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INDEX
Concept Page Number
Introduction -------------------------- 5
SRIDHAR
2
Could -- Lesson 1 ----------------------- 83
Could -- Lesson 2 ----------------------- 86
Could -- Lesson 3 ----------------------- 88
Could -- Lesson 4 ----------------------- 91
Could -- Lesson 5 ----------------------- 93
Could -- Lesson 6 ----------------------- 95
Could -- Lesson 7 ----------------------- 99
Difference between
Maybe and "may be” --------------------- 127
Difference between
"May and Might” -------------------------- 145
SRIDHAR
3
Must -- Lesson 4 -------------------------- 156
Must -- Lesson 5 -------------------------- 158
POLITE QUESTIONS
(Requests, Offers & Permissions) ----- 179
Difference between
"Must & Have to” -------------------------- 200
SRIDHAR
4
Need -- Lesson 4 -------------------------- 231
SRIDHAR
5
Auxiliary Verbs
Introduction:
===========
Dear friends, welcome. Today we are starting a wonderful concept "Auxiliary verbs". Many
students feel this is a difficult concept. But within one month, you are going to become very
good at Auxiliary verbs.
Friends, there is a controversy about the number of semi modal auxiliary verbs. Some grammar
books say “there are 5 semi modal auxiliary verbs”. some grammar books say “there are only 4.
SRIDHAR
6
Some websites say” there are 3”. But we will have no problem. Because I will explain all the
available semi modal auxiliary verbs.
Friends, I prepared an image for you. Please see the attached image.
Different writers give different names for a same item. I mean a single thing has many names
(synonyms). So, students get confusion. Now I will clear that confusion using the attached
picture.
“Auxiliary verbs” has another name. It is “Helping verbs”. Auxiliary verbs are 3 types.
Friends, I want to tell you one thing. Main Auxiliary verbs (Be, Do & Have) are used in Tenses. It
is not possible to teach them without touching Tenses. I have already explained Tenses. If you
want to learn "Be, Do & Have", the best thing to do is to learn Tenses. So, in my lessons of
Auxiliary verbs, I’m not going to explain them.
In these lessons of “Auxiliary verbs”, I'm going to explain Modal Auxiliary verbs and Semi Modal
Auxiliary verbs.
Friends, write these questions in a notebook. Then write their answers too in your notebook.
Please read this lesson again and again. Then you will be able to give answers for these
questions wonderfully.
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SRIDHAR
8
SHOULD
Should -- Lesson 1
===============
"Should" is a Modal Auxiliary verb. "Should" is used very frequently in spoken English. Now you
are going to learn how to use "Should" amazingly.
Dear friends, if you want to learn any modal auxiliary verb, you should learn 2 things.
1) Structure: A structure means a formula. That means you should know how to prepare a
sentence using that modal auxiliary verb.
2) Uses: You should learn when to use a modal auxiliary verb. Usually every modal verb is used
for many usages.
Dear friends, there are 4 important structures for "should". In this lesson, you will learn the first
structure of should and its 2 usages.
Structure 1:
---------------
Let us take a verb "Eat". Its three forms are "eat, ate, eaten". "eat" is the verb (1st form).
Examples:
-- You should go there.
-- He should sit here.
Usages:
=======
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Dear friends, we understood the structure of "should". Now let us see when we use this
structure. We will discuss all the usages of “Should" slowly.
1) Suggestions:
--------------------
Friends, a suggestion means a piece of advice. sometimes, we give suggestions to other people,
when they want. To give suggestions, we use "should". To give pieces of advice, we use
"should". Let us see a few examples.
Examples:
-- You should drink juices.
-- You should take healthy food.
-- You should watch this movie.
-- You should sleep now. You are very sleepy.
-- You should take rest. You are tired.
All these are suggestions. This way, "should" is used to give suggestions.
2) Responsibilities:
------------------------
Friends, all we have some responsibilities. They are called duties. They are also called
obligations. To tell responsibilities, we use "should". Now Let us see a few examples.
Examples:
-- You should come to the office at 9 a.m.
-- You should follow traffic rules.
-- The pupils should keep silent in the class room.
-- Every driver should have a driving license.
All these are responsibilities. This way, "should" is used to tell responsibilities.
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Should -- Lesson 2
===============
Examples:
-- This cooldrink should have some more sugar.
-- The train is going slowly. It should go fast.
-- The rich people should help the poor people.
-- The government should clean all roads.
Sometimes we expect that something will happen. We don't know whether it will really happen
or not. But we expect a future happening. This is called an expectation. An expectation is a
belief that something will happen, because we have some information about it.
Examples:
-- It should take 2 hours to reach the village.
-- Now the train should come. get ready.
-- The sky is cloudy. It should rain now.
-- This shirt should cost less than $ 5.
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SRIDHAR
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Should -- Lesson 3
===============
Examples:
-- If you buy a drink, I will drink.
-- If my mother comes, she will cook food for us.
Now, read carefully. We can tell the same kind of sentences using the structure "If + subject +
should".
Structure:
--------------
"If + subject + should".
-- If you should have an interview, an application form is available at the reception. (Meaning:
If you have an interview, an application form is available at the reception.)
-- If you should want to meet the HR manager, please make an appointment. (Meaning: If you
want to meet the HR manager, please make an appointment.)
Friends, there is an interesting thing. You can put the word "should" in the beginning of the
sentences.
That means, instead of "If you should", we can say "Should you".
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Now see the below examples:
Examples:
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Should -- Lesson 4
===============
In the previous lessons, I told you many examples using "should". All they are Affirmative
sentences. Let us see a few examples of Affirmative sentences again.
1) Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- You should wake up at 6 am.
-- You should go to school daily.
-- She should eat well.
-- Stuart should buy books.
2) Negative sentences:
--------------------------------
Take the above Affirmative sentences, keep a word "not" between "should" and "the main
verb". Let’s see a few examples.
Examples:
-- You should not wake up at 6 am.
-- You should not go to school daily.
-- She should not eat well.
-- Stuart should not buy books.
3) Interrogative sentences:
------------------------------------
And the next one is “Interrogative sentences". Take the affirmative sentences. Start the
sentences with "should". Keep the word "should" in the beginning of the sentences. Put a
question mark at the end of the sentences. Let us see a few examples.
Examples:
-- Should you wake up at 6 am?
-- Should you go to school daily?
-- Should you eat well?
-- Should Stuart buy books?
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16
4) Negative Interrogative sentences:
------------------------------------------------
Now let us see "Negative interrogative sentences".
Take the above "Interrogative sentences". Keep the word "not" between the subject and the
main verb.
Examples:
-- Should you not wake up at 6 am?
-- Should you not go to school daily?
-- Should you not eat well?
-- Should Stuart not buy books?
Friends, we can write negative interrogative sentences in another way. Start the sentence with
"Shouldn't".
Examples:
-- Shouldn't you wake up at 6 am?
-- Shouldn't you go to school daily?
-- Shouldn't you eat well?
-- Shouldn't Stuart buy books?
SRIDHAR
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SRIDHAR
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Should -- Lesson 5
===============
Now let us see the second structure of "should" and its usages.
Structure 2:
---------------
Subject + Should be + adjective.
what is an adjective?
examples:
In the previous lessons, I explained the first structure of "should". It is: Subject + Should + Verb
(present form)
Dear friends,
The selection of words of the second structure is different from that of the first structure. The
formula is different from the first structure and second structure.
But the usages are same for the both structures. The first structure is used to tell "suggestions,
responsibilities, best things to do, probabilities and expectations". And the second structure is
also used for the same usages.
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Uses:
-------
1) Suggestions:
--------------------
Friends, the structure "should be" is used to tell suggestions. You know what suggestions are. A
suggestion means a piece of advice.
1) Never say "advices". The noun "Advice" is an uncountable noun. It has no plural form. If you
want to make it plural, you should say "Pieces of advice".
Examples:
He gave me four advices. ----- wrong
He gave me four pieces of advice. ---- Correct.
2) "Advice" is a noun. "Advise" is a verb. See the difference between the spellings.
Examples:
My mother advised me to drink milk.
I advised him to stay at home.
Now take a pen and a notebook. Below I gave some adjectives. Choose any 10 adjectives. Write
ten examples using the second structure of "should".
.
attractive, clean, wonderful, thankful, kind, nice, obedient, proud, nervous, lazy, jealous,
helpful, angry, big, short, small, worried.
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Should -- Lesson 6
===============
2) Responsibilities:
--------------------------
Friends, we use this structure to tell responsibilities. A responsibility means an obligation. It is
also called a duty. Responsibility, obligation, duty.... all these are synonyms to one another.
Examples:
-- You should be punctual at your school.
-- You should be creative.
-- You should be cooperative with other employees.
-- You should be able to finish the work within one hour.
This way, to tell the best things or right things, we use this structure of "should".
Examples:
-- The air should be pure.
-- The pizza should be delicious.
-- There should be more lighting in the room.
-- Our house should be clean.
Sometimes we expect something about a present matter or a future matter. For these
expectations, we use this structure.
Let us see some more examples now.
SRIDHAR
22
Examples:
-- She should be here now.
-- This mobile should be more expensive.
-- He should be thirsty.
-- This movie should be interesting.
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Should -- Lesson 7
===============
Friends, you learned the structure "Subject + should be + adjective". This structure is used to
tell suggestions, responsibilities, the best things to do, probabilities and expectations. Now let
us see four kinds of sentences using this structure.
1) Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- You should be intelligent.
-- They should be sincere.
-- She should be silent.
-- The roads should be clean.
2) Negative sentences:
------------------------------
Take the above examples. Keep the word "not" between "should" and "be". Negative
sentences are ready for us.
Examples:
-- You should not be intelligent.
-- They should not be sincere.
-- She should not be silent.
-- The roads should not be clean.
3) Interrogative sentences:
------------------------------------
Take the affirmative sentences. Start the sentences with "should". Put a question mark at the
end of the sentences.
Examples:
-- Should you be intelligent?
-- Should they be sincere?
-- Should he be silent?
-- Should the roads be clean?
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4) Negative Interrogative sentences:
------------------------------------------------
Take the interrogative sentences. Keep the word "not" before "be".
Examples:
-- Should you not be intelligent?
-- Should they not be sincere?
-- Should he not be silent?
-- Should the roads not be clean?
Dear friends, we can write negative interrogative sentences in another way. Start the sentences
with "shouldn't".
Examples:
-- Shouldn't you be intelligent?
-- Shouldn't they be sincere?
-- Shouldn't he be silent?
-- Shouldn't the roads be clean?
SRIDHAR
25
Should -- Lesson 8
===============
Structure 3:
----------------
Subject + should be + verb (ing form)
Examples:
-- He should be eating now.
-- They should be dancing.
Usages:
-----------
Friends, we use this structure for 2 usages. Let us see them
one by one.
1) Present Expectations:
--------------------------------
Friends, we use this structure to tell our present expectation about a presently happening
action.
Examples:
-- David should be studying now. (Meaning: Daily this time, David studies. So, I expect David is
studying now)
-- Rosy should be playing Tennis. (Tomorrow Rosy is going to participate in a tournament. So, I
expect Rosy is playing Tennis now.)
Dear friends, the structure is also used to tell present failed expectations and present failed
responsibilities.
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Let us imagine a situation.
Dear friends, this way, when a person is not doing his responsibility in the present time, we use
"subject + should be + verb (ing form)” to tell his present failed responsibility.
When a person is not doing some work according to an expectation, we use "subject + should
be + verb (ing form)” to tell the present failed expectation.
Examples:
-- Saleem should be going to the Airport. (Meaning: Saleem should be in the middle of going to
the airport. But he is not going now.)
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SRIDHAR
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Should -- Lesson 9
===============
Friends, now you are going to learn a mind-blowing structure of "Should' and its usage.
Structure 4:
---------------
"Subject + should have + verb (3rd form)"
Usage:
---------
Dear friends, In the past, for a person, there was a useful thing
to do. There was a right thing to do. There was some profitable work to do. But the person did
not do that work. Because of his mistake or because of his negligence, the person did not do
that useful thing or that profitable work. Now he is unhappy for that past matter.
In this present situation, that person or we use this structure to express unhappiness. Let us see
a few examples.
Examples:
-- I should have brought my umbrella. (Meaning: I did not bring my umbrella. It rained. I
became wet. Now I'm unhappy for not bringing umbrella.)
-- I should have studied hard. (Meaning: I did not study well. So, I failed the exam. Now I'm
unhappy for not studying hard.)
-- You are very late for work. You should have come at 9 am.
(Meaning: Coming at 9 a.m. was the right thing to do. But you did not do it. So, I'm unhappy for
your negligence.)
-- He should have told me the truth. (Telling truth to me was the right thing. But he did not tell
me the truth. Now I'm unhappy.)
Dear friends, now let us see negative sentences of this structure. We use "not" in these
sentences.
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Examples:
-- You should not have shouted at him. (Meaning: You shouted at him. It was not a right thing.
Now I'm unhappy.)
-- You should not have drunk alcohol at the party. (Meaning: You drank alcohol at the party. It
was not a right thing. Now I'm unhappy.)
1) In this structure, we use "Verb 3". That means we use 3rd form of the verb. It is also called
"Past participle".
2) We don’t use "has or had" in this structure. We must always use "have".
3) This structure is used to talk about a past action which was not satisfactory. For example, we
are not satisfied with a past action. To express / tell our unhappiness in the present time, we
use this structure.
SRIDHAR
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WOULD
Would -- Lesson 1
===============
Friends "would" is the past form of "will". But we use "would" for many present and future
usages. Let us see them slowly.
1. Polite offers:
-------------------
Dear friends, if we want to offer something to a person politely, we use "Would".
What is an offer?
An offer is telling a person that you are interested to do something for him.
Or an offer is telling a person that you are interested to give something to him.
These are normal ways of making offers. But If we want to make an offer more politely, we
should use "would".
Structure 1:
---------------
Now let us see a few examples. The following examples are polite offers.
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Examples:
-- Would you take a soft drink?
-- Would you drink tea?
-- Would you play with us?
-- Would you come to the party with me?
Structure 2:
---------------
"Would you like to + Verb (1st form)"
Now let us see a few examples. The following examples are also polite offers.
Examples:
-- Would you like to take a soft drink?
-- Would you like to drink tea?
-- Would you like to play with us?
-- Would you like to come to the party with me?
Dear friends, whenever you are with an important person and If you want to give him
something (offer), use the above said two usages of "would". Then he will think you are very
polite.
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Would -- Lesson 2
===============
Friends, now you are going to learn some beautiful usages of "would".
2. Polite requests:
------------------------
Dear friends, if we want something from a person, we ask them politely. We request them.
There are many ways to make a request. See the following two usual ways of requesting.
Example:
-- Will you give me your pen?
-- Would you give me your pen?
Friends, "would" is more polite than "will". Would" is used to make polite requests.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Would you + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- Would you give me a soft drink?
-- Would you talk to me?
-- Would you close the windows?
-- Would you give me your mobile for a few minutes?
If you want to be more polite, you can add "please" in the above examples. Let us see the new
examples.
Examples:
-- Would you please give me a soft drink?
-- Would you please talk to me?
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-- Would you please close the windows?
-- Would you please give me your mobile for a few minutes?
Structure 2:
---------------
"Would you mind + Verb (ing form)"
Examples:
-- Would you mind giving me a soft drink?
-- Would you mind talking to me?
-- Would you mind closing the windows?
-- Would you mind giving me your mobile for a few minutes?
Friends, here I must tell you one thing. When a person requests you "would you mind ....", you
should be careful in giving him a reply. see the below discussion.
Remember: A person requested you something using the structure "would you mind ....". If you
want to accept his/her request, you should say “Not at all / No".
Dear friends, now you have learned two ways of making polite requests. From today onwards,
whenever you want to request a person, please use the above two structures.
Friends, yesterday I told you "WOULD is used to make polite offers". Today I told you "WOULD
is used to make polite requests".
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Offer:
--------
If you want to give something to a person, you make an offer.
example:
-- Would you drink some coffee?
Request:
------------
If you want to get/ receive/ take something from a person, you make a request.
Example:
-- Would you give me some coffee?
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Would -- Lesson 3
===============
Welcome friends. Now you are going to learn an interesting usage of "would".
"would like" is always a polite way of telling your "present wants". In the present time, if you
want to express your "want" to someone, the best way is using "would like".
This way, we use "would" to tell our present wants in a polite way.
Structure 1:
----------------
Subject + would like + noun.
Examples:
-- I would like this pen.
-- I would like tea.
-- I would like some juice.
-- I would like your presence.
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Friends, I have a question for you. See the below two sentences.
1) I like tea.
2) I would like tea.
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Would -- Lesson 4
===============
Welcome friends. Now you are going to learn an amazing usage of "would".
Friends, whenever we want to do something, usually we say "I want to do something". Let us
see a few examples.
Examples:
-- I want to drink coffee.
-- I want to swim now.
-- I want to play tennis.
-- I want to talk to our mother.
Like this, we tell what we want to do. But the polite way is using "would".
There are two structures of "would" to tell politely what we want to do. Let us see them one by
one.
structure 1:
----------------
"I would + Verb (1st form)"
Examples:
-- I would drink coffee.
-- I would swim now.
-- I would play tennis.
-- I would talk to our mother.
Now let us see another structure of "would" to tell our wants politely.
Structure 2:
----------------
"I would like to + verb (1st form)"
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Let us see a few examples.
Examples:
-- I would like to drink coffee.
-- I would like to swim now.
-- I would like to play tennis.
-- I would like to talk to our mother.
The above two structures are used to tell politely what we want to do.
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Would -- Lesson 5
===============
Welcome friends. Now you are going to learn an important usage of "would".
4. Permissions:
--------------------
Friends, there are many ways to ask permissions. Now let us see how to ask permissions, using
"Do".
Structure:
--------------
Do you mind If + subject + Verb (1st form)?
