a near event
You must be careful
You must be tired
You must have been tired
- logical certainty, deduction regarding a past situation
must stronger than should
- both have similar meanings an obligation and deduction, but
should is weaker
- must + verb it is essential
You must lose weight. you are dangerously overweight
should + verb it is important, but not essential
You should lose weight, you are slightly overweight
would
No one knew what would happen next
Nimeni nu a tiut ce se va ntmpla
sequence of tenses: A practical English grammar tHomson and
Martinet
He thinks that it will rain
He thought that it would rain
We knew that the bridge was unsafe
Geoffrey Leech, A-Z of English Grammar and Usage
21. 10. 2015
1) must/have to
have to much more common in speech
You must fill in a form (I am telling you)
to fill in = to fill out
You have to fill in a form (thats the rule)
I must go on a diet. I am getting overweight/
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need to
ordinary verb
the colors have to match the colors need to match
the figure doesnt have the figure doesnt need to
figure neednt be exact
to be exact
be exact nu este necesar
the bare infinitive
cifra nu trebuie sa fie exacta
neednt
modal vb
the
neednt +
Conditional clauses
1.
Type 0 conditionals
the pattern if + present+ .+ present
If the doorbell rings, the dog barks
This pattern means that one thing follows automatically after another
We can use when instead of if, when the meaning is each time
If/ When I reverse the car, it makes a funny noise each time
2.
Type 1 Conditional
unreal condition
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If I had lots of money, I would travel (a)round the world unreal past
means : I havent got much money
I only imagined a situation where I have lots of money
We do not normally use would in the if clause
We may sometimes use were instead of was in the if-clause
If I were you we give a piece of advice unreal past
If I were/was a billionaire, I would travel (a)round the world unreal
past
18.11.2015
3. Type 2 conditionals
b) theoretical possibility in the future
If we caught the early train tomorrow, we would be in New YTork by
lunchtime dac am prinde, am ajunge
(we dont express a past situation ; here the past tense refers to a
possible future situation, such as catching the early train tomorrow)
If you were to win the first prize, what would you do with the
money ? imaginary condition, refers to something unlikely to
happen
Dac ar fi s ctigi
Were to + the basic form of the verb an imaginary condition este
puin probabil
Other exceptions
We can use would in the if-clause for willingness (disponibilitate)
If George would tell me he wants Gullivers travels, I would lend it to
him. the speakers implies that George is unwilling to tell something
request with would in the if-clause
If tou wouldnt mind holding the line, Ill try to put you through
Do/Would you mind serving us water without ice ? verb+ing
(a polite way of asking someone to do something)
We dont express a past refusal in this case
4. Type 3 conditionals
the basic pattern : if past perfect + would + past inf.
If you had taken a taxi, you would have got here in time imaginary
past situation you didnt take a taxi I only imagine a situation
where you did
We can mix types 2 and 3
If Tom was ambitious, he would have fopund himself a better job.
Tom is not ambitious unreal past
were rather formal If Tom were ambitious
If you hadnt woken me in the night, I wouldnt feel tired
now/today/at the present time have felt
- negative past situation + present situation
If all the people in the world had vibrated with the pure soul of the
two heroes of Mark Twains novel, there wouldnt be any unsolved
racial problems today.
- sometimes we can mix types 1 and 3 :
If you know London so well, you shouldnt/wouldnt have got lost
present situation shouldnt(more polite and formal)
We might occasionally see a mixture of types 1 and 2
If England win against Germany tonight, it would be a miracle
future situation, near future event
Compare types 1 and 2
1) If we stay in a hotel, it will be expensive
2) If we stayed, it would be - unreal past
Type 1 the action as an open possibility, we may or we may not stay
in a hotel
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Intenionez s
This report may or may not take all night but Im going to finish it
Even if vs. even though
Even if the rumor is untrue, people will still believe it.
(the rumor may or may not be untrue)
The negation not can come before a negative prefix : -un, -in, -dis
Even though the rumour is untrue, people will still believe it
(the rumour is untrue)
Unless = if not
The club will go bankrupt unless it find a new backer soon
(backer=susintor)
We are going to have a picnic unless it trains, of course. If it doesnt
rain
The main clause is negative
You cannot get your money back unless you have got a receipt
to have got=to own, to possess
You can get your money back only if you have got a receipt
emphasis
We do not normally use unless to express an unreal condition or
theoretical possibility, or imaginary pas situation. In this case we use
if not
If you didnt talk so much you would get more work done unreal
past
Dac nu ai vorbi att de mult, ai lucra mai mult
If the horse hadnt fallen, it would have won. imaginary past
situation
(The horse fell down)
Compare if and in case
I will get some money from the cash point if I need some (I will wait
until I need some and then Ill get it)
I will get some money from the cash point in case I need some
(I will get the money now because I need it later)
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There are telephones for drivers to call for help if they break down
(collapse)
You should keep milk in a refriogerator soso that it stays fresh.
a finite clause must contain a verb that shows the tense
a non-finite clause contains a verb which does not show the tense
Students learn to analyse situations so that problems can be solved
passive voice
so that astfel nct, aa inct, n aa fel nct
I always use sunscreen so that I dont get burned/ to avoid getting
burned
To avoid + -ing form
I need a saw to cut this wood
We use a ruler for measuring/ to measure things
Purpose clauses/ expressions answer the question why ?
why + verb
Why + not + verb
There are specifical questions/ patterns without a subject for giving
advice or making a suggestion
Why cause difficulties for yourself ?
De ce i creezi probleme ?
Why not send off now for our brochure ? a comanda prin
coresponden
lest = for fear that ; de team s nu/ pentru ca sa nu/ ca nu cumva
formal + should / must + bare infinitive
I dont want to tell him anything for fear that/ lest I should/might
awake unpleasant memories to him
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