1. exsamples
There isn't a boy.
There are books.
There aren't boys.
There are books.
There aren't boys.
Were there books?
Is there time?
Are there any children?

2. *interrogative
statements)
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Is there any sugar in the sugar pot?
Is there any cool water in the fridge
Is there any quiet place around here
Are there any glasses in the cupboard
Are there any chairs in your room?

3. *Can and could
concept
* Can and could are modal auxiliary verbs which express ability,
permission, request, offer or possibility.
* Could is originally the past form of can, but it also has certain
functions which can does not, for example, it is used in
hypothetical conditions.

4. *
*
She can speak English very well.
* I could ride a bike, but
* I couldn’t swim when I was seven years old.
* You can have a coffee break after you type these
letters.
* Could I have some more salad with the meat?
* Can I help you? Can I carry your bag?
* It could rain this afternoon.
* This can’t be true.
* We could get there in time if you were driving a bit
faster.

5. are also used to express the progressive (continuous) aspect of
verbs of perception (see, hear, feel, taste, smell, etc.) and
verbs like understand, remember, etc:
* Examples:
Can you see the woman standing over there?
* We were so near the sea that I could hear the seagulls.
* When she entered the kitchen, she could smell something
*
burning.
* I put my keys to a safe place before swimming, but now
I can’t remember where.
* She couldn’t understand what the foreigner was saying.

6. concept
As the past form of can, could is used for general
ability in the past and in reported speech.
* Examples:
When she was younger, she could work for ten hours without
stopping.
* He said he could get his wife to come to the football with
us.
*

7. * It is not used when only one occasion is
implied, except for negative sentences:
* Examples:
How many goals were you able to score on Sunday?
* They managed to get to the station in ten minutes
by taking a taxi.
* I was able to find all the words in the dictionary,
still I couldn’t translate the text.

8. *
In requests, orders and
suggestions, could is more polite
than can:
* Examples:
Can I use your phone?
* Could you please do me a favour?
* Do you think you could help me for a few minutes?
* Do the washing first, then you can clean your
room.
* When you’ve finished the letter,
you could translate this article, if you like.
* If you haven’t got anything to do this afternoon,
you could clean the car.

9. * When we ask for permission, could is more
polite than can. Could is not used to give or
refuse permission:
* Examples:
Can/Could I ask you something? – Yes, of course you can.
* You can go now if you want to.
* Can I stay here for another hour? – No, I’m afraid you can’t.