Examples:
-- Do you mind if I open the windows?
-- Do you mind if I use your mobile phone?
-- Do you mind if I come inside?
-- Do you mind If I take your book?
Now let us see how to ask permissions in a more polite way. To ask permissions in a more polite
way, we use "Would".
Structure:
-------------
Would you mind If + subject + Verb (2nd form)?
Examples:
-- Would you mind if I opened the windows?
-- Would you mind if I used your mobile phone?
-- Would you mind if I came inside?
-- Would you mind If I took your book?
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Remember, friends. If you ask permission using this structure, you must use “Verb (2nd form).
When a person asks you, a permission using the above 2 structures, if you want to permit him,
then say to him "Not at all", Or you can say "No. I don’t mind".
2) If you use "Do" to ask permissions, you should use "verb (1st form)".
3) If you use "Would" to ask permissions, you should use "verb (2nd form)".
4) If a person asks you any favour from you, by using the above two structures, and if you want
to allow/ accept / permit him, you should say "Not at all". Or you can say "No. I don’t mind".
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Would -- Lesson 6
===============
My dear friends, welcome. Now you are going to learn a beautiful usage of "would".
5. Past Habits:
-------------------
Dear friends, in the past, we had some habits. They are called Past habits. Or we can say "past
habitual actions". There are many ways to tell our past habits. "Used to" is one way to tell our
past habits. Let us see its structure.
Structure:
--------------
Subject + used to + verb (1st form)
Examples:
-- She used to go to library daily. (In the past, she went to library daily. It was her past habit.)
-- I used to play tennis. (In the past, I played tennis regularly. It was my past habit.)
Dear friends, there is another way. Using "would" also, we can tell our past habits. "would" is
used to tell past habits. Let us see the structure.
Structure:
-------------
Subject + would + verb (1st form)
Examples:
-- She would go to library daily. (In the past, she went to library daily. It was her past habit.)
-- I would play tennis. (In the past, I played tennis regularly. It was my past habit.)
Friends, In the previous lesson, I told you "would is used to tell present wants". To tell present
wants we can use "would".
Example:
-- I would play Tennis. (I want to play Tennis now.)
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In this lesson, I told you "Would is used to tell past habits".
Example:
I would play tennis. (In the past, I played tennis regularly. It was my habit.)
The same structure of "would" is used to tell "our present wants and our past habits".
Now there is some confusion. If I simply say "I would play tennis” what does it mean?
So, if we want to tell our past habits using "would", It is a good idea to use a past expression or
a past time. Now see the below examples. People can easily understand they are past habits.
Examples:
-- I would play tennis in my childhood.
-- I would go to library in 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends, now you should be more careful. Read carefully.
Some verbs should not be used with "would" to tell past habits. These verbs are called "state
verbs or stative verbs". I gave the lists of those state verbs. See the following.
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If you want to tell your past habits with these state verbs, don’t use "would". You must use
"used to".
Dear friends, you should read, study, memorize and remember the above lists of state verbs. It
is useful in many situations. Even in continuous tenses, you should not use these state verbs.
If you want to use them, you should use other tenses. The following sentences are correct.
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Would -- Lesson 7
===============
To tell our preference/ choice/ selection, we use "would". In short, "would" is used to tell our
present or future preferences.
There are two beautiful structures, to tell our preferences. Let us see them now.
Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + would rather + Verb (1st form) than Verb (1st form)
Examples:
-- I would rather walk than take a bus. (Meaning: My first preference is walking. I'm not
interested in taking a bus.)
-- I would rather sit in the garden than watch TV. (Meaning: My first preference is sitting in the
garden. I'm not interested in watching TV.)
Dear friends, David said a full sentence. But Saleem did not say "than eat at a restaurant". But
both are correct. Both give the same meaning.
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Negative sentences:
-- I would rather not walk.
-- I would rather not watch a movie.
Structure 2:
----------------
I would prefer to + Verb (1st form) rather than Verb (1st form)
Examples:
-- I would prefer to walk rather than take a bus. (Meaning: My first preference is walking. I’m
not interested in taking a bus.)
Both David and Saleem said the same thing. Both have the same preference. Both sentences
have the same meaning.
Negative sentences:
---------------------------
-- I would prefer not to walk.
-- I would prefer not to watch a movie.
I'd = I would
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"I'd” is pronounced as "eyed". In all usages of would, if you use "I would”, you can say "I'd".
Examples:
-- I'd prefer to walk.
-- I'd prefer to sit in the garden.
Dear friends, the above two structures are used to tell our present or future preferences. Both
structures give the same meaning. Those structures look similar, but they are different. So, you
may get confusion. So, I suggest you one thing. Don’t practise these two structures now.
Practise structure 1 now. After 6 hours, practise structure 2.
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Would -- Lesson 8
===============
My dear friends, welcome.
Examples:
-- I will drink a soft drink
-- He will dance.
Yesterday I met my friend. My friend said "I will go to Mumbai." My friend said a future action
using "simple future tense".
If I tell his message, by using his exact words, that is called "Direct speech". In this direct
speech, we don’t change his words.
Example:
In the direct speech, I used his exact words and I used inverted commas. But now I want to tell
his message using my own words. If I tell his message using my own words, it is called
"Reported speech".
In Reported speech, I change his words. I tell his message in my own words.
Example:
Reported speech: My friend said that he would go to Mumbai.
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This way, "would" is used in reported speech of "simple future tense".
There are 4 tenses for future. They are "Simple future tense, future continuous tense, future
perfect tense and future perfect continuous tense".
In all these tenses, we use "will". When we convert them into Reported speech, we use “would"
instead of "will".
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Would -- Lesson 9
===============
Friends, now you are going to learn a very important usage of "would". Welcome.
Dear friends, there are 4 conditionals in English grammar. We use "If" in these 4 conditionals. In
2nd and 3rd conditionals, we use "would".
In this lesson, you are going to understand the "2nd conditional" completely and easily.
Friends, I'm a normal citizen of India. I don’t have any relation with political parties. I'm not
ruling any state or any province or any country. I'm not the president of any country. I'm not a
scientist. I'm not an astronaut. I'm not a doctor. These are truths. These are facts.
I’m just imagining. I’m imagining unreal situations. The above three thoughts are not true.
These are my imaginary situations. This kind of an imaginary situation or an unreal situation is
called a "hypothetical situation". Most importantly, these are almost impossible situations.
2nd conditional is used to tell present hypothetical situations (Imaginary situations about the
present) and Future hypothetical situations (Imaginary situations about the future).
Structure:
--------------
If + simple past tense, subject + would + verb (1st form)
Examples:
-- If I were the president of India, I would rule India now.
-- If I were a billionaire, I would travel on a plane now.
-- If I were a doctor, I would have my own hospital now.
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Future hypothetical situations:
----------------------------------------
Examples:
-- If he won a lottery, he would buy a luxurious car tomorrow.
-- If she became the manager of a company, she would go to many countries next year.
-- If I became a doctor, I would appoint 100 nurses next month.
Remember:
1) In the above examples (present & future hypothetical situations), the "If clause" is in "simple
past tense".
2) But those sentences are not telling past actions. They are telling present and future
imaginary situations. They are almost impossible situations.
3) Beside "would", we use verb (1st form).
4) In the above examples, I used "If I were". It is correct. In 2nd conditional, for any subject,
we must use "were” instead of "was" Don't use "If I was".
Dear friends, this is "second conditional". In this "second conditional", we use “would".
Dear friends, you may feel difficult to remember the structure. Don’t try to study the structure
many times. Write many examples. If you write more and more examples, you will become
good at the structure automatically.
Keep writing examples. Let us see 3rd conditional tomorrow, in the next lesson
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Would -- Lesson 10
================..
My dear friends, welcome. There are 4 conditionals in English grammar. We use "If" in these 4
conditionals. In 2nd and 3rd conditionals, we use "would".
Yesterday you learned 2nd conditional. Now you are going to learn "3rd conditional".
3rd conditional:
=============
Dear friends, "3rd conditional" is completely related to the past.
I have a friend "Saleem". Last year he was studying his Engineering. He was very lazy. He was
not good at his studies. He did not study well. So, he failed his exam. These are truths. These
are facts.
Now I have a thought. My thought is "If he had studied well, he would have passed his exam".
This is my thought. This is just my imagination about the past. With my imagination, I’m telling
an unreal situation. I’m telling a hypothetical situation about the past.
Structure:
-------------
If + past perfect tense, subject + would have + verb (3rd form).
Examples:
-- If I had seen your father, I would have talked to him. (This is my imagination. The fact is: I did
not see your father. So, I did not talk to him.)
-- If it had rained yesterday, I would have bought an umbrella. (This is my imagination. The fact
is: It did not rain yesterday. So, I did not buy an umbrella.)
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Robert and Rosy are friends. They met at a restaurant.
Robert: Last night, I celebrated my birthday party. Why did not you come?
Rosy: You did not invite me. So, I did not come. If you had invited me, I would have come.
Robert: I don’t have your mobile number. You did not give me your number. If you had given
me your mobile number, I would have called you and invited you.
.
.
Dear friends, this way, we use 3rd conditional. This way, we use “would" in 3rd conditional.
2) In the "If clause", we use "Past perfect tense” (had + verb (3rd form)).
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CAN
Can -- Lesson 1
============
Dear friends, "can" is a modal verb. It has many usages. Let us see them one by one.
General Possibilities:
----------------------------
"Can" is used to tell general possibilities. That means, when an action is generally possible in
the world, to tell that matter, we use "can". There are two structures to tell a general
possibility.
Structure 1:
---------------
Examples:
-- Smoking can cause cancer. (Generally smoking causes cancer.)
-- Fruits can improve our health. (Generally fruits improve our health.)
-- The temperature can reach 40°C in July. (Generally the temperature reaches 40°C in July.)
-- Hard work can give success. (Generally hard work gives success.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + can be + adjective".
Examples:
-- Dogs can be friendly to humans. (Generally dogs are friendly to humans.)
-- It can be hot in summer. (Generally it is hot in summer.)
-- It can be very cold in winter. (Generally it is very cold in winter.)
-- It can be dangerous to walk at midnight. (Generally it is dangerous to walk at midnight.)
Friends, remember two things carefully.
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1) We don’t use "can" to talk specifically/exactly about a present possibility or a past possibility
or a future possibility.
Examples:
-- It can rain now. ---- wrong (It is wrong, because we talked specifically about now [a present
time].)
-- It can be cloudy tomorrow. -- wrong. (It is wrong, because we talked specifically about
tomorrow [a future time].)
2) We use "can" to talk about "General possibilities". Normally some actions are mostly true.
Usually some activities happen in all times (past, present and future). There is more possibility
for these actions. These are called "General possibilities".
Examples:
-- It can rain in rainy season. -- Right (It is right, because we talked about a general thing.)
-- It can be cloudy in rainy season. -- Right (It is right, because we talked about a general thing.)
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Can -- Lesson 2
=============
A general ability is a habitual ability. An ability which is also a habit. You did a thing many times
in the past. Even in future, you will do it, if it is necessary. It is a general habit.
-- John can speak French. (Meaning: In the past, many times, John spoke French. Even in the
future, he will speak French. It is his mother tongue. Speaking French is his habit. So, speaking
French is his general ability.)
-- She can cook very well. (Meaning: In the past, she cooked many times. Even in the future, she
will cook. Cooking food is her habit. So, cooking is her general ability.)
Once I went to Mumbai. Local trains are very popular in Mumbai. At the railways station, my
friend and I were waiting a train. My friend said "Here every train stops only for 10 seconds.
Two hundred people enter a compartment within 10 seconds. Then the train leaves
immediately. can you catch this train?
In the past, I did not travel by trains. maybe in future I will not travel by trains. But now I believe
I have an ability to catch this train. When I said "I can catch this train”, I talked about only one
specific situation. I talked about one specific train. This is a specific ability.
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-- I can repair my mobile phone now. (Meaning: In the past, I did not repair any mobile.
Repairing mobile phones is not my habit. But now I believe I have an ability to repair my mobile
phone. I’m talking about one specific situation. I’m talking about one specific phone (my
phone). So "repairing my mobile now" is my specific ability.)
-- I can find the post office in this city now. (Meaning: In the past, I did find post offices in this
city. It is not my habit to my post offices. Now I need a post office. I believe I have an ability to
find the post office. I’m talking about one specific situation. I’m talking about one specific
office. So "finding the post office now" is my specific ability.)
we use "can" for future specific abilities. And the structure will not change.
Examples:
Dear friends, this way, we use "can" to tell general abilities and specific abilities. And we use
"can" for the present and for the future.
Affirmative sentences:
-----------------------------
Examples:
-- She can sing songs.
-- I can win this game.
Negative sentences:
---------------------------
Examples:
-- She cannot sing songs.
-- I cannot win this game.
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Positive questions:
-------------------------
Examples:
-- Can she sing songs?
-- Can I win this game?
Negative questions:
--------------------------
Examples:
-- Can't she sing songs?
-- Can't I win this game?
Examples:
-- Can she not sing songs?
-- Can I not win this game?
Dear friends, usually in grammar books, writers write "Can is used to tell abilities". They don’t
use the words "general abilities and specific abilities". But I explained a lot about these two
terms. why? In my next lesson, you will know the answer.
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Can -- Lesson 3
============
Dear friends, "can" is a modal verb. It is used to tell all kinds of abilities in the present and in
the future.
Examples:
-- I can swim.
-- You can win.
There is another wonderful option to tell all kinds of abilities in the present and in the future. It
is "Be able to". It is very similar to "can". Let us see that now.
Dear friends "be able to" is not a modal verb. It is a phrase. A phrase is a group of words in a
sentence.
"Be able to" is a great competitor to "can". "Can" has limited features. But "be able to " has
many features.
When we use "can" for a present or a future ability, the structure does not change.
Examples:
-- I can go now. (present ability)
-- I can go tomorrow. (future ability)
But If we want to use "be able to", the structure changes depending upon the time.
Examples:
-- I am able to win now. (Present ability. Here I used "am able to".)
-- I will be able to win tomorrow. (Future ability. Here I used "will be able to".)
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"Be able to" for present abilities:
------------------------------------------
1) Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- I am able to go now. (Meaning: I can go now)
-- She is able to go now. (Meaning: She can go now)
-- They are able to go now. (Meaning: They can go now)
2) Negative sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I am not able to go now. (Meaning: I cannot go now)
-- She is not able to go now. (Meaning: She cannot go now)
-- They are not able to go now. (Meaning: They cannot go now)
3) Positive questions:
-----------------------------
Examples:
-- Am I able to go now? (Meaning: can I go now?)
-- Is she able to go now? (Meaning: Can she go now?)
-- Are they able to go now? (Meaning: Can they go now?)
4) Negative questions:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- Amn't I able to go now? (Meaning: Can't I go now?)
-- Isn't she able to go now? (Meaning: Can't she go now?)
-- Aren't they able to go now? (Meaning: Can't they go now?)
Examples:
-- Am I not able to go now?
-- Is she not able to go now?
-- Are they not able to go now?
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Dear friends, "be able to" is not a modal verb. Then why am I explaining it? Please wait. After
two lessons, you will understand the secret behind it.
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Can -- Lesson 4
=============
Using "Be able to", we can tell all kinds of abilities (General abilities & specific abilities) of the
future.
1) Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- He will be able to go tomorrow. (Meaning: He can go tomorrow)
-- She will be able to go tomorrow. (Meaning: She can go tomorrow.)
-- They will be able to go tomorrow. (Meaning: They can go tomorrow.)
2) Negative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- He will not be able to go tomorrow. (Meaning: He cannot go tomorrow)
-- She will not be able to go tomorrow. (Meaning: She cannot go tomorrow.)
-- They will not be able to go tomorrow. (Meaning: They cannot go tomorrow.)
3) Positive questions:
----------------------------
Examples:
-- Will he be able to go tomorrow? (Meaning: Can he go tomorrow?)
-- Will she be able to go tomorrow? (Meaning: Can she go tomorrow?)
-- Will they be able to go tomorrow? (Meaning: Can they go tomorrow?)
4) Negative questions:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- Won't he be able to go tomorrow? (Meaning: Can't he go tomorrow?)
-- Won't she be able to go tomorrow? (Meaning: Can't she go tomorrow?)
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-- Won't they be able to go tomorrow? (Meaning: Can't they go tomorrow?)
Dear friends, I want to tell you one thing. Instead of "not able to", we can use "unable to".
Examples:
I am not able to work. = I am unable to work.
She is not able to sing. = She is unable to sing.
You should remember a very important thing. You should never use “Can & be able to" in a
single sentence side by side.
In the next lesson, we are going to see surprising differences between "Can, Be able to and
Could".
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Can -- Lesson 5
=============
General ability:
--------------------
Generally/Usually you had a skill in the past. It was your long-term ability in the past. It is called
a General ability.
Examples:
singing, dancing, cooking, speaking French, playing a game etc.
"Could" is the past form of "can". "Could" is a modal verb. To tell general abilities in the past,
we can use "Be able to & could". Both are acceptable.
1.Affirmative sentences:
--------------------------------
Examples:
-- I was able to sing songs, in my childhood. (Meaning: I could sing songs, in my childhood.)
-- she was able to play tennis, during her college days. (Meaning: She could play tennis, during
her college days.)
2. Negative sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I was not able to sing songs, in my childhood. (Meaning: I could not sing songs, in my
childhood.)
-- she was not able to play tennis, during her college days. (Meaning: She could not play tennis,
during her college days.)
3. Positive questions:
----------------------------
Examples:
-- Was I able to sing songs, in my childhood? (Meaning: Could I sing songs, in my childhood?)
-- Was she able to play tennis during her college days? (Meaning: Could she play tennis, during
her college days?)
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4. Negative questions:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- Wasn't I able to sing songs, in my childhood? (Meaning: Couldn't I sing songs, in my
childhood?)
