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(WeChat Official Account: BBC English Intensive Reading and Listening) Sweet Bear shares with you:
Understanding the Differences Between can be, could be, may be, and maybe
1. can
(1) Indicates ability.
For example: Can you swim? 你会游泳吗?
He can speak both English and French. 他会讲英语和法语.
I can’t lift that box. 我提不起那箱子.
(2) Indicates permission (similar to the meaning of may).
For example: You can go now. 你们现在可以走了.
Can I hand in the exercise book tomorrow? 明天我再交练习本行吗?
(3) Indicates possibility.
For example: Can you go with us? 你跟我们一起走吗?
Wood can be made into paper. 木材可以造纸.
(4) Indicates doubt, speculation, or surprise (mainly used in negative or interrogative sentences).
For example: ——Someone is knocking at the door. 有人敲门.
——Who can it be? Can it be Ling Feng? 会是谁呢? 难道是凌峰?]
That man can’t be our headmaster. Our headmaster has gone to England. 那个人不可能是我们的校长, 我们校长去英国了.
2. could
(1) Could is the past tense of can, indicating past ability and past possibility.
For example: He couldn’t go that day. 那天他不能去. (possibility)
She asked if she could keep the book for another two days. 她问那本书她是否可以再借两天. (possibility)
He couldn’t answer all the questions. 不是所有的问题他都能回答. (ability)
(2) Indicates a polite way to ask questions or state opinions (present tense).
For example: Could I speak to Mr. Zhang, please? （电话里）请找张先生接电话好吗?
(3) Indicates surprise, doubt, or disbelief.
For example: He couldn’t be a thief. 他不可能是个小偷.
How could he be so silly? 他怎么会这么傻?
3. May
(1) Indicates asking or stating whether something can be done.
For example: You may come here whenever you like. 你想什么时候来就什么时候来.
Using may for polite or formal requests, and responding with may can seem cold, so it’s better to use a warmer response.
For example: ——May I smoke here? 我可以在这里吸烟吗?
——Yes, please./ Certainly. 可以./ 当然可以. If you say Yes, you may, it gives a sense of reluctance.
(2) Indicates that something may happen.
For example: She may be right. 她可能是对的.
4. might
(1) As the past tense of may, used to indicate something that could have been done or might happen in the past.
For example: They thought they might be there on time. 他们认为他们可以准时到达那里.
(2) Used in interrogative sentences to indicate politeness.
For example: Might you make some room for me? 您可以给我让点地方吗?
5. must
(1) Indicates something that must be done.
For example: You mustn’t come so late next time. 下次你不能来这么晚.
When answering a general question led by must, if indicating affirmation, use must. If indicating negation, use needn’t or don’t have to, because must indicates prohibition or disallowance.
For example: ——Must we all come tomorrow? 明天我们必须全部来吗?
——Yes, you must./ No, you needn’t./ No, you don’t have to. 是的,必须全部来./ 不,没必要./ 不,不必.
(2) Indicates a strong inference.
For example: Miss Gao must be in the office. 高老师一定在办公室里.
This must be Wang Hai’s book. 这一定是王海的书.