英语单词短语词组“grammar/british-grammar/modality-tense”的中文翻译、释义及用法解析-英汉词典

Modalverbsdo not change in form to make different tenses.

All of the modal verbs can refer topresent and future time. Only some of them can refer to past time.

[ready-made pastry is pastry you can buy which is ready to use]

When I was in school, youcouldget a type of ready-made pastry. I think youcanstill get it now.(couldrefers to past time;canrefers to present time)

Students on a computer course at the polytechnicwillget their own laptops next year.(willrefers to future time)

The modal verbs that only refer to past time are sometimes seen as past forms of the other core modal verbs.

We often use the past forms to be more polite or formal, or less direct.

Compare

Canyou just have a quick look at the pasta?	Couldyou just have a quick look at the pasta?	Couldis a little less direct.
Willyou find me another pen?	Wouldyou find me another pen?	Wouldis more polite.
Youmaywant to change the formatting.	Youmightwant to change the formatting.	Mightis a little more formal and distant.

See also:

Can
Could
Would
Will

We usewould, could, shouldandmightas the reported forms ofwill, can, shallandmayin reported clauses.

Compare

what was said	reported
I’llanswer the phone.	She said shewouldanswer the phone.
If we’ve lost the customer’s order, wecan’tblame that on anybody else,canwe?	He said that if they’d lost the customer’s order theycouldn’tblame that on anybody else,couldthey?
How much foodshallI take?	She wondered how much food sheshouldtake.
The animalsmaybe there but itmaynot be easy to see them because they are too small.	They said that the animalsmightbe there but itmightnot be easy to see them because they were too small.

Modality: tense

Modal verbs in past, present and future time

Past and present relations

Politeness

Reported clauses

Past and continuous