-- Wasn't she able to play tennis during her college days? (Meaning: Couldn't she play tennis,
during her college days?)
Examples:
-- Was I not able to sing songs, in my childhood. (Meaning: Could I not sing songs, in my
childhood?)
-- Was she not able to play tennis, during her college days. (Meaning: Couldn't she play tennis,
during her college days?)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Specific ability:
--------------------
In the past, you did not have a habit/skill of doing an action. But unexpectedly you had to do
that action. You needed to do that action. You did that specific action. This is your specific
ability.
Or in the past, you showed your ability at a particular situation or a specific event. It was your
specific ability.
Examples: catching a running bus, catching a thief, winning an interview, repairing a specific
mobile, finding the address of a specific office etc.
For specific abilities in the past, we should never use "Could". The following examples are
wrong.
examples:
-- I could catch my bus yesterday. (wrong)
-- I could surprise my mother this morning. (wrong)
-- I had headache, but I could attend the office. (Wrong)
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The above sentences are wrong. Because they are telling particular situations or specific events
in the past. We used "could", to tell specific abilities of those specific situations/events. So, they
are wrong.
To tell a specific ability (an ability at a particular situation or a specific event) in the past, we
should always use "Be able to".
The following examples are correct.
Examples:
Dear friends, now I will give a summary of "how to express abilities using CAN, COULD & ABLE
TO".
If you read and understand my last 2 lessons, then you can understand this summary very well.
Summary:
-------------
1) To tell general abilities of the present, we can use "CAN & BE ABLE TO".
2) To tell specific abilities of the present, we can use "CAN & BE ABLE TO".
3) To tell general abilities of the future, we can use "CAN & BE ABLE TO".
4) To tell specific abilities of the future, we can use "CAN & BE ABLE TO".
(now be careful)
5) To tell general abilities of the past, we can use "COULD & BE ABLE TO".
6) To tell specific abilities of the past, we can use only "BE ABLE TO". We should not use
"COULD".
7) Another surprising thing. When we tell negative sentences of "specific abilities of the past,
we can use both "BE ABLE TO & could”.
Examples:
-- I could not catch my bus yesterday. (Right)
-- I could not surprise my mother this morning. (Right)
-- I had headache, So I could not attend the office. (Right)
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Can -- Lesson 6
=============
In the last 2 lessons, we saw some similarities between "CAN & BE ABLE TO".
Now let us see the differences between "CAN & BE ABLE TO".
Friends, I think I'm boring you by explaining the phrase "be able to". Please have some
patience. This is the last lesson of "be able to".
In the past, we had landline phones. A landline phone was used only to make calls and receive
calls. It had no other use. But today we have smart phones. A smart phone is used to make calls
and receive calls. We can send messages, use a calculator, use a torchlight, browse websites,
connect with people on social networks, play games, watch videos, listen to songs etc. A smart
phone is a "multipurpose tool".
Usages of "Can" are limited. But "Be able to" is a "multipurpose tool".
Dear friends, using "Can" we can tell present abilities, future abilities and past abilities (Using
Could). "Be able to" is also useful to tell these things.
But "Be able to" is useful for many more purposes. It has more usages. Now let us see them.
Present perfect tense has 3 usages. Let us see one usage. An action started in the past. It is still
continuing in the present time. To tell this action, we use present perfect tense".
Examples:
-- I have been hungry for 2 days.
-- She has been angry for 1 hour.
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In the above examples, "been" is the 3rd form of "be".
Examples:
I have been able to do this work for two years.
She has been able to study well since 2015.
I have been able to visit them for six months.
This way, we can use "be able to" in present perfect tense, past perfect tense & future perfect
tense. But we should not use "Can" in these tenses. "Can" is a big failure in these cases.
Examples:
-- You should be able to do this work. (Meaning = You should have an ability to do this work.)
-- You must be able to do this work. (Meaning = You must have an ability to do this work.)
-- You may be able to do this work. (Meaning = You may have an ability to do this work.)
-- I like being able to have a conversation with you. (Meaning: I like to have an ability to have a
conversation with you.)
-- I would like to be able to work with you. (Meaning: I want to have an ability to work with
you.)
-- It's so wonderful being able to see the sea from my window. (Meaning: It is very wonderful to
have an ability to see the see from my window.)
-- These students are going to be able to get jobs. (Meaning: These students are going to have
an ability to get jobs.)
-- Being able to understand English is very important. (Meaning: Having an ability to understand
English is very important.)
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-- You have to work hard to be able to get success. (Meaning: You have to work hard to have an
ability to get success.)
-- Now he is worried about being able to buy a house. (Meaning: Now he is worried about
having an ability to buy a house.)
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Can -- Lesson 7
=============
Permissions:
-----------------
Structure:
-------------
"Can + subject + Verb (1st form)? "
Examples:
-- Can I come in, sir?
-- Can I sit here?
-- Can we go home now?
-- Can we play here?
Structure:
-------------
"Subject + can + Verb (1st form)"
Examples:
-- You can come in.
-- You can sit here.
-- You can go home now.
-- You can play here.
Dear friends, Rosy is an assistant in an office. Let us see a discussion between she and her
manager.
Rosy: Excuse me, sir. I need to copy some files. Can I use your laptop for a few minutes? (Asking
permission)
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Manager: Yes. You can use my laptop. (Giving permission)
Rosy: Thank you, sir. I need to call a client. Can I use your mobile? (Asking permission)
Rosy: Thank you, sir. I need to go to the construction site. can I use your car? (Asking
permission)
Rosy: Thank you, sir. I need to buy a new dress. Can I use your ATM card? (Asking permission)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends, you should know and understand two words and their meanings.
Informal (adjective) = relaxed and friendly; not following strict rules of how to behave or do
something
Formal (adjective) = very correct and suitable for official or important occasions
"Can" is used to ask permissions. It is correct. But "Can" is not formal to ask permissions. "Can"
is informal. With your friends, family members or relatives, it is OK to use "can" to ask
permissions. But when you talk to your teachers, managers etc., don't use "Can" to ask
permissions. There you should use "May".
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Can -- Lesson 8
=============
Now you are going to see another interesting usage of "can".
Making offers:
-------------------
An offer is "an act of telling someone that you are interested to do/give something to him.
"Can" is used to make offers. We can make offers in two different ways using "Can".
Structure 1:
---------------
Using a question, we can offer something to a person.
Examples:
-- Can I help you?
-- Can I do that for you?
Structure 2:
---------------
Using an affirmative sentence (positive sentence), we can offer something to a person.
Examples:
-- I can help you.
-- I can do that for you.
Dear friends, Rosy is a beautiful girl. She is studying in a college. One day she was coming home.
Her classmate Sam came to her.
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Sam: I can walk with you and talk to you. We can have some fun. (offers)
Rosy: No need.
Sam: You are going alone. Can I come with you? (offer)
Rosy: I'm a karate fighter. Can I give a punch in your stomach? Can I break your bones? I can
do these things for you, if you want. (Offers)
Sam: No, thanks. Bye.
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Can -- Lesson 9
=============
In the last lesson, we understood one thing. "Can" is used to make "offers". The same “Can" is
used to make “requests".
Example:
Can I help you?
Can I cook for you?
Example:
Can you help me?
Can you cook for me?
Requests:
--------------
"Can" is used to make requests.
Structure:
-------------
"can + subject + Verb (1st form)?"
Examples:
-- Can you give me your mobile phone?
-- Can you bring a glass of water?
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Suggestions:
----------------
Dear friends, we can give suggestions (Pieces of advice), using "Can".
Structure:
------------
"Subject + can + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- We can eat in a restaurant, if you like.
-- I can take the car, if necessary.
Rosy: I became very fat. I want to lose weight. But I don't know how.
Saleem: You can go jogging daily. You can do yoga. (suggestions)
Rosy: What about the food to reduce weight?
Saleem: To reduce your weight, you can eat leafy vegetables. You can eat two eggs per day.
(suggestions)
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Can -- Lesson 10
==============
Now we are going to finish the modal verb "Can".
Forbidden things:
-----------------------
Dear friends, we use "Cannot" to tell Forbidden things.
In some places, some actions are not allowed. They are called "Forbidden things". To tell those
forbidden things, we use "Cannot".
Structure:
--------------
Examples:
-- You cannot drive a motorbike without a license.
-- You can't smoke in the restaurant.
-- We can't park our car here.
-- Without an appointment, they can't meet the president.
Structure:
--------------
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"Subject + can + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- You can shut up.
-- You can get out.
-- You can stop giving me suggestions.
-- You can just go to bed and sleep.
Dear friends, we finished all usages of the modal auxiliary verb "Should, Would & Can".
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COULD
Could -- Lesson 1
==============
Dear friends, now we are going to start a wonderful modal verb "Could".
Friends, "Could" is the past form of Can". But we use "Could" for present and future usages
too. Let us see them slowly.
Requests:
-------------
If we want to ask a person to do something for us, we make a request. "Could" is used to make
requests.
Structure:
-------------
"Could + subject + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- Could you give me your pen?
-- Could you cook for me?
-- Could you help me?
-- Could you close the door?
Dear friends, a person requested you "Could you give me your pen?" If you want to accept, you
should say "Yes. I can". If you want to reject, you should say "No. I can't".
Offers:
---------
If we want to do something for a person, we make an offer.
"Could" is used to make offers.
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Structure:
------------
"Could + subject + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- Could I give you my pen?
-- Could we cook for you?
-- Could I help You?
-- Could I close the door?
Dear friends, a person offered "Could I help you?". If you want to accept, you should say "Yes.
You can". If you want to reject, you should say "No. You can't".
Don’t say “Yes. You could". Don’t say "No. You could not".
Examples:
-- Could you please give me your mobile? (“please" is used before the main verb "give".)
-- Could you give me your mobile please? ("Please" is used at the end of the sentence.)
Remember: A question mark is always necessary at the end of the above said requests and
offers.
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Could -- Lesson 2
==============
Friends, now you are going to learn two usages of "Could".
Permissions:
-----------------
"Could" is used to ask permissions.
Examples:
-- Could I use your mobile?
-- Could I come inside?
-- Could we play outside?
-- Could we leave now?
Dear friends, a person asked you a permission by saying “Could I use your mobile?" If you want
to accept, you should say "Yes. You can". If you want to reject, you should say "No. You can't".
Don’t say “Yes. You could". Don’t say "No. You could not".
Dear friends, "Can" is used for "Requests, Offers & Permissions". "Could" is also used for
"Requests, Offers & Permissions".
Reported speech:
------------------------
Dear friends, in reported speech, instead of "Can", we use "Could".
A person said a message. If I use his own words to tell his message, that is called "Direct
speech".
Example:
-- Robert said "I can sing a song".
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Example:
-- Robert said that he could sing a song.
Examples:
Direct speech: They said "You can wait in the room".
Reported speech: They said that I could wait in the room.
Direct speech: They said "You can book the tickets online".
Reported speech: They said that I could book the tickets online.
Dear friends, in novels and stories, all conversations are written using Direct speech. But In
spoken English, we use Reported speech. Reported speech is also called "Indirect speech".
In the next lesson, I’m going to explain how to use "could" for past abilities. Writing that lesson
will be a challenge for me. Explaining that concept is difficult. Understanding is also difficult. If
you understand that concept, it will be beautiful. If you don't understand, it will be terrible.
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Could -- Lesson 3
==============
In the past, you had an ability "for a long period of time". To tell that past ability, we use
"Could". Or "Could" is used to tell past general abilities.
Examples:
-- I could sing songs in my childhood.
-- I could run fast in my school days.
-- I could sleep well during my college days.
Friends, we can also tell past general abilities using "was/were able to".
Examples:
-- I was able to sing songs in my childhood.
-- I was able to run fast in my school days.
-- I was able to sleep well during my college days.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends, now we are entering a difficult concept. See the below sentences.
Examples:
-- My sister gave me a problem. I could solve it.
-- My brother threw a ball to me. I could catch it.
-- I could surprise my teacher yesterday.
-- The traffic was really bad, but we could catch our bus.
Rule 1:
----------
"Could" is not used to tell a specific success at a specific time in the past.
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"Could" is not used to tell a particular achievement at a particular situation in the past.
"Could" is not used to tell the completion of a specific action in the past.
"Could" is not used to tell the finishing of a particular activity in the past.
"Could" is not used to tell a specific action at a specific time in the past.
"Could" is not used to tell a particular action at a particular time in the past.
"Could" is not used to tell a single activity at a single moment in the past.
Dear friends, I said 7 sentences above. In fact, they are not 7 points. They are a single point. The
meaning of all those sentences are one and the same. I explained a same rule in 7 different
ways. If you can understand anyone of the above 7 sentences, you can understand " Rule 1".
I gave four examples above. Those examples are telling specific successes at specific times in
the past. So, they are wrong.
Rule 2:
----------
"was/ were able to" is used to tell a specific success at a specific time in the past.
Examples:
-- My sister gave me a problem. I was able to solve it.
-- My brother threw a ball to me. I was able to catch it.
-- I was able to surprise my teacher yesterday.
-- The traffic was really bad, but we were able to catch our bus.
Rule 3:
---------
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"Rule 1" is true only for positive sentences (Affirmative sentences). We apply "Rule 1" only for
positive sentences. For negative sentences, we can use both "Could & was/were able to". The
following examples are correct.
Examples:
-- My sister gave me a problem. I could not solve it.
-- My brother threw a ball to me. I could not catch it.
-- I could not surprise my teacher yesterday.
-- The traffic was really bad. We could not catch our bus.
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Could -- Lesson 4
==============
General possibilities:
---------------------------
Dear friends, generally there are some possibilities in the world. These possibilities are not
limited for a single person. These possibilities are applicable for all people in the world. These
are called "General possibilities".
Examples:
-- We can catch cold, if we go out in the rain. (It is a possibility for all people in the world)
-- Hard work can give success. (It is a possibility for all people in the world)
-- Smoking can cause cancer. (It is a possibility for all people in the world)
"Could" is used to tell possibilities in specific situations in the present and in the future.
Frequently we use two structures to tell possibilities in specific situations. Let us see them now.
Structure 1:
----------------
Examples:
-- It could rain now. (Meaning: Probably it will rain now.)
-- They could come by a bus tomorrow. (Meaning: Probably they will come by a bus tomorrow.)
-- If you don’t study, you could fail the exam. (Meaning: If you don’t study, probably you will fail
the exam.)
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-- John could go to jail for stealing the money. (Meaning: probably John will go to jail for
stealing the money.)
Structure 2:
---------------
Examples:
-- Our plan could be successful next month. (Probably our plan will be successful next month.)
-- It could be rainy now in Japan. (Probably It is rainy now in japan.)
-- If we don’t go fast, we could be late. (Probably we will be late.)
-- It could be true. (probably it is true.)
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Could -- Lesson 5
==============
Hello my dear beautiful friends, now you are going to learn a very important concept.
Welcome.
In the past, a person had an ability or a possibility to do something in a particular situation. But
he decided not to do it. So, he did not do.
Structure:
-------------
"Subject + Could have + Verb (3rd form)".
Examples:
-- I could have gone to America. (Meaning: I had an ability to go to America. But I did not go.)
-- She could have married him. (Meaning: She had an ability to marry him. But she did not
marry him.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
David and Rosy are friends. They met at a restaurant.
David: Oh really? why did not you tell me this matter yesterday? You could have phoned me.
(You had a possibility to phone me, but you did not phone me.)
Rosy: Yesterday you had an interview. I knew that. So, I did not call you. Did you attend the
interview?
David: I could have attended the interview. (I had a possibility to attend the interview, but I did
not attend.) I did not go there. Because it is a very small company.
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Rosy: You could have won many jobs. (You had an ability to win many jobs. But you did not
win.) You always want a big salary. As a fresher, you should not expect a big salary. Join a
company soon, even the salary is small. Gradually your salary will increase.
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Could -- Lesson 6
==============
Hello my dear beautiful friends, now you are going to learn something more about "Could
have". Let us revise "Could have + verb (3rd form)". You have already learned it in the previous
lesson. I want to remind you the same concept once again. Please have some patience. After
that, you will see some new concepts of "could have" in this same lesson.
In the past, a person had an ability or a possibility to do something in a particular situation. But
he decided not to do it. So, he did not do.
Structure:
-------------
"Subject + Could have + Verb (3rd form)".
Examples:
-- I could have gone to America. (Meaning: I had an ability to go to America. But I did not go.)
-- She could have married him. (Meaning: She had an ability to marry him. But she did not
marry him.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends, there are three similar structures with "could have". Let us see them now.
Structure A:
---------------
"Subject + could have been + Adjective".
Examples:
-- He could have been polite. (Meaning: He had an ability to be polite. But he was not polite.)
-- She could have been late. (Meaning: She had a possibility to be late. But she was not late.)
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Structure B:
---------------
"Subject + could have been + Noun/ pronoun".
Examples:
-- He could have been the president. (He had a possibility to be the president. But he did not
become the president.)
-- She could have been a leader. (She had a possibility to be a leader. But she did not become
the leader.)
Structure C:
----------------
"Subject + could have been + preposition".
Examples:
-- My brother could have been on the bus. (Meaning: My brother had a possibility to be on the
bus. But he was not on the bus.)
-- His sister could have been in the park. (Meaning: His sister had a possibility to be in the park.
But she was not in the park.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen and Salma are friends. One day they met at a restaurant.
Salma: Hi Stephen, I'm fine. Yesterday you could have been at the birthday party. (Yesterday
you had a possibility to be at the birthday party. But you were not there.) Why did not you
come?
Stephen: Yes. I could have been there. (I had a possibility to be there. But I was not there.) But I
have an exam. So, I did not come.
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Stephen: I can pass the exam. But I can't get 90 marks.
Salma: You could have written the exam wonderfully. (You had an ability to write the exam
wonderfully. but you did not write.) But your mind is always thinking about useless things.
Stephen: No. Not like that. The question paper could have been very easy. (The question paper
had a possibility to be easy. But it was not.) But they gave difficult questions.
Salma: Ok. This morning, I saw Angelina. She could have been your wife. (She had a possibility
to be your wife. But she was not.)
Stephen: Yeah. I proposed my love to her many times. But she rejected me. One day she was
angry with me. I could have been peaceful and calm. (I had a possibility to be peaceful and
calm. But I was not.) But I was also angry with her. Then I stopped meeting her.
Salma: I could have convinced her to accept you. (I had a possibility to convince her to accept
you. But I did not do it.) But I thought I should not interfere with your matters.
Stephen: Let’s leave it. Past is past. who won the first prize in the singing competition?
Salma: It could have been you. (You had the ability to be the winner of the first prize. But you
were not the winner.) But you did not participate in the competition. An unknown person got
the first prize.
Stephen: I could have participated. (I had a possibility to participate. but I did not.) But I told
you. I had an exam.
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Could -- Lesson 7
==============
Friends, we completed all the important usages of the modal verb "Could". Tonight, let us see
the summary of "Could".
Summary of "Could":
******************
1. Polite Requests:
--------------------------
If we want to ask a person to do something for us, we make a request. "Could" is used to make
polite requests.
Structure:
-------------
"Could + subject + verb (1st form)".
Example:
-- Could you (please) give me your pen?
-- Could you (please) cook for me?
2. Polite Offers:
---------------------
If we want to do something for a person, we make an offer.
"Could" is used to make polite offers.
Structure:
-------------
"Could + subject + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- Could I (please) give you my pen?
-- Could we (please) cook for you?
3. Permissions:
--------------------
"Could" is used to ask permissions.
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Examples:
-- Could I (please) use your mobile?
-- Could I (please) come inside?
4. Reported speech:
---------------------------
"Could" is used instead of “can", in reported speech.
Examples:
Direct speech: They said "You can wait in the room".
Reported speech: They said that I could wait in the room.
Examples:
-- I could sing songs in my childhood.
-- I could run fast in my school days.
"was/were able to" is also used to tell our past general abilities.
Examples:
-- I was able to sing songs in my childhood.
-- I was able to run fast in my school days.
Examples:
-- Today I could wash my clothes -- wrong
-- Yesterday I could read an English story. -- wrong
Rule 2) But "was/were able to" is used to tell a particular success (finishing of an activity) at a
particular moment.
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Examples:
-- Today I was able to wash my clothes -- Right
-- Yesterday I was able to read an English story. -- Right
Rule 3) "Rule 1 " is true only for "Affirmative (positive sentences). For negative sentences, we
can use both "Could & was/were able to".
Examples:
-- Today I could not wash my clothes -- Right
-- Today I was not able to wash my clothes -- Right
Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + Could + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- It could rain now. (Meaning: Probably it will rain now.)
-- They could come by a bus tomorrow. (Meaning: Probably they will come by a bus tomorrow.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + Could be + Adjective".
Examples:
-- Our plan could be successful next month. (Probably our plan will be successful next month.)
-- If we don’t go fast, we could be late. (Probably we will be late.)
General possibilities:
---------------------------
Generally there are some possibilities in the world. These possibilities are not limited for a
single person. These possibilities are applicable for all people in the world. These are called
"General possibilities".
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"Can" is used to tell general possibilities. We don’t use "could" for general possibilities.
Examples:
-- Hard work can give success. (It is a possibility for all people in the world)
-- Smoking can cause cancer. (It is a possibility for all people in the world)
7. Had an ability/ a possibility in the past, but the person did not do:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the past, a person had an ability or a possibility to do something in a particular situation. But
he decided not to do it. So, he did not do it. To tell this thing, we use 4 structures.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + Could have + Verb (3rd form)".
Example:
-- I could have gone to America. (Meaning: I had an ability to go to America. But I did not go.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + could have been + Adjective".
Example:
-- He could have been polite. (Meaning: He had an ability to be polite. But he was not polite.)
Structure 3:
---------------
"Subject + could have been + Noun/ pronoun".
Example:
-- He could have been the president. (He had a possibility to be the president. But he did not
become the president.)
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + could have been + preposition".
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Example:
-- My brother could have been on the bus. (Meaning: My brother had a possibility to be on the
bus. But he was not on the bus.)
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Should/ Would/ Could have + Verb (3rd form):
======================================
Dear friends, can you tell me the difference among the below 3 sentences?
B. In those 3 sentences, the action did not happen. They are unfulfilled actions. They are
unrealised actions.
But surely there are some differences among those 3 sentences. Each sentence has a different
meaning. Let us see those differences now.
Examples:
-- I should have studied hard (Meaning: Studying hard was a right thing to do in the past. But I
did not study, because of my negligence. So now I’m unhappy.)
-- I should have eaten well. (Meaning: eating well was a right thing to do in the past. But I did
not eat well, because of my negligence. So now I’m unhappy.)
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Usually we use this phrase with "but or 3rd conditional".
Examples:
-- I would have studied hard (Meaning: I wanted to study hard, but because of a problem, I did
not study.)
-- I would have eaten well. (Meaning: I wanted to eat well, but because of a problem, I did not
eat well.)
-- If I had seen you, I would have talked to you. (Meaning: I was interested to talk to you, but
because of a reason, I did not talk to you. Reason: I did not see you.)
Examples:
-- I could have studied hard. (Meaning: I had an ability to study hard, but I decided not to study.
So, I did not study.)
-- I could have eaten well. (Meaning: I had a possibility to eat well, but I decided not to eat well.
So, I did not eat well.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
David, Stephen and Raju are working with a company. The manager gave them a same kind of
work. He told them to finish within 2 days. After 2 days, the manager called them into his office.
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Manager: Raju, did you do the work?
Raju: Sir, I COULD HAVE done the work.
Manager: So, you had a possibility to do the work, but you decided not to do the work. So, you
did not do the work. I will dismiss you right now. From tomorrow onwards, you will not come to
the office. You can leave now.
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MAY
May -- Lesson 1
=============
Dear friends, welcome. Now we are starting an excellent modal verb "May".
permissions:
-----------------
"May" is used to ask permissions very politely. Let us see the structure.
Structure:
-------------
"May + subject + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- May I come in?
-- May I sit here?
-- May we park our car here?
-- May we use your computers?
Friends, "May" is also used to give permissions very politely. Let us see the structure.
Structure:
------------
"Subject + May + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
--------------
-- You may come in.
-- You may sit here.
-- You may park your car here.
-- You may use our computers.
Dear friends, we can also use "Can and Could" to ask permissions. But "May" is more polite and
formal than "Can and Could".
Formal (adjective) = very correct and suitable for official or important situations
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosy is an employee in an office. One day she went to her manager's room.
Rosy: I have to copy some files. May I take your pen drive? (Asking permission)
Rosy: I have some work outside. May I use your car? (Asking permission)
Rosy: Thank you, sir. I need to buy a new dress. May I use your wallet? (Asking permission)
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May -- Lesson 2
=============
Dear friends, "May" is used to tell weak possibilities/ probabilities in the present or in the
future.
There is a possibility for an action in the present or in the future. But the possibility is less. The
chances of happening are less. To tell this kind of weak possibilities, we use "May".
Using 5 structures, we can tell weak possibilities. Let us see them one by one now.
Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + May + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- It may rain now. (Meaning: Probably it will rain now.)
-- Jack may come tomorrow. (Meaning: Probably Jack will come tomorrow.)
1. Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- They may go to a movie tonight. (Meaning: Perhaps they will go to a movie tonight.)
-- He may win the competition. (Meaning: Perhaps he will win the competition.)
2. Negative sentences:
-------------------------------
-- They may not go to a movie tonight. (Meaning: Perhaps they will not go to a movie tonight.)
-- He may not win the competition. (Meaning: Perhaps he will not win the competition.)
3. Positive questions:
----------------------------
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Friends, see the below sentences. Are they correct questions to ask possibilities?
No. No. No. The above questions are wrong. We don’t start a sentence with "May" to ask
possibilities. We start a sentence with "May" to ask permissions.
Examples:
-- Are they likely to go to a movie tonight? (Meaning: Perhaps, will they go to a movie tonight?)
-- Is he likely to win the competition? (Meaning: Perhaps, will he win the competition?)
4. Negative questions:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- Are they not likely to go to a movie tonight? (Meaning: Perhaps, will they not go to a movie
tonight?)
-- Is he not likely to win the competition? (Meaning: Perhaps, will he not win the competition?)
Dear friends, tomorrow we will see the remaining structures of "May" to tell weak possibilities
of the present and the future.
Maybe and "May be" are different. We will see the difference in the next lessons.
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May -- Lesson 3
=============
Dear friends, welcome. Now let us see a structure to tell weak possibilities in the present and
future.
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + May be + Verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- I may be going to a movie tonight.
-- He may be winning the competition.
1. Affirmative sentences:
----------------------------------
Examples:
-- It may be raining in Japan now. (Meaning: Probably it is raining in Japan now)
2. Negative sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- It may not be raining in Japan now. (Meaning: Probably it is not raining in Japan now)
-- Jack may not be coming tomorrow. (Meaning: Probably Jack is not coming tomorrow.)
3.Positive question:
----------------------------
Friends, we don't use "May" to ask possibilities. Yesterday we used "be likely to" to ask
possibilities. Now let us see some adverbs to ask possibilities.
Examples:
-- Is it probably raining in Japan now?
-- Is Jack probably coming tomorrow?
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4. Negative questions:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- Is it probably not raining in Japan now?
-- Is Jack probably not coming tomorrow?
Remember friends, in the above questions, we can use "Perhaps" instead of "probably".
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May -- Lesson 4
=============
Welcome my dear friends. Now you are going to see another structure to tell weak possibilities
in the present and future.
Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + May be + Adjective".
Examples:
-- They may be confused. (Meaning: Probably they are confused.)
-- We may be late for the meeting. (Meaning: Probably we are late for the meeting.)
.
2. Negative sentences:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- He may not be angry. (Meaning: Probably he is not angry.)
-- She may not be happy now. (Meaning: Probably she is not happy now.)
3. Positive questions:
----------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he probably angry?
-- Is she probably happy now?
Note: Dear friends, we don’t use "May" to ask possibilities. So, we should use other ways to
make questions about possibilities.
.
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4. Negative questions:
-----------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he probably not angry?
-- Is she probably not happy now?
Friends, I’m giving you some adjectives. Using them, prepare your own sentences in your free
time.
Adjectives: Long, short, beautiful, ugly, sad, punctual, interesting, terrible. horrible, boring,
tasty, bitter, sweet, salty, sleepy, healthy, dangerous, doubtful.
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May -- Lesson 5
=============
Friends, now let us see another beautiful structure to tell weak possibilities in the present and
future.
Structure 4:
---------------
"Subject + May be + Preposition".
Examples:
-- David may be in the garden.
-- They keys may be on the table.
1. Affirmative sentences:
----------------------------------
Examples:
-- The cat may be under the sofa.
-- She may be at her office.
2. Negative sentences:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- The cat may not be under the sofa.
-- She may not be at her office.
3. Positive questions:
----------------------------
Friends, we don’t use "May" to ask possibilities. We use some adverbs "Probably or perhaps" to
ask possibilities.
Examples:
-- Is the cat probably under the sofa?
-- Is she probably at her office?
4. Negative questions:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- Is the cat probably not under the sofa?
-- Is she probably not at her office?
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Friends, I gave you some prepositions below. Using them, prepare your own sentences in your
free time.
Prepositions: with, at, from, against, among, in, on, without, under, behind, above, near.
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May -- Lesson 6
=============
Hello dear friends, welcome. Now let us see the last structure to tell weak possibilities in the
present and future.
Structure 5:
-------------
"Subject + May be + Noun/ Pronoun".
Examples:
-- Many people are in the hospital. They may be patients.
-- Someone should solve the problem. It may be you.
1. Affirmative sentences:
--------------------------------
Examples:
-- He may be a doctor. (Meaning: Probably he is a doctor.)
-- She may be Rosy. (Meaning: Probably she is Rosy.)
2. Negative sentences:
--------------------------
Examples:
-- He may not be a doctor. (Meaning: Probably he is not a doctor.)
-- She may not be Rosy. (Meaning: Probably she is not Rosy.)
3. Positive questions:
------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he probably a doctor?
-- Is she probably Rosy?
4. Negative questions:
------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he probably not a doctor?
-- Is she probably not Rosy?
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May -- Lesson 7
=============
Structure:
--------------
"May + subject + verb (1st form)"
Examples:
-- May she rest in peace.
-- May her soul rest in peace.
-- May all your wishes come true.
-- May the new year bring you love and happiness.
-- May you live a long life.
-- May God bless you.
Offers:
---------
If we want to "give something to a person", we ask them politely. It is called an offer.
"May" is used to make offers.
Structure:
--------------
"May + subject + verb (1st form)?"
Examples:
-- May I offer you some coffee?
-- May I carry your bag?
-- May we cook something for you?
-- May we wash your clothes?
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Dear friends, a person offers you something. If you want to accept his offer, you can use the
below sentences.
-- Yes, sure.
-- Yes, of course.
-- Certainly.
-- Yes, thank you.
-- Yes, please.
-- Yes, please. I would like to.
-- Yes please. That would be nice/ lovely/ good/ great/ fantastic/ fabulous/ wonderful.
-- That would be very kind of you.
If you want to reject (refuse) his offer, you can use the below sentences.
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May -- Lesson 8
=============
In the past, probably something happened. We guess a past action in the present time. But we
are not sure whether it really happened or not. In the present time, to tell that doubtful action,
we use 5 kinds of structures. Let us see them now.
Structure 1:
--------------
"Subject + may have + verb (3rd form)".
Examples:
-- They may have eaten. (Meaning: probably they ate.)
-- He may have gone. (Meaning: Probably he went.)
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + may have been + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- They may have been eating. (Meaning: Probably they were eating.)
-- He may have been going. (Meaning: Probably he was going.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosy and Stephen met at a party.
Stephen: I'm fine. Angelina told me that she would come here. Where is she?
Rosy: I don't know. I have been waiting for her for 2 hours. She may have missed her train.
(Probably she missed her train.)
Stephen: She may have been coming. But her mother may have stopped her. (Probably she was
coming. But probably her mother stopped her.)
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Stephen: Don't worry. You may have left them inside your car. (Probably you left them inside
your car.)
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May -- Lesson 9
=============
In the past, there was a possibility for an action. Probably something happened in the past. But
we are not sure whether it really happened or not. In the present time, to tell that past
possibilities/ probabilities, we use 5 kinds of structures. Yesterday we saw 2 structures. Now let
us see the remaining 3 structures.
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May -- Lesson 10
=============
Friends, many people do a big mistake, while using "Maybe" and "may be". Let us know the
difference between those two terms now.
Maybe:
----------
It is a single word. It is an adverb.
Examples:
-- Maybe he is a doctor. (“Maybe" is used at the beginning.)
-- He is a doctor, maybe. (“Maybe" is used at the end.)
may be:
------------
It is a combination of two words.
may be = is probably
1) If we use Maybe and "may be" for present and future actions, they give the same meaning.
Examples:
-- Maybe he is sleeping. (Meaning: Probably he is sleeping.)
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-- He may be sleeping. (Meaning: He is probably sleeping.)
2) We can use "Maybe" even for past actions. We can use it in all tenses. Because "Maybe" is an
adverb. "But we should not use "may be" for past actions".
Examples:
-- Maybe he will go to London tomorrow. (Right)
-- Maybe he is going to London now. (Right)
-- Maybe he went to London yesterday. (Right)
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MIGHT
Might -- Lesson 1
==============
Friends, now you are going to learn a modal verb "Might".
"Might" is the past form of "May". But "Might" is also used to tell present and future actions.
"Might" is very similar to "May". If you are good at my previous lessons of "May", you can easily
learn "Might".
Dear friends, "May" is used to tell weak possibilities/ probabilities in the present or in the
future.
"Might" is also used to tell weak possibilities/ probabilities in the present or in the future.
"Might" is weaker than "May" in telling possibilities. "Might" shows less possibility than "May".
Examples:
-- It may rain now. (50% possibility)
-- It might rain now. (30% possibility)
Using 5 structures of "Might", we can tell weaker possibilities. Let us see them one by one now.
But I don’t want to give many lessons for this usage. I don’t want to give plenty of explanation
for this usage. Because you have seen many lessons of "May" for telling present and future
possibilities. You can simply substitute the word "May" with "Might" in those lessons. You can
put "Might" in the place of "May" in my previous lessons of "Telling possibilities using May".
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Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + Might + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- They might go to a movie tonight. (Meaning: Probably they will go to a movie tonight.)
-- He might win the competition. (Meaning: Probably he will win the competition.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + Might be + Verb (ing form)"
Examples:
-- It might be raining in Japan now. (Meaning: Probably it is raining in Japan now)
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Might -- Lesson 2
==============
"Might" is the past form of "May". But "Might" is also used to tell present and future actions.
"Might" is very similar to "May".
Both "May and Might" are used to tell possibilities in the present and future. But "Might" is
weaker than "May" in telling possibilities. "Might" shows less possibility than "May".
Examples:
-- It may rain now. (50% possibility)
-- It might rain now. (30% possibility)
Using 5 structures of "Might", we can tell weaker possibilities. Yesterday we saw 2 structures.
Now let us see the remaining 3 structures.
Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + Might be + Adjective".
Examples:
-- They might be confused. (Meaning: Probably they are confused.)
-- We might be late for the meeting. (Meaning: Probably we are late for the meeting.)
Structure 4:
---------------
"Subject + Might be + Preposition".
Examples:
-- David might be in the garden. (Meaning: Probably David is in the garden.)
-- The keys might be on the table. (Meaning: Probably the keys are on the table.)
Structure 5:
---------------
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"Subject + Might be + Noun/ Pronoun".
Examples:
-- He might be a doctor. (Meaning: Probably he is a doctor.)
-- She might be Rosy. (Meaning: Probably she is Rosy.)
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Might -- Lesson 3
==============
Permissions:
-----------------
"May" is used to ask permissions. "Might" is also used to ask permissions. But "Might" is more
polite and formal than "May".
Structure:
-------------
"Might + subject + verb?"
Examples:
-- Might I take your book?
-- Might I know your address?
-- Might I use your Car?
-- Might I go there?
Dear friends, if a person asks you permission using "might”, your reply should not have "might".
Don't say "Yes. you might". Don't say "No. You might not".
You should use other ways (may, can etc.) to give permission or to refuse permission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosy is working with a company.
Rosy: I have some work here. Might I sit here for one hour? (Asking permission)
Rosy: You need to check some documents. Might I give you them? (Asking permission)
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Manager: Certainly. Please give me. (Giving permission)
Rosy: I think your phone is new. Might I take some selfies with your phone? (Asking permission)
Manager: No. Please don't mind. You can go now. (Refusing permission)
Dear friends, usually in our daily life, we don't use "Might" to ask permissions. Because "Might"
Is extremely polite and highly formal. In official meetings and public speeches, people use
"Might" to ask permissions. Using "Might" for permissions is very rare.
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Might -- Lesson 4
==============
Hi my dear friends, welcome. Let us see another usage of "Might" now.
Examples:
Now let us see how we can change permissions from direct speech into reported speech.
Examples:
Dear friends, in a sentence of direct speech, there is "Might". When we change that sentence
into reported speech, "Might" will be "Might". It does not change into another word.
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Direct speech: Rosy asked "Might I go?"
Friends, in reported speech, "that" is optional. If you want, you can use "that". If you don’t
want, you can avoid "that".
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Might -- Lesson 5
==============
In the past, probably something happened. We guess a past action in the present time. But we
are not sure whether the action really happened or not in the past. In the present time, to tell
that doubtful past action, we use 5 kinds of structures. For this purpose, we can use "May have
or Might have".
In "Modal Auxiliary Verbs--Post 45 & Post 46", I explained this concept, using "May have". Now
I’m copying the same lesson. But in the place of "May have" I’m putting "Might have".
Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + might have + verb (3rd form)".
Examples:
-- They might have eaten. (Meaning: probably they ate.)
-- He might have gone. (Meaning: Probably he went.)
.
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + might have been + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- They might have been eating. (Meaning: Probably they were eating.)
-- He might have been going. (Meaning: Probably he was going.)
.
Structure 3:
----------------
" Subject + might have been + Adjective".
Examples:
-- He might have been angry. (Meaning: Probably he was angry.)
-- She might have been sad. (Meaning: Probably she was sad.)
.
Structure 4:
----------------
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"Subject + might have been + Preposition"
Examples:
-- They might have been in the front room. (Meaning: probably they were in the front room.)
-- Robert might have been at the party. (Meaning: Probably Robert was at the party.)
.
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + might have been + Noun/ Pronoun"
Examples:
-- He might have been a doctor. (Meaning: Probably he was a doctor.)
-- Those people might have been clerks. (Meaning: probably those people were clerks.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emma: I lost it. I might have left it at the Galleria super market. Somebody might have stolen it.
James: You might have been negligent. So, you forgot it there. Or you might have been thinking
deeply about something.
Emma: I don’t know how it happened. But I wish someone had kept my umbrella safely.
Emma: who does take care of me and my umbrella in this big city?
James: It might have been the owner of the shop. I know him. He is a good man. I will make a
video call to him right now.
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Emma: Thank you, dear. You are not James. You are James Bond.
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Might -- Lesson 6
==============
My dear friends. Welcome.
In the past, probably something happened. We guess a past action in the present time. But WE
ARE NOT SURE WHETHER THAT ACTION REALLY HAPPENED OR NOT IN THE PAST. In the present
time, to tell that doubtful past action, we can use 5 kinds of structures with "Might have”.
Example:
--They might have eaten. (Meaning: probably they ate.)
-- They might have been eating. (Meaning: Probably they were eating.)
-- He might have been angry. (Meaning: Probably he was angry.)
-- They might have been in the front room. (Meaning: probably they were in the front room.)
-- He might have been a doctor. (Meaning: Probably he was a doctor.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We can use the above 5 structures for "another usage". Let us see that usage now.
In the past, there was a possibility for happening an action. BUT THAT ACTION DID NOT
HAPPEN. To tell this matter in the present time, we use the above 5 structures.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + might have + verb (3rd form)".
Examples:
-- They might have eaten. But there was no food.
(Meaning: There was a possibility for their eating. But there was no food. So, they did not eat.)
-- He might have gone. But there was no vehicle for him. (Meaning: There was a possibility for
his going. But there was no vehicle for him. So, he did not go.)
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + might have been + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- They might have been eating. But some guests came. (Meaning: There was a possibility for
their eating. But some guests came. So, they did not eat.)
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-- He might have been going. But his mother stopped him. (Meaning: There was a possibility for
his going. But his mother stopped him. So, he did not go.)
Structure 3:
---------------
" Subject + might have been + Adjective".
Examples:
-- He might have been angry. But he controlled himself. (Meaning: Getting angry was possible
for him. But he controlled himself. So, he did not get angry.)
-- She might have been sad. But she was a positive thinker. (Meaning: Becoming sad was
possible for her. But she was a positive thinker. So, she did not become sad.)
Let us see the remaining 2 structures in the next lesson and finish the modal verb "Might".
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Might -- Lesson 7
==============
My dear friends. Welcome.
In the past, there was a possibility for happening an action. BUT THAT ACTION DID NOT
HAPPEN. To tell this matter in the present time, we use 5 structures.
Yesterday you learned 3 structures. Now let us see the remaining 2 structures.
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + might have been + Preposition"
Examples:
-- They might have been in the front room. But the room was locked. (Meaning: There was a
possibility for them to be in the front room. But the room was locked. So, they were not in the
front room.)
-- Robert might have been at the party. But he did not know the address. (Meaning: There was
a possibility for Robert to be at the party. But he did not know the address. So, he did not come
to the party.)
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + might have been + Noun/ Pronoun"
Examples:
-- He might have been a doctor. But he wanted to become an engineer. (Meaning: There was a
possibility for him to become a doctor. But he wanted to become an engineer. So, he did not
become a doctor.)
-- The winner might have been you. But you did not participate in the competition. (Meaning:
There was a possibility for you to be the winner. But you did not participate in the competition.
So, you were not the winner.
Examples:
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-- If I had worked hard, I might have passed the exam. (Meaning: There was a possibility for me
to pass the exam. But I did not work hard. So, I did not pass the exam.)
-- If you had avoided fear, you might have been a fluent speaker.
(Meaning: There was a possibility for you to become a fluent speaker. But you did not avoid
fear. So, you were not a fluent speaker.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosy: I'm fine. But why did you quarrel with our senior yesterday? He might have slapped you.
Rosy: Then you might have been a criminal. Don’t make a small thing into a big problem. Leave
small things. There might have been a big quarrel. So, I came fast and took you from there.
Salman: He talked wrongly with you. It is not a small thing for me.
Salman: Yes. For a long time, I have been interested in you. But I was afraid to express my love
to you.
Rosy: I mean you might have been brave. You might have expressed your love. We might have
been very happy. We might have been a wonderful couple. I might have been your wife. But
because of your negative thinking and unnecessary doubts, you hid your love secretly.
Salman: Past is past. So, do you believe I’m suitable to hold your hand.
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Salman: Thank you, Rosy. Come on. Let us celebrate this beautiful day.
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Difference between "May and Might”:
===============================
Examples:
-- It may rain now. (50% possibility)
-- It might rain now. (20% possibility)
Permissions:
----------------
Friends, please see the below conversation.
Rosy: Sir, May I come in? (Meaning: Sir, am I allowed to come in?)
Angelia: Sir, Might I come in? (Meaning: My honorable, respected, great sir, am I allowed to
come in?)
Manager: what is this? Are you mocking at me? Are you insulting me?
......................................................................
Friends, both "may and Might" are used to ask permissions. But usually we use "May" to ask
permissions in our schools, colleges, universities, offices, companies etc.
"Might" is highly polite and extremely formal. So, we don't use "might" to ask permissions in
our daily life.
In very important situations, or public meetings, we use "Might “to ask permissions.
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For example, there is a public meeting.
The speaker announced "Might I ask the president to come and give his valuable speech? ".
Blessings:
--------------
"May" is used for blessings. But we don’t use "might" for blessings.
Examples:
-- May God bless you. (Right)
-- Might God bless you. (wrong)
Past possibility:
-------------------
Probably an action happened in the past. But we are not sure whether it really happened or
not. To tell that past doubtful action, we can use "May have + verb (3rd form) and “Might have
+ verb (3rd form). Both are suitable.
Examples:
-- David did not come to the party. He may have missed the train. (Meaning: Probably he
missed the train.)
-- David did not come to the party. He might have missed the train. (Meaning: Probably he
missed the train.)
Examples:
-- I might have slept. But my friend came. (so, I did not sleep.)
-- I might have eaten all the food. But I did not like that food. (so, I did not eat that food.)
Examples:
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-- I could have slept. But my friend came. (so, I did not sleep.)
-- I could have eaten all the food. But I did not like that food. (so, I did not eat that food.)
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MUST
Must -- Lesson 1
=============
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + must + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- You must attend the office regularly.
-- We must respect our elders.
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + must be + adjective".
Examples:
-- You must be sincere.
-- You must be punctual.
Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + must be + verb (ing form)".
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Examples:
-- You must be doing the work now.
-- She must be going.
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + must be + preposition".
Examples:
-- They must be in the classroom now.
-- I must be with you now. So, I'm coming to you.
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + must be + noun/ pronoun".
Examples:
-- You must be a good student.
-- He must be a nice son.
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Must -- Lesson 2
=============
Hello my dear beautiful friends. welcome.
Yesterday my internet was not good. So, I could not post a lesson. So today I will post two
lessons. Now I will post one lesson. After 10 hours, I will post another lesson.
Dear friends, this lesson looks similar to the last lesson. But be careful. In the last lesson, we
talked about "strong responsibilities. In this lesson, we are going to talk about strong
suggestions.
The 5 structures are same for strong responsibilities and strong suggestions.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + must + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- You must study well. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to study well.)
-- You must work hard. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to work hard.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + must be + adjective".
Examples:
-- You must be intelligent. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be intelligent.)
-- You must be punctual. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be punctual.)
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Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + must be + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- You must be doing the work now. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be in the process of
doing that work now.)
-- You must be going. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be in the process of going.)
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + must be + preposition".
Examples:
-- You drank too much. You must be at your home now. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be
at your home now.)
-- It is 10 p.m. You must be on the bed now. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be on the bed
now.)
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + must be + noun/ pronoun".
Examples:
You must be a good student. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be a good student.)
You must be a nice son. (Meaning: I strongly suggest you to be a nice son.)
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Must -- Lesson 3
=============
There are some facts. Based on those facts, we come to a conclusion. Our conclusion may be
true or not. But based on facts, we strongly guess a conclusion. This conclusion is called a
deduction". Or based on the available facts, there is a strong possibility. To tell strong
possibilities, we use "Must".
We use "can, could, may, might and Must" to tell possibilities in the present and future. But
"Must" is used to tell strong possibilities.
We use 4 structures to tell deductions or strong possibilities in the present or in the future.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + must be + adjective".
Examples:
-- He has been running for 2 hours. He must be tired. (Meaning: I'm sure that he is tired.)
-- Their house is very big. They must be rich. (Meaning: I'm sure that they are rich.)
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + must be + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- His body is very strong. He must be doing exercise daily. (Meaning: I'm sure that he is doing
exercise daily.)
-- I talked to Robert over phone. I heard a song. He must be watching TV. (Meaning: I'm sure
that he is watching TV.)
Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + must be + preposition".
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Examples:
-- He started 4 hours ago. He must be at the party now. (Meaning: I'm sure that he is at the
party now.)
-- Today she went to her office. She must be at work now. (Meaning: I'm sure that she is at
work now.)
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + must be + noun/ pronoun".
Examples:
-- The police are chasing a man. That man must be a criminal. (Meaning: I'm sure that the man
is a criminal.)
-- This boy gives answers for any question. He must be a brilliant student. (Meaning: I'm sure
that he is a brilliant student.)
2) They must be rich: It may be a fact or It may not be a fact. But there are 95% of chances to
tell they are rich. There is a strong possibility.
Dear friends, you should know another important thing. To tell deductions or possibilities in a
negative way, don't use “Must not". We should use “Can't or Cannot".
.........................................................................................
Susan came home.
Susan: Mom, who switched on the TV? Nobody is watching TV here. why do you waste
electricity?
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Mom: No. It can't be your brother. (I'm sure it is not your brother.) He went to the college 4
hours ago.
Mom: No. It can’t be true. (I'm sure it is not true.) Your brother does not take your money,
without requesting you.
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Must -- Lesson 4
=============
Hi my dear friends, welcome. Let us see another usage of "Must" now.
Prohibited things:
-----------------------
Dear friends, in some places, some actions are not allowed. They are called forbidden things of
prohibited things.
Usually we use only one structure for this usage. But depending upon the needs, we can use
other structures. Let us see the main structure.
Structure:
-------------
"Subject + Must not + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- While the plane is flying, Passengers must not use mobile phones. (Meaning: While plane is
flying, passengers are not allowed to use mobile phones.)
-- You must not smoke in this office. (Meaning: You are not allowed to smoke in this office.)
-- Visitors must not park their cars here. (Meaning: Visitors are not allowed to park their cars
here.)
-- We must not take photos in this museum. (Meaning: We are not allowed to take photos in
this museum.)
Friends, to tell forbidden things or prohibited things, we can also use "cannot".
Dear friends, in the previous lessons, you learned one thing. "Must" is used to tell strong
responsibilities in the present and in the future.
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Examples:
-- We must attend the office at 9 a.m.
-- He must study well.
Now how to tell strong responsibilities in the past? To tell strong responsibilities in the past, we
use "had to".
Examples:
-- We had to attend the office at 9 a.m. (Meaning: It was our strong responsibility to attend the
office at 9 a.m.)
-- He had to study well. (Meaning: It was his strong responsibility to study well.)
Remember an important thing, friends. "Must" is used to tell "strong responsibilities, strong
suggestions, strong possibilities and prohibitions" in the present and in the future.
"Had to" is the past form of "Must”, ONLY IF YOU WANT TO TELL STRONG RESPONSIBILITIES IN
THE PAST.
If you want to tell "strong suggestions, strong possibilities and prohibitions" in the past, “had
to" is not the past form of "Must". We use some other ways to tell these things in the past.
Tomorrow you are going to learn those other ways.
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Must -- Lesson 5
=============
Dear friends, in a previous lesson, I told you one thing. "Must" is used to tell strong possibilities
in the present and in the future.
Examples:
-- He has a very big building. He must be rich. (Meaning: I'm sure he is rich.)
-- He can give answer to any question. He must be a brilliant student. (Meaning: I'm sure he is a
brilliant student.)
Now let us talk about the past. Now we believe there was a strong possibility for an action in
the past. To tell this matter, we use 5 structures. Let us see them now.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + must have + verb (3rd form)"
Examples:
-- He must have finished his work. (Meaning: I'm sure he finished his work.)
-- She must have gone to the party. (Meaning: I'm sure she went to the party.)
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + must have been + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- Last night I heard songs from her room. She must have been watching TV. (Meaning: I'm sure
she was watching TV.)
-- Today she gave a wonderful speech. She must have been practising at night. (Meaning: I'm
sure she was practising at night.)
Structure 3:
---------------
"Subject + must have been + Adjective".
Examples:
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-- Yesterday Rosy slapped Stephen. She must have been very angry. (Meaning: I'm sure she was
very angry.)
-- Robert was laughing a lot. He must have been very happy. (Meaning: I'm sure he was very
happy.)
Structure 4:
-----------------
"Subject + must have been + Preposition".
Examples:
-- I could not find her at her home. She must have been at her university. (Meaning: I'm sure
she was at her university.)
-- The front door was locked inside. Somebody must have been in the house. (Meaning: I'm sure
somebody was in the house.)
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + must have been + noun / pronoun".
Examples:
-- Who cooked this food? It must have been your mother. (Meaning: I'm sure it was your
mother.)
-- Someone called me using a new number. It must have been David. (Meaning: I'm sure it was
David.)
My friends, A female pop singer "Roxette" sang a wonderful song many years ago. It is available
on YouTube.
332,750,104 people watched this song. If you are interested, open YouTube, type "It must have
been love" and watch it.
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OUGHT TO
Ought to -- Lesson 1
=================
Hi my dear friends, Welcome. Now we are starting a new modal verb.
Dear friends, some famous grammar books say "Ought to is a modal verb". But some other
famous grammar books say "Ought to is a semi modal verb".
"Should and Ought to" have same usages. Their meanings are same. We can replace “should
with Ought to" in all books, newspapers and speeches.
Responsibilities:
-----------------------
To tell Responsibilities (Duties / Obligations), we use "Ought to".
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + ought to + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- You ought to attend your school daily.
-- We ought to respect others.
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be + Verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- You ought to be working hard.
-- They ought to be following the rules.
Structure 3:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be+ Adjective".
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Examples:
-- You ought to be punctual.
-- He ought to be sincere.
Structure 4:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be + preposition".
Examples:
-- He ought to be at his office now.
-- She ought to be at her work.
Structure 5:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be + noun / pronoun".
Examples:
-- You ought to be a good student.
-- You ought to be a responsible son.
Friends, now don't think about negative sentences and questions using "Ought to". You will
learn them in the next lessons of "Ought to".
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Ought to -- Lesson 2
=================
Sometimes we want to tell the best thing to do or a right thing to do. To tell the best thing to do
or a right thing to do, we use "Ought to".
We use 5 structures of "Ought to" to tell Suggestions and best things (Right things) to do.
Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + ought to + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- You ought to sleep at 10 p.m. (Meaning: I suggest you to sleep at 10 p.m.)
-- You ought to eat well. (Meaning: I suggest you to eat well.)
-- They ought to walk on foot. (Meaning: They should walk on foot. It is a right thing.)
-- They ought to wear clean clothes. (Meaning: They should wear clean clothes. It is a right
thing.
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + ought to be + Verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- You ought to be talking to your relatives. (Meaning: I suggest you to be in the middle of
talking to your relatives.)
-- You ought to be drinking juice. (Meaning: I suggest you to be in the middle of drinking juice.)
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-- She ought to be studying well. (Meaning: She should be studying well. It is a right thing.)
Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + ought to be+ Adjective".
Examples:
-- You ought to be happy. (Meaning: I suggest you to be happy.)
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + ought to be + preposition".
Examples:
-- You ought to be at your home now. (Meaning: I suggest you to be at your home now.)
-- Robert ought to be on the bus. (Meaning: Robert should be on the bus. It is a right thing.)
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + ought to be + noun / pronoun".
Examples:
-- You ought to be a good boy. (Meaning: I suggest you to be a good boy.)
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-- You ought to be a gentleman. (Meaning: I suggest you to be a gentleman.)
-- They ought to be a loving couple. (Meaning: They should be a loving couple. It is a right
thing.)
Excellence (noun) = the quality of being excellent; the quality of being very very good at
something
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Ought to -- Lesson 3
=================
Hi my dear friends, Heartily welcome to you. Let us see another usage of "ought to" now.
Structure 1:
----------------
"Subject + ought to + Verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- He ought to come at 11 a.m. (Meaning: Probably he will come at 11 a.m.)
-- We ought to get a letter today. (Meaning: Probably we will get a letter today.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be + Verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- She ought to be coming now (Meaning: Probably she is coming now.)
-- It ought to be raining in my village. (Meaning: Probably it is raining in my village.)
Structure 3:
--------------
"Subject + ought to be+ Adjective".
Examples:
-- He ought to be happy. (Meaning: Probably he is happy.)
-- They ought to be angry. (Meaning: Probably they are angry.)
Structure 4:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be + preposition".
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Examples:
-- They ought to be on the bus. (Meaning: Probably they are on the bus.)
-- David ought to be at his school now. (Meaning: Probably David is at his school now.)
Structure 5:
---------------
"Subject + ought to be + noun / pronoun".
Examples:
-- That man ought to be a doctor. (Meaning: Probably that man is a doctor.)
-- He ought to be a thief. (Meaning: Probably he is a thief.)
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Ought to -- Lesson 4
=================
Friends, From the last 3 lessons, you understood 5 usages of "ought to". We use “ought to" to
tell "Responsibilities, Suggestions, Right things to do, Probabilities and expectations".
1. Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
We have seen many examples of Affirmative sentences with "ought to". Let us see them once
again.
Examples:
-- You ought to go there.
-- She ought to drive the car.
2. Negative Sentences:
------------------------------
Friends, in a sentence, if we say "oughT noT To", we have to repeat "T sound" 3 times
continuously. It is a bit difficult. So, in modern English, people avoided "to" in negative
sentences and questions, when they use "ought". Some grammar books say "we should not use
to, in the negative sentences and questions, when we use Ought".
But in latest editions of Oxford dictionary and Cambridge dictionary, the authors wrote "to" in
negative sentences and questions.
Conclusion: We can use “to" or we can avoid "to" in negative sentences and questions, when
we use "Ought".
Type 1:
------
Examples:
-- You ought not to go there.
-- She ought not to drive the car.
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Type 2:
------
Examples:
-- You ought not go there.
-- She ought not drive the car.
3. Positive questions:
----------------------------
Type 1:
----------
Examples:
-- Ought you to go there?
-- Ought she to drive the car?
Type 2:
----------
Examples:
-- Ought you go there?
-- Ought she drive the car?
4. Negative questions:
------------------------------
Type 1:
----------
Examples:
-- Ought you not to go there?
-- Ought she not to drive the car?
Type 2:
----------
Examples:
-- Ought you not go there?
-- Ought she not drive the car?
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Ought to -- Lesson 5
=================
Now we are going to see the last usage of "ought to". This is the last lesson of "ought to".
Dear friends, In the past, for a person, there was a useful thing
to do. There was a right thing to do. There was some profitable work to do. But the person did
not do that work. Because of his mistake or because of his negligence, the person did not do
that useful thing or that profitable work. Now he is unhappy for that past matter.
Now that person or we use 5 kinds of structures to tell the present unhappiness about the past
matter. Let us see those 5 structures one by one.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + ought to have + verb (3rd form)".
Examples:
-- I ought to have studied hard. (Meaning: Studying hard was a right thing. But I did not do it.)
-- He ought to have gone to New Delhi. (Meaning: Going to New Delhi was a right thing. But he
did not go.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + ought to have been + verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- I ought to have been studying hard. (Meaning: It was a right thing for me to be in the middle
of studying hard. But I was not.)
-- He ought to have been going to New Delhi. (Meaning: It was a right thing for him to be in the
middle of going to New Delhi. But he did not do it.)
Structure 3:
---------------
"Subject + ought to have been + Adjective".
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Examples:
-- She ought to have been careful. (Meaning: Being careful was a right thing for her. But she was
not careful.)
-- She ought to have been honest. (Meaning: Being honest was a right thing for her. But she was
not honest.)
Structure 4:
---------------
"Subject + ought to have been + preposition".
Examples:
-- You ought to have been at the beach. (Meaning: Being at the beach was a right thing for you.
But you were not at the beach.)
-- She ought to have been in the room. (Meaning: Being in the room was a right thing for her.
But she was not in the room.)
Structure 5:
---------------
"Subject + ought to have been + noun / pronoun".
Examples:
-- You ought to have been the winner. (Meaning: It was a right thing for you to be the winner.
But you were not the winner.)
-- You ought to have been a good boy. (Meaning: It was a right thing for you to be a good boy.
But you were not a good boy.)
Friends, in the above 5 structures and examples, we can replace "ought to" with "should".
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WILL & SHALL
Now we are going to see the last two modal verbs
Will:
------
Dear friends, "Will" is used to tell future actions. It is used in all the four future tenses such as
"Simple future tense, Future continuous tenses, Future perfect tense, and Future perfect
continuous tense".
Three months ago, I explained these tenses very clearly. If I explain them again, it will again
take 15 days. So now I’m not going to explain "Will". Please go to my timeline and find my
lessons in the posts of August.
Examples:
-- I will go. (Simple future tense)
-- I will be going. (Future continuous tense)
-- I will have gone by tomorrow. (Future perfect tense)
-- I will have been going for 4 days. (Future perfect continuous tense)
Shall:
--------
Dear friends, once upon a time, "shall" was used in four future tenses. There were some
differences between "will and shall". For some subjects, "will" was used. For some other
subjects "shall" was used. But today "shall" is not used like that. In all the future tenses, only
"will" is used. So, forget the differences between "will and shall".
Let us see "shall" according to modern English. In Modern English "shall" is rarely used.
Nowadays "shall" has only two usages. Let us see them now.
1. Offers:
-------------
To make offers, we use “shall". Here the subject is "I or we".
Structure:
------------
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"Shall + subject + verb (1st form)?"
Examples:
-- Shall I give you a pizza?
-- Shall we cook some food for you?
2. Asking advice:
-----------------------
To ask a person a piece of advice (a suggestion), we use "shall". Here also the subject is "I or
we".
Structure:
--------------
"Shall + subject + verb (1st form)?"
Examples:
-- Shall I read this book? (Meaning: Is it good, if I read this book?)
-- Shall we go to a restaurant? (Meaning: Is it good, if we go to a restaurant?)
Friends, we completed all modal auxiliary verbs. But don’t relax. I have to tell you some more
interesting things and some comparisons among different modal verbs. Within 3 lessons, I will
finish the series of “Modal auxiliary verbs".
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POSSIBILITIES in different ways
Friends, let us talk about possibilities. We use different modal verbs to talk about possibilities. A
possibility is also called a probability.
1. Can:
----------
"can" is used to tell general possibilities.
General possibilities:
----------------------------
Some actions are possible for many people or at many times. Those actions are generally true in
many situations. These are called "general possibilities".
It means you are talking about something which is true for different people at different times.
You are not talking about one action, one moment or one event.
Examples:
-- Summers can be really hot. (Meaning: Generally "all summers" are hot. Generally there is a
possibility for all summers to be really hot.)
-- Smoking can cause cancer. (Meaning: Smoking causes cancer "for all people". Generally there
is a possibility for smoking to cause cancer.)
Specific possibilities:
----------------------------
If you talk about the possibility of a specific person or a specific situation or a specific action at a
specific time, it is called a Specific possibility.
Examples:
-- This summer might be really hot.
-- This summer may be really hot.
-- This summer could be really hot.
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In the above 3 examples, I talked about "this summer". I did not talk about all summers. So,
possibility about "this summer" is a specific possibility.
"should" is stronger than "Could, may & might" in telling possibilities. If we have strong proofs
about an action, we use "should" to tell the possibility of that action.
Examples:
-- David studies well. He should get the first rank.
-- The sky is very cloudy. It should rain now.
"Must" is stronger than all the above modal verbs in telling possibilities. If we are very
confident and almost sure (90% surety), then we use “must".
Examples:
-- My father comes at 6 p.m. daily. Now it is 6 p.m. He must come now.
Examples:
-- David did not come to the party. He may have missed the train. (Meaning: Probably he
missed the train.)
-- David did not come to the party. He might have missed the train. (Meaning: Probably he
missed the train.)
we believe there was a strong possibility for an action in the past. We have 90% surety about
the possibility of that action. To tell that past possible action, we use "Must have + verb (3rd
form).
Examples:
-- I can’t find my mobile phone. I must have left it at my home.
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POLITE QUESTIONS (Requests, Offers & Permissions)
Dear friends, there are many options available for us to make requests and offers and ask
permissions. We use various modal verbs for these purposes. Some modal verbs are less polite
and less formal. Some modal verbs are very polite and very formal. Now let us see them.
Request:
------------
If we want to get something from a person, we make a request.
Offer:
---------
If we want to give or do something to a person or if we want to help someone, we make an
offer.
Permission:
-----------------
If we want to do something and get the acceptance from a person, we ask permission.
In this lesson, for our flexibility, I called the above 3 things "Polite Questions".
Examples:
-- Brother, will you come with me?
-- Can I help you?
-- Can I close the doors?
Examples:
-- Could I use your mobile?
-- Could you come with me?
"Would" has many structures to ask polite questions.
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Examples:
-- Would you eat now?
-- Would you like to eat now?
-- Would you mind giving me your mobile?
-- Would you mind, If I used your mobile?
3. May:
----------
"May" is more polite and formal than the above modal verbs.
Examples:
-- May I come in?
-- May I use your mobile?
4. Might:
-------------
"Might is the most polite modal verb. So, we use it only in very important situations.
Examples:
-- Might I come in?
-- Might I use your mobile?
1) "Will & Can" are less polite than all modal verbs.
"Could & would" are more polite than "Will & Can".
"Might" is more polite than "Will, Can, Could, Would & May".
[Will & Can] < [Could & Would] < May < Might
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d) 4th prize goes to "WILL & CAN".
2) If you use “May or Might" to ask polite questions, the subject should be "I or we". We should
not use "you".
Examples:
-- May I take your mobile -- Right
-- May you give me your mobile? -- wrong
3) To make a question more polite, we can use "please". We should put "please i) before the
main verb or ii) at the end of the question.
Examples:
-- Could you please give me your book?
-- Could you give me your book, please?
.
4) A question mark is necessary at the end of every question.
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Semi Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Introduction
==========
Hello my dear wonderful friends, Welcome.
Friends, we are going to see "Semi modal verbs". We can call them "Semi modal auxiliary verbs
or semi modal auxiliaries or semi modal verbs or semi modals ". We can use any term.
There are 5 semi modal verbs. They are "Have to, used to, Need, dare and Had better ". I told
you one thing in my previous lessons. Some grammar books say "Ought to is a semi modal
verb". Some grammar books say "Have to is not a semi modal verb".
There is a controversy about the classification of modal verbs and semi modal verbs".
Grammarians and authors of grammar books do not have an agreement about the number of
modal verbs, number of semi modal verbs and the classification. So, let us avoid these
controversies.
Our aim is not to think about controversies. All these modals verbs and semi modal verbs are
used in modern English. So, our aim is to learn how to use them successfully.
Friends, what is the difference between modal verbs and semi modal verbs?
We cannot use modal verbs as main verbs. For example, let us take "should". It is a modal verb.
We cannot use "should" like a main verb. We cannot use "should" like eat, drink, go, walk, run
etc. We use "should" with a main verb. We always use "should + main verb".
But semi modal verbs have a flexibility. We can use them like modal verbs. And we can also use
them like main verbs. For example, let us take "Need".
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Examples:
-- I need a book.
-- I will need a book.
-- I needed a book.
-- Do I need a book?
In the below examples, I used "need" as a modal verb. That means, here, "need" helps a main
verb. You can see "Need + main verb" in the below examples.
Examples:
-- You need eat now.
-- I need go there.
-- Need I go there?
Conclusion:
1) We cannot use modal verbs as main verbs.
2) But we can use semi modal verbs as main verbs.
Some grammar books say "Modal verbs don’t use to. But semi modal verbs use to". This is
another controversy.
Gravity is a concept in physics. It applies to all people equally. If a person jumps from the
top of a building, he falls down. It does not matter whether he is good or bad. It does not
matter whether he is an American or a Chinese. It does not matter whether he is black or white.
He will just fall down, after jumping from the top of a building. A scientific law is always perfect.
But a language is not a scientific concept. A language is a culture. It changes depending upon
places and time.
1) We have British English, American English, Canadian English and Australian English. And
English in every country is affected by the regional languages in that country.
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2) A language changes in the passing of time. For example, once upon a time, English people
used "thou and thy". We can see these words in the bible and in the books written by
Shakespeare. But our present generation does not know these words. Even English grammar
has changed a lot.
Thou = you
Thy = your
3) If a big group of people uses a method in their language, that method becomes a standard
rule. If two big groups of people use two different rules about a same thing, a controversy
starts. Every group says "My rule is right. Your rule is wrong".
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HAVE TO
Have to ---- Lesson 1
=================
Hi my dear wonderful friends, welcome. Now let us see "Have to" and how to use it beautifully.
Friends, let me explain it. Sometimes our responsibility is not our own decision. It is others'
decision. And we should follow that.
These are called impersonal responsibilities. To tell strong impersonal responsibilities, we use
"Have to".
And we also use "Have to" to tell necessities (necessary work to do).
Examples:
-- I have to go now. (Meaning: Because of an external force, it is my strong responsibility to go
now.)
-- You have to get a license. (Meaning: Because of an external force [Government], it is your
strong responsibility to get a license.)
-- They have to do their homework. (Meaning: Because of an external force [their teacher], it is
their responsibility to finish their homework.
-- Employees have to attend their office at 9 a.m. (Because of an external force [Official rule], it
is the responsibility of employees to attend their office at 9 a.m.)
1) If the subject is "I, we, you, they or a plural noun", we use "Have to".
Examples:
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-- I have to do.
-- We have to do.
-- You have to do.
-- They have to do.
-- The students have to do.
Examples:
-- He has to do.
-- She has to do.
-- It has to do.
-- The student has to do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My dear friends, we can use 5 kinds of structures to tell Strong Impersonal responsibilities. Let
us see those 5 structures one by one.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + Have (has) to + verb (1st form)".
Examples:
-- I have to do. (Meaning: I have a strong impersonal responsibility to do.)
Structure 2:
----------------
"Subject + Have (has) to be + Verb (ing form)".
Examples:
-- I have to be doing now. (Meaning: I have a strong impersonal responsibility to be doing now.)
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Structure 3:
----------------
"Subject + Have (has) to be + Adjective".
Examples:
-- I have to be punctual. (Meaning: I have a strong impersonal responsibility to be punctual.)
Structure 4:
----------------
"Subject + Have (has) to be + Preposition".
Examples:
-- I have to be at my office. (Meaning: I have a strong impersonal responsibility to be at my
office.)
Structure 5:
----------------
"Subject + Have (has) to be + Noun/ pronoun".
Examples:
-- I have to be a responsible citizen. (Meaning: I have a strong impersonal responsibility to be a
responsible citizen.)
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Have to ---- Lesson 2
=================
Friends, now let us see some more interesting things about "Have to".
We use "Have to" to tell strong responsibilities and strong necessities (necessary things to do).
"Must" is also used for the same things. So "Have to & Must" are similar.
But there are a few differences between them. I will tell you them in the next lessons.
Now let us come back to "Have to". We can use "Have to" in the present, in the past and in the
future. Let us see them how.
.
In the Present --> HAVE / HAS TO:
----------------------------------------------
Examples:
-- I have to do. (Meaning: I have a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He has to do. (Meaning: He has a strong responsibility to do.)
.
In the Past --> HAD TO:
-------------------------------
To tell PAST strong responsibilities, we don’t use "have to/ has to". We use "Had to" for all
subjects.
Examples:
-- I had to do. (Meaning: I had a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He had to do. (Meaning: He had a strong responsibility to do.)
.
In the Future--> WILL HAVE TO:
------------------------------------------
To tell FUTURE strong responsibilities, we use "will have to" for all subjects. Remember that
there is no "has" in future.
Examples:
-- I will have to do. (Meaning: I will have a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He will have to do. (Meaning: He will have a responsibility to do.)
.
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Friends, in the above all examples, I wrote "strong responsibility". We can replace it with
"strong necessity" too.
1. Affirmative sentences:
--------------------------------
Examples:
-- I have to do.
-- He has to do.
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I don't have to do.
-- He does not have to do.
3. Interrogative sentences:
------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Do I have to do?
-- Does he have to do?
Examples:
-- Do I not have to do?
-- Does he not have to do?
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Have to ---- Lesson 3
=================
We use "Have to" to tell strong responsibilities and strong necessities (Necessary things to to) in
the present and in the future. We can use "Have to” in the past and in the future with a few
changes. Let us see them now.
Examples:
-- I had to do. (Meaning: I had a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He had to do. (Meaning: He had a strong responsibility to do.)
1. Affirmative Sentences:
----------------------------------
Examples:
-- I had to do. (Meaning: I had a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He had to do. (Meaning: He had a strong responsibility to do.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I did not have to do. (Meaning: I did not have a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He did not have to do. (Meaning: He did not have a strong responsibility to do.)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
-----------------------------------
Examples:
-- Did I have to do? (Meaning: Did I have a strong responsibility to do?)
-- Did he have to do? (Meaning: Did he have a strong responsibility to do?)
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-- Didn't he have to do? (Meaning: Didn't he have a strong responsibility to do?)
Examples
-- Did I not have to do? (Meaning: Did I not have a strong responsibility to do?)
-- Did he not have to do? (Meaning: Did he not have a strong responsibility to do?)
Examples:
-- I will have to do. (Meaning: I will have a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He will have to do. (Meaning: He will have a responsibility to do.)
1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- I will have to do. (Meaning: I will have a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He will have to do. (Meaning: He will have a responsibility to do.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I will not have to do. (Meaning: I will not have a strong responsibility to do.)
-- He will not have to do. (Meaning: He will not have a responsibility to do.)
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3. Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Will I have to do? (Meaning: Will I have a strong responsibility to do?)
-- Will he have to do? (Meaning: Will he have a responsibility to do?)
-- Will I not have to do? (Meaning: Will I not have a strong responsibility to do?)
-- Will he not have to do? (Meaning: Will he not have a responsibility to do?)
Dear friends, in this concept (will have to), I used to “have”. We always use "have" for all
subjects in all 4 forms. We never use "has". Never say "will has to".
In this whole lesson, many times, I used "strong responsibility". We can replace this term with
"strong necessity".
1) Have/ Has to ---- is used to tell strong responsibilities and strong necessities in the present
and in the future.
2) Had to --- is used to tell strong responsibilities and strong necessities in the past.
3) Will have to --- is used to tell strong responsibilities and strong necessities in the future.
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Have to – Lesson 4
================
Examples:
I have got to go. = I have to go.
We have got to go. = We have to go.
The students have got to go. = The students have to go.
1.Affirmative Sentences:
--------------------------------
Examples:
-- I have got to go.
-- We have got to go.
-- He has got to go.
-- She has got to go.
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I have not got to go.
-- We have not got to go.
-- He has not got to go.
-- She has not got to go.
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-- I don't have got to go. (wrong)
-- We don't have got to go. (wrong)
-- He does not have got to go. (wrong)
-- She does not have got to go. (wrong)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Have I got to go?
-- Have we got to go?
-- Has he got to go?
-- Has she got to go?
Examples:
-- Have I not got to go?
-- Have we not got to go?
-- Has he not got to go?
-- Has she not got to go?
1st Difference:
--------------------
If we use "Have to", to make negative sentences, Interrogative sentences and negative
interrogative sentences, we use "Do / Does".
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Examples:
-- I don’t have to go.
-- Do I have to go?
-- Do I not have to go?
But if we use "Have got to" to make negative sentences, Interrogative sentences and negative
interrogative sentences, we don’t use "Do / Does".
Examples:
-- I have not got to go.
-- Have I got to go?
-- Have I not got to go?
Friends, this "1st Difference" is a bit confusing. Read it more times and write many examples.
Then you will get a clear understanding in your mind.
2nd Difference:
--------------------
We can use "Have to" in the present, in the past and in the future.
Examples:
-- I have to go.
-- I had to go.
-- I will have to go.
But "have got to” is used only in the present. We can’t use it in the past and in the future.
Examples:
-- I have got to go. (Right)
But if we use "Have got to", WE DON'T USE "Do/does" to make negative sentences,
interrogative sentences and negative interrogative sentences.
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2) We can use "Have to" in the present, in the past (had to) and in the future (Will have to).
But we can use "Have got to" only in the present. We don’t use it in the past and in the future.
3) "Have to" is formal. In written English, you see "have to" very frequently. But in spoken
English "Have to" is less frequent.
"Have got to" is informal. In written English, you see "Have got to" less frequently. But in
spoken English, "Have got to" is very frequent.
4) When you watch English movies, you listen to some terms. You have to understand them
correctly.
hafta = have to
hasta = has to
gotta = have got to
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Have to -- Lesson 5
================
Dear friends, now let us understand the terms "Responsibility and Necessity".
(I should have told you these meanings in the 1st lesson of “Have to". Sorry for not telling.)
MUST:
----------
"Must" expresses speaker's own feelings (ideas). If a speaker takes a decision, he uses "Must".
Examples:
-- I must go now. (Meaning: I’m the speaker of the sentence. I took the decision of going. I
believe that going is my strong responsibility/ necessity now.)
-- You must go now. (Meaning: I’m the speaker of the sentence. I took the decision of your
going. I believe that your going is your strong responsibility/ necessity now.)
-- Robert: David, you must eat now. (Meaning: Robert is the speaker of the sentence. Robert
took the decision of David's eating. Robert believes that David's eating is David's strong
responsibility/ necessity now.)
HAVE TO:
-------------
"Have to" expresses an impersonal idea. If a person uses "Have to", it is not his own feeling
(idea). If a person uses "Have to", he is telling a general rule, or a general responsibility or an
external force or a requirement.
Examples:
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-- I have to go. (Meaning: I’m the speaker of the sentence. But I did not take the decision of
going. An external force [ex: my father] requested/ ordered/ forced me to go.)
-- You have to go now. (Meaning: I’m the speaker of the sentence. But I did not take the
decision of your going. An external force [ex: your father] requested/ ordered/ forced you to
go.)
-- Robert: David, you have to get a license to drive your car. (Meaning: Robert is the speaker of
the sentence. But Robert did not take the decision. Robert told David a general rule.)
Dear friends, there is a very very big difference between "Must not & Don’t have to".
MUST NOT:
-----------------
"Must not" expresses Prohibition. Or "Must not" tells Forbidden activities or banned actions.
Examples:
-- You must not drive. (Meaning: You are prohibited to drive. You are not allowed to drive.)
-- You must not do this work. (Meaning: You are prohibited to do this work. You are not allowed
to do this work.)
-- You don't have to do this work. (Meaning: You don't have a responsibility to do this work. You
don't have a necessity to do this work. But if you want, you can do this work.)
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USED TO
Used to -- Lesson 1
================
We can use 4 structures with "used to" to tell past habits or past regular activities.
Structure 1:
---------------
"Subject + used to + verb (1st form)"
Examples:
-- I used to get up early. (Meaning: I had a habit of getting up early in the past.)
-- He used to sing very well. (Meaning: He had a habit of singing very well in the past.)
Structure 2:
---------------
"Subject + used to + be + adjective"
Examples:
-- I used to be lazy. (Meaning: I had a habit of being lazy in the past. / I was always lazy in the
past.)
-- She used to be happy. (Meaning: She had a habit of being happy in the past. / She was always
happy in the past.)
Structure 3:
--------------
"Subject + used to + be + preposition."
Examples:
-- She used to be with her mother. (Meaning: She was with her mother for a period of time in
the past.)
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-- He used to be in New Delhi. (Meaning: He was in New Delhi for a period of time in the past.)
Structure 4:
--------------
"Subject + used to + be + noun/ pronoun"
Examples:
-- He used to be a good singer. (Meaning: He was a good singer for a period of time in the past.)
-- She used to be my student. (Meaning: She was my student for a period of time in the past.)
Friends, remember an important thing. All the above actions were true in the past, but now
they are not true.
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Used to -- Lesson 2
================
Hi my dear friends, welcome back. Friends, this is a very important lesson. Please read every
sentence slowly.
1. Affirmative sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- I used to cook well.
-- She used to play daily.
2. Negative Sentences:
------------------------------
We can write negative sentences in two different ways. Let us see them.
1st way:
----------
Examples:
-- I did not use to cook well.
-- She did not use to play daily.
2nd way:
-------------
Examples:
-- I used not to cook well.
-- She used not to play daily.
Friends, this 2nd way is very formal. It is only used in writing (Newspapers & books). We don't
use it in spoken English.
3. Interrogative Sentences:
-----------------------------------
We can write Interrogative sentences in two different ways. Let us see them.
1st way:
----------
Examples:
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-- Did I use to cook well?
-- Did she use to play daily?
2nd way:
-----------
Examples:
-- Used I to cook well?
-- Used she to play daily?
Friends, this 2nd way is very formal. It is only used in writing (Newspapers & books). We don't
use it in spoken English.
Sometimes you may see these kinds of sentences in English movies and English books.
The best option is to avoid using those kinds of sentences. Especially in written exams like
IELTS, you should never use such sentences.
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Used to -- Lesson 3
================
Dear friends, "used to" is used to tell past habits or past regular activities. It does not have any
other meaning. We don’t use it for the present and the future.
But there is a similar structure "Be used to". We can use it in the past, in the present and in the
future. Now let us know "Be used to".
Be Used To:
---------------
In the beginning, an action was difficult for us. But now it became easy for us. To tell this
matter, we use "Be used to".
Or in the beginning, an action was unusual, strange and unacceptable for us. But we tried a lot
to accept it. Finally, that action became easy for us. To tell this matter, we use "Be used to".
Structure:
-------------
Subject + be + used to + noun.
Examples:
-- I am used to green tea. (Meaning: In the beginning, green tea was unusual and unacceptable
for me. But now I'm accustomed to green tea.)
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-- He is used to reading books. (Meaning: In the beginning, reading books was difficult for him.
But now he is accustomed to reading books.)
.
Accustomed to (adjective) = habituated to; familiar with something because you have done it or
experienced it many times
1. Affirmative sentences:
--------------------------------
Examples:
-- I am used to green tea. (Meaning: I’m accustomed/ habituated to green tea.)
2. Negative Sentences:
------------------------------
Examples:
-- I am not used to green tea. (Meaning: I’m not accustomed/ habituated to green tea.)
3. Interrogative sentences:
-----------------------------------
Examples:
-- Am I used to green tea? (Meaning: Am I accustomed/ habituated to green tea?)
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Friends, we can use "be used to" in all tenses, except continuous tenses. Let us see them using
a few examples.
Examples:
-- He was used to eating rice.
-- You will be used to working hard.
.
Friends, you should remember 2 things.
1) We always use a noun or a noun phrase after "Be used to". we don't use a verb (1st form).
Example:
He is used to drinking coffee. -- correct
He is used to drink coffee. -- wrong
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Used to -- Lesson 4
================
In the beginning, an action was difficult for us. But now it became easy for us. To tell this
matter, we use "Be used to".
Or in the beginning, an action was unusual, strange and unacceptable for us. But we tried a lot
to accept it. Finally, that action became easy for us. To tell this matter, we use "Be used to".
Examples:
-- I am used to green tea. (Meaning: In the beginning, green tea was unusual and unacceptable
for me. But now I'm accustomed to green tea.)
-- He is used to reading books. (Meaning: In the beginning, reading books was difficult for him.
But now he is accustomed to reading books.)
Friends, this "Be used to" has a limit. We can’t use it in "continuous tenses".
Examples:
He is used to green tea. (simple present tense) -- Right
He has been using to green tea. (Present perfect continuous tense) -- Wrong.
Friends, "become used to" is a phrase. But we can use it like a verb in 12 tenses. Now let us see
its 4 forms in "present continuous tense".
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1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- He is becoming used to the new office. (Meaning: He is becoming accustomed/ habituated to
the new office.)
-- She is becoming used to doing exercises. (Meaning: She is becoming accustomed/ habituated
to doing exercises.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- He is not becoming used to the new office. (Meaning: He is not becoming accustomed/
habituated to the new office.)
-- She is not becoming used to doing exercises. (Meaning: She is not becoming accustomed/
habituated to doing exercises.)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he becoming used to the new office? (Meaning: Is he becoming accustomed/ habituated to
the new office?)
-- Is she becoming used to doing exercises. (Meaning: Is she becoming accustomed/ habituated
to doing exercises?)
.
4. Negative Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he not becoming used to the new office? (Meaning: Is he not becoming accustomed/
habituated to the new office?)
-- Is she not becoming used to doing exercises. (Meaning: Is she not becoming accustomed/
habituated to doing exercises?)
Dear friends, we can use "Become Used To" in all the 12 tenses.
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Examples:
1) Simple Present Tense: -
-- He always becomes used to new people. (Meaning: He always becomes accustomed/
habituated to new people.)
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10) Future Continuous Tense: -
-- She will be becoming used to the new mobile phone. (Meaning: She will be becoming
accustomed/ habituated to the new mobile phone.)
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Used to -- Lesson 5
================
My dear friends. Welcome.
In the beginning, an action was difficult for us. But now it became easy for us. To tell this
matter, we use "Be used to".
Or in the beginning, an action was unusual, strange and unacceptable for us. But we tried a lot
to accept it. Finally, that action became easy for us. To tell this matter, we use "Be used to".
Example:
-- He is used to reading books. (Meaning: In the beginning, reading books was difficult for him.
But now he is accustomed to reading books.)
Friends, this "Be used to" has a limit. We can’t use it in "continuous tenses".
Both are same. Both have the same meaning. We can use any phrase.
In the previous lesson, we finished learning "Become used to". Now let us see "Get Used To".
"Get used to" is a phrase. But we can use it like a verb in 12 tenses. Now let us see its 4 forms in
"present continuous tense".
1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- He is getting used to the new office. (Meaning: He is becoming accustomed/ habituated to
the new office.)
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-- She is getting used to doing exercises. (Meaning: She is becoming accustomed/ habituated to
doing exercises.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- He is not getting used to the new office. (Meaning: He is not becoming accustomed/
habituated to the new office.)
-- She is not getting used to doing exercises. (Meaning: She is not becoming accustomed/
habituated to doing exercises.)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Is he getting used to the new office? (Meaning: Is he becoming accustomed/ habituated to
the new office?)
-- Is she getting used to doing exercises. (Meaning: Is she becoming accustomed/ habituated to
doing exercises?)
-- Is she not getting used to doing exercises. (Meaning: Is she not becoming accustomed/
habituated to doing exercises?)
Dear friends, we can use "Get Used To" in all the 12 tenses.
Examples:
1) Simple Present Tense: -
-- He always gets used to new people. (Meaning: He always becomes accustomed/ habituated
to new people.)
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-- She is getting used to the new mobile phone. (Meaning: She is becoming accustomed/
habituated to the new mobile phone.)
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-- We will have been getting used to English for 6 months. (Meaning: We will have been
becoming accustomed/ habituated to English for 6 months.)
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Used to -- Lesson 6
================
My dear friends. Welcome. This is the last lesson of "Used to".
1. I used to cook.
2. I was used to cooking. / 3. I became used to cooking. / 4. I got used to cooking. = In the
beginning, cooking was unusual and difficult for me. But I became habituated to cooking.
Now let us see a conversation between 10-year-old David and his mother.
Mother: You got used to games on mobile phone. (Meaning: You became accustomed/
habituated to games on mobile phone.) It is a bad habit.
David: You also became used to your computer. (Meaning: You also became accustomed/
habituated to your computer.)
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David: Don't worry, mom. I will study later.
Mother: You should be used to good habits. (Meaning: You should become habituated to good
habits.)
Mother: You should get used to reading books. You ought to become used to studying well. You
must become used to going to school daily. (Meaning: You should become habituated to
reading books. You ought to become habituated to studying well. You must become habituated
to going to school daily.)
David: I can't get used to going to school on Sundays. (Meaning: I can't become habituated to
going to school on Sundays.) Because Sunday is a holiday.
Mother: Don't joke. You became used to playing stupid jokes with elders. (Meaning: You
became habituated to playing stupid jokes with elders.)
David: You got used to scolding me always. You could not become used to spending some time
with me. (Meaning: You became habituated to scolding me always. You could not become
habituated to spending some time with me.) You are always busy busy and busy.
Mother: Ok. I will appoint a maid as soon as possible. Then I will have free time in the evening.
We can talk and play.
Mother: You should get used to studying well. You have to get used to bathing twice a day. You
ought to get used to going to school daily. You must become used to getting good marks.
(Meaning: You should become habituated to studying well. You have to become habituated to
bathing twice a day. You ought to become habituated to going to school daily. You must
become habituated to getting good marks.)
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David: Sure, mom. I will become used to all these things. (Meaning: I will become habituated to
all these things.)
Mother: I believe you. You can get used to these things very easily. (Meaning: You can become
habituated to these things very easily.) I know you are very good and talented.
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NEED
Need -- Lesson 1
==============
Dear friends, you should be very careful, while learning the word "Need". Because "Need" is a
main verb and it is also a semi modal verb. So, it may create a bit confusion, while learning the
word "Need". So be careful. Read slowly.
Examples:
-- I need a book.
-- I don't need a book.
-- Do I need a book?
-- Do I not need a book?
-- He needs a book.
-- He does not need a book.
-- Does he need a book?
-- Does he not need a book?
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Remember:
1) In "simple present tense", we add s/es to "need", if the subject is "he/she/it/a singular
noun".
These 3 rules apply to all main verbs (eat, drink, go, need etc.)
Examples:
-- I needed a book.
-- I did not need a book.
-- Did I need a book?
-- Did I not need a book?
-- He needed a book.
-- He did not need a book.
-- Did he need a book?
-- Did he not need a book?
Remember:
1) In "simple past tense", for all subjects, in the affirmative sentences, we use verb (2nd form).
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These 2 rules apply to all main verbs (eat, drink, go, need etc.)
Friends, this way, we can use "Need" in all tenses like all other main verbs.
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Need -- Lesson 2
==============
My dear wonderful friends. Welcome. Now let us see how "Need" works as a semi modal verb.
1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- You need know about it. (Meaning: You have a necessity of knowing about it.)
Friends, see the above examples carefully. You should understand two things.
1. There is no "to" between "Need" and the main verb "go". Because in the above examples,
"Need" is not a main verb. It is a semi modal verb.
2. In the second example, the subject is "He". But I did not add "s" to "need". I did not say "He
needs". why? Because here "Need" is not a main verb. "Need" is a semi modal verb. "go" Is the
main verb.
Remember:
1)Affirmative Sentences with the semi modal verb "Need" are not common in English. They are
rarely used.
2) In Affirmative sentences, almost always a negative word or negative phrase (no one, nobody,
nothing etc.) is used as a subject.
Examples:
-- No one need know about it. (Meaning: No one has a necessity of knowing about it.)
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-- Nobody need go there. (Meaning: Nobody has a necessity of going there.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
We use "need not" to make negative sentences. Don't use "don't need".
Examples:
-- You need not know about it. (Meaning: You have no necessity of knowing about it.)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
-----------------------------------
Friends, to make an Interrogative sentence, start a sentence with "Need". We don't use
"do/does".
Examples:
-- Need you know about it? (Meaning: Do you have a necessity of knowing about it?)
-- Need he not go there? (Meaning: Does he not have a necessity of going there?)
Examples:
-- Needn't you know about it? (Meaning: Don't you have a necessity of knowing about it?)
Usages:
-----------
Friends, you read the 4 forms of the semi modal verb "Need". So, you understood its usages.
But there is a very frequent usage for the semi modal verb "Need". let us see that now.
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No responsibility or No Necessity in the present/ future:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mostly we use "Need" to tell there is no responsibility or no necessity to do an action in the
present or in the future.
Examples:
-- We need not wait for him. He will not come. (Meaning: We have no necessity of waiting for
him. He will not come.)
-- You need not repair this TV. It is useless. (Meaning: You have no necessity of repairing this TV.
It is useless.)
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Need -- Lesson 3
==============
Answer:
-----------
Both sentences are correct.
a) In the 1st sentence, "need" is a main verb like eat, drink, etc. I used "to", because "need" is a
main verb here.
b) In the 2nd sentence, "need" is a semi modal verb. I did not use "to", because "need" is a semi
modal verb here.
Dear friends, the main verb "need” is an alternative to the semi modal verb "need". We can use
any word (either the main verb "need" or the semi modal verb "need”) to express necessities.
Set-1:
--------
In these examples, "Need" is a main verb.
Examples:
-- You need to watch this movie.
-- You don't need to watch this movie.
-- Do you need to watch this movie?
-- Do you not need to watch this movie? (Don’t you need to watch this movie?)
Set-2:
--------
In these examples, "Need" is a semi modal verb.
Examples:
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-- You need watch this movie.
-- You need not watch this movie.
-- Need you watch this movie?
-- Need you not watch this movie? (Needn’t you watch this movie?)
1) The examples in Set-1 are correct. The examples in Set-2 are also correct.
2) The meanings of the examples in set-1 are exactly equal to the meanings of the examples in
set-2. NO difference.
Answer:
----------
The 1st sentence is correct. The 2nd sentence is wrong.
Why? If the necessity is "a noun", we must use the main verb "need". We should not use the
semi modal verb "need".
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The following examples are Wrong.
Examples:
-- You need not an umbrella? --- Wrong.
-- Need you an umbrella? --- Wrong.
-- Need you not an umbrella? --- Wrong.
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Need -- Lesson 4
==============
Hello my dear sweet friends, welcome. This is the last discussion about "Need".
In the below examples, I used semi modal verb "need". So, these examples are wrong.
examples:
-- I did not need buy any books. So, I did not buy.
-- She did not need cook food. So, she did not cook.
In the below examples, I used the main verb "need". So, these examples are correct. Here I
used "to". Because here "need" is a main verb.
Examples:
-- I did not need to buy any books. So, I did not buy. (Meaning: I did not have a necessity of
buying any books. So, I did not buy.)
-- She did not need to cook food. So, she did not cook. (Meaning: She did not have a necessity
of cooking food. So, she did not cook.)
Friends, there is another way to tell "there was no responsibility/ necessity to do an action in
the past". For this purpose, we can use "did not have to".
Examples:
-- I did not have to buy any books. So, I did not buy. (Meaning: I did not have a necessity of
buying any books. So, I did not buy.)
-- She did not have to cook food. So, she did not cook. (Meaning: She did not have a necessity of
cooking food. So, she did not cook.)
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Unnecessary action in the past:
------------------------------------------
Dear friends, an action happened in the past. But it was an unnecessary action. To tell this
matter in the present, we use the below structure.
Structure:
"Subject + need not have + verb (3rd form)".
.
In this structure, "need" is a semi modal verb. Because we don’t use "to".
Examples:
-- You need not have waited for me. (Meaning: You waited for me. But it was unnecessary.)
-- She need not have bought so much food. (Meaning: She bought so much food. But it was
unnecessary.)
.
Friends, we finished semi modal verb "need". Tomorrow we will start another semi modal verb.
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DARE
Dare -- Lesson 1
==============
Hello my dear sweet friends, welcome. Dear friends, while learning the word "Dare", there is a
chance for you to get some confusion. Because "Dare" is a main verb and it is also a semi modal
verb. So be careful while reading the lessons of "Dare". Within 2 lessons, I will finish "Dare".
Examples:
-- I dare you. (Meaning: I challenge you.)
-- He dared me to win the game. (Meaning: He challenged me to win the game.)
Examples:
-- He dares (to) speak with any person. (Meaning: He has courage to speak with any person.)
-- She dares (to) catch snakes. (Meaning: She has courage to catch snakes.)
Now let us see 4 forms of sentences using the main verb "Dare".
Remember dear friends. In these sentences "to" is optional. If we want, we can use "to". If we
don’t want, we can avoid "to".
1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
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-- I dare (to) go there. (Meaning: I have courage to go there.)
-- She dares (to) go there. (Meaning: She has courage to go there.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Examples:
-- I do not dare (to) go there. (Meaning: I do not have courage to go there.)
-- She does not dare (to) go there. (Meaning: She does not have courage to go there.)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
-----------------------------------
Examples:
-- Do I dare (to) go there? (Meaning: Do I have courage to go there?)
-- Does she dare (to) go there? (Meaning: Does she have courage to go there?)
.
4. Negative Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Don't I dare (to) go there? (Meaning: Don't I have courage to go there?)
-- Doesn't she dare (to) go there? (Meaning: Doesn't she have courage to go there?)
Examples:
-- Do I not dare (to) go there? (Meaning: Do I not have courage to go there?)
-- Does she not dare (to) go there? (Meaning: Does she not have courage to go there?)
Examples:
-- I dared (to) go there.
-- I did not dare (to) go there.
-- Did I dare (to) go there?
-- Didn't I dare (to) go there? (Did I not dare (to) go there?)
We can use the main verb "Dare" in all other tenses except "continuous tenses".
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Dare -- Lesson 2
==============
Friends, now we are going to see how "Dare" works as a semi modal verb.
Examples:
-- I dare do it. (Meaning: I have courage to do it.)
-- He dare speak with any person. (Meaning: He has courage to speak with any person.)
-- She dare catch snakes. (Meaning: She has courage to catch snakes.)
Dear friends, in the above examples, I said "He dare & She dare". I did not say "He dares & She
dares". Why?
Because in these examples, "dare" is not a main verb. Here "dare" is a semi modal verb. For all
subjects, we use "dare". We don't use "dares".
Let us see 4 forms of sentences using the semi modal verb "Dare".
1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- I dare go there. (Meaning: I have courage to go there.)
-- She dare speak with them. (Meaning: She has courage to speak with them.)
2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Friends, here we use "dare not".
Examples:
-- I dare not go there. (Meaning: I have no courage to go there.)
-- She dare not speak with them. (Meaning: She has no courage to speak with them.)
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3. Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------
Examples:
-- Dare I go there? (Meaning: Do I have courage to go there?)
-- Dare she speak with them? (Meaning: Does she have courage to speak with them?)
Examples:
-- Daren't I go there? (Meaning: Don't I have courage to go there?)
-- Daren't she speak with them? (Meaning: Doesn't she have courage to speak with them?)
Friends, remember one thing. If we use "dare" as a semi modal verb, in negative sentences,
interrogative sentences and negative interrogative sentences, we don’t use "do/does/did". You
must remember this.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now let us see how we can use the semi modal verb "dare" to tell a person's courage in the
past.
Examples:
-- I dared go there. (Meaning: I had courage to go there.)
-- I dared not go there. (Meaning: I did not have courage to go there.)
-- Dared I go there? (Meaning: Did I have courage to go there?)
-- Daredn't I go there? / Dared I not go there? (Meaning: Didn't I have courage to go there? /
Did I not have courage to go there?)
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Dare -- Lesson 3
==============
My dear beautiful friends. Welcome. This is the last lesson of “Dare".
Differences between
----------------------------
the main verb "dare' & the semi modal verb "dare":
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends, let us see the difference between the main verb "dare" and the semi modal verb
"dare".
Examples:
-- I dare (to) go there.
-- I don't dare (to) go there.
-- Do I dare (to) go there?
-- Don't I dare (to) go there? (Do I not dare (to) go there?)
Now you should understand some points. If you use "dare" as a main verb,
1) "to" is optional. If you want, you can put "to". If you don't want, you can avoid "to".
2) In the above examples, I said "He dares". We add s/es to "dare" in simple present tense, if
the subject is "he/ she/ it/ a singular noun. Because here "dare" is a main verb like eat, drink,
sleep etc.
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2) If you want to use negative sentences, interrogative sentences and negative interrogative
sentences, you must use "do/ does/ did".
Examples:
-- I dare go there.
-- I dare not go there.
-- Dare I go there?
-- Daren't I go there?
-- He dare go there.
-- He dare not go there.
-- Dare he go there?
-- Daren't he go there? (Dare he not go there?)
-- He dared go there.
-- He dared not go there.
-- Dared he go there?
-- Daredn't he go there? (Dared he not go there?)
Now you should understand some points. If you use "dare" as a semi modal verb,
2) In the above examples, I said "He dare". I did not say "He dares". why?
Because here "dare" is not a main verb. Here "dare" is a semi modal verb. For all subjects (I,
We, You, He, She, It, They, singular noun & Plural noun), we use "dare". We don’t use "dares".
3) If you want to use negative sentences, interrogative sentences and negative interrogative
sentences, you must NOT use "do/ does/ did".
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Is there any difference in MEANINGS between the first 12 examples and the next 12 examples?
NO, friends. There is no difference in meanings. In our daily life, we can use sentences with the
main verb "dare". Or we can use sentences with the semi modal verb "Dare". Choice is ours.
We finished "Dare". Tomorrow we are going to see the last semi modal verb (Had better).
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HAD BETTER
Had better -- Lesson 1
==================
My dear beautiful friends. Welcome. The last semi modal verb “Had better" is waiting for us.
Let us meet it.
1) General suggestions:
--------------------------------
In our life, some situations are common for many people. They are general and natural for
many people. In these common, natural and general situations, some actions are useful and
right for many people.
If we tell others to do these actions in a friendly way, these actions are called "general
suggestions".
We use "should or ought to" to give general suggestions. See the below examples.
Example:
-- You should take care of your health.
-- You should study well.
-- You should eat well.
Friends, understand one thing. The above suggestions are general. Those suggestions are
common and applicable to all people or many people. Those suggestions are not limited to a
specific person in a specific situation. They are general suggestions in general situations in
general life.
2) Specific suggestions:
-------------------------------
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In a specific (particular) situation, we think/ believe a specific (particular) action is good for a
person. We tell him to do that action in a friendly way. This suggestion is limited to that specific
person in his specific situation. This is a specific suggestion.
We use "Had better" to give specific suggestions about the present or the future.
Structure:
-------------
Dear friends, "Had" is the past form of "have/ has". But "Had better" is not related to the past.
It is related to the present or the future.
Examples:
-- You had better stay here tonight. (Meaning: It is better for you to stay here tonight. / It is
better, if you stay here tonight.)
-- This is a good book. You had better read this book. (Meaning: It is better for you to read this
book. / It is better, if you read this book.)
-- You had better forget this matter. (Meaning: It is better for you to forget this matter. / It is
better, if you forget this matter.)
-- It will rain. We had better take an umbrella. (Meaning: It is better for us to take an umbrella.
/ It is better, if we take an umbrella.)
Friends, sometimes people use "best" instead of "better". This is also correct. The below
examples are correct. The above examples and the below examples have the same meaning.
Examples:
-- You had best stay here tonight.
-- This is a good book. You had best read this book.
-- You had best forget this matter.
-- It will rain. We had best take an umbrella.
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Dear friends, can we use "should and ought to" to give specific suggestions? Yes. We can also
use "should and ought to" to give specific suggestions. The following examples are correct.
Examples:
-- You should stay here tonight.
-- This is a good book. You should read this book.
1) We use "should & ought to" to give all kinds of suggestions (general suggestions & specific
suggestions).
2) We use "Had better" to give specific suggestions. We don't use it to give general suggestions.
3) "Had better & Had best" are same. we can use any term.
4) We should not use "to" with "Had better or Had best". The following examples are wrong.
examples:
-- You had better to stay here tonight. (wrong)
-- You had better to forget this matter. (wrong)
4) We never use "Had better" to tell responsibilities. We use should, ought to, have to and must
to tell responsibilities.
5) Finally, you should remember one thing. There are no "Have better or has better". Never use
them.
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-- He had better stay here tonight. (Right)
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Had better -- Lesson 2
==================
Examples:
-- You had better stop your drinking. Otherwise you will spoil your health. (Meaning: It is better
for you to stop drinking. If you don't stop your drinking, you will spoil your health.)
-- You had better take an umbrella. Otherwise you will get wet. (Meaning: It is better for you to
take an umbrella. If you don't take an umbrella, you will get wet.)
Threaten (verb) = to say that you will cause trouble, hurt somebody, etc. if you do not get what
you want
If we want to threaten a person or warn a person, we use “had better". When we are angry, we
use this usage.
Examples:
-- Stop talking. You had better shut up. (Meaning: Stop talking. It is better for you to shut up.)
-- Don't disturb me. You had better go to your room and sleep. (Don't disturb me. It is better for
you to go to your room and sleep.)
1. Affirmative Sentences:
---------------------------------
Examples:
-- You had better invite him. (Meaning: It is better for you to invite him.)
-- She had better go there. (Meaning: It is better for her to go there.)
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2. Negative Sentences:
-------------------------------
Here we use "had better not".
Examples:
-- You had better not invite him. (Meaning: It is not better for you to invite him.)
-- She had better not go there. (Meaning: It is not better for her to go there.)
3. Interrogative Sentences:
------------------------------------
Here we should start the sentence with "Had".
Examples:
-- Had you better invite him? (Meaning: Is it better for you to invite him?)
-- Had she better go there? (Meaning: Is it better for her to go there?)
Examples:
-- Hadn't you better invite him? (Meaning: Isn't it better for you to invite him?)
-- Hadn't she better go there? (Meaning: Isn't it better for her to go there?)
Friends, we have past forms for the semi modal verbs "Have to, Need, Dare etc.". But there is
no past form for "Had better". So, we can't use it for the past.
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Had better -- Lesson 3
==================
My dear wonderful friends, my hearty welcome to you. Now we are going to finish our
memorable journey. Now we are going to finish Semi modal verbs. This is the last lesson in
these series.
In the last two lessons, we saw many things about "Had better". Let us see some examples.
Examples:
-- I had better go there. (Meaning: It is better for me to go there.)
-- You had better go there. (Meaning: It is better for you to go there.)
-- He had better go there. (Meaning: It is better for him to go there.)
-- They had better go there. (Meaning: It is better for them to go there.)
Examples:
-- I better go there.
-- You better go there.
-- He better go there.
-- They better go there.
In the above examples, I removed "had". Now I have a question for you. Are the above
sentences correct?
Yes. They are correct. But we should use those sentences in very informal speeches. If you talk
with your friends or family members, you can use that kind of sentences. But in offices,
universities etc., you should use "had better".
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Friends, once again I'm writing the above examples. Please don't feel bored.
Examples:
-- I had better go there.
-- You had better go there.
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-- He had better go there.
-- They had better go there.
But in most cases, especially in spoken English, we don't see the above kind of sentences. We
see and hear the below kind of sentences very frequently.
Examples:
-- I'd better go there.
-- You'd better go there.
-- He'd better go there.
-- They'd better go there.
'd = had
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Now let us talk about "Would". We use "would" for many usages. Let us take one usage now.
"Would" is used to tell "present wants". see the below examples.
Examples:
-- I would like to drink coffee. (Meaning: Now I want to drink coffee.)
-- He would like to go there. (Meaning: Now he wants to go there.)
Examples:
-- I'd like to drink coffee.
-- He'd like to go there.
'd = would
Examples:
-- I'd better go there.
-- She'd better come here.
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Now I have a question for you, friends. In the above examples, what is 'd ? is it would or had?
Stop reading and think.
Answer:
In the above examples, 'd means had.
Why? Because there is "better". If you see "I'd better, She'd better, He'd better, They'd better,
etc., surely 'd means had. In English, there is "Had better". There is no "Would better".
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Answer:
All the above 4 sentences have the same meaning. But there is a small difference.
-- Sentence 1 is formal.
-- Sentences 2 & 3 are informal.
-- Sentence 4 is very informal
Formal (adjective) = very correct and suitable for official or important situations/ occasions.
Informal (adjective) = suitable for normal conversations with family members and friends
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