]. 2. Модальный глагол can в прошедшем времени группы Simple.
Модальный глагол can в Past Simple
имеет форму could [].
2.1. В утвердительном предложении could употребляется главным образом в значении уметь:
| 1. The children could swim because they lived by the sea. | Дети умели плавать, потому что они жили у моря. |  |
| 2. When I was young, I could play hockey. | В молодости я умел игратьв хоккей. | |
| 3. Her son could already , read when he was four. | Ее сын уже умел читать когда ему было четыре года. | |
В значении мочь, иметь возможность could употребляется в утвердительном предложении реже, так как не показывает, действительно ли было совершено действие, о котором идет речь, или нет. Ясно только, что бьша возможность его совершить.
| When I was on holiday, I could play tennis nearly every day. | Когда я был в отпуске, я мог (имел возможность) почти каждый день играть в теннис. |
В тех случаях, когда хотят подчеркнуть, что возможность удалось реализовать, действие смогли выполнить, по-русски говорят смог, сумел, а в английском языке используют оборот be able быть в состоянии, плюс инфинитив смыслового глагола с частицей to.
| 1. I was able to answer all their questions. | Я смог ответить на все их вопросы. |
| 2. I'm so glad you were able to come. | Я так рад, что вы смогли прийти. |
2.2. В отрицательных предложениях и общих вопросах could употребляется без ограничений, как в значении уметь, так и в значении мочь:
| 1. When John fust came to Russia three years ago, he couldn't speak Russian at all. | Когда Джон впервые приехал в Россию три года тому назад, он совершенно не умел говорить по-русски. |
|
| 2. We couldn't settle all the problems last time. | Мы не смогли урегулировать все проблемы в прошлый раз. | |
| 3. I'm sorry, I couldn't get through to him. | Извините, но я не мог к нему дозвониться. | |
| 4. Could he answer all your questions? | Он смог ответить на все ваши вопросы? | |
| 5. Couldn't you take a taxi? | Разве вы не могли взять такси? | |
2.3. Could, как и can, часто сочетается с глаголами восприятия. В таких сочетаниях can и could на русский язык не переводятся:
| 1. Can you hear me well? | Ты меня хорошо слышишь? | |
| 2. We had bad seats, so we couldn't see well. | У нас были плохие места, поэтому нам было плохо видно. | |
Прочитайте вслух и переведите.
| 1. | My daughter could play the piano when she was only six. | |
| 2. | Old Tim could dance very well when he was young. | |
| 3. | I couldn't go to the theatre yesterday. | |
| 4. | I didn't ring you, because I couldn't remember your telephone number. | |
| 5. | We could see the game quite well from our seats. | |
| 6. | Couldn't you hear me when I phoned you? | |
| 7. | We couldn't speak English at all last year. | |
| 8. | He didn't speak clearly, so a lot of people couldn't understand him. | |
| 9. | They asked me the way in English, and I was able to show It to them. | |
| 10. | The boy couldn't tell us the way, because he didnt understand English. | |
| 11. | I was glad I was able to finish my homework before the movie began. | |
| 12. | I was so sorry I couldn't finish my homework before the movie began. | |
| 13. | I could hear you very clearly, but you couldn't hear me. | |
| 14. | Could you watch the game on the telly yesterday? | |
Прочитайте вслух текста обращая внимание на употребление глагола can и оборота be able. Задайте вопросы друг другу по содержанию эпизода и инсценируйте его в классе.
Anne Parker, a young British scientist, is on a visit to Moscow to attend a conference. Peter Smimov, her Russian counterpart, was able to get some tickets for the Maly Theatre for Saturday, and he wanted to take his British colleague, but he fell III at the last moment and couldn't go. So Anne went without him. When she was back at her hotel after the theatre, she rang Peter.
Anne: Hellol Is that you, Peter? This is Anne.
Peter. Hello, Anne! How did you like the play?
A. Oh, it was excellent. But how are you?
P. Well, the doctor doesn't let me go out yet, but I'm quite all right. Now tell
me about the play.
A. Oh, it was marvellous. I'm so sorry you weren't able to go with me.
P. Yes, it 
was a 
pity. But tell me, were the seats good?
A. Yes, I could see and hear very well. And I could understand the actors quite
well, they spoke very cleariy.
P. Oh, your Russian's excellent!
A. No, Peter, not yet. I can say quite a lot of things now, but I can't always
understand people. P. Last year you could only say some very simple words in
Russian. Don't you remember? A. Of course, I do! I couldn't understand people at
all. Well, now it's my turn to get tickets for the
theatre. What about next Saturday?
P. Fine. Thanks a lot! A. Not at all.
| scientist ['       ] |
ученый (в области естественных и точных наук) | |
attend [' ]
|
присутствовать на | |
| conference ['    ]
go to a conference be at a conference |
конференция | |
| counterpart ['   :] |
коллега, представитель другой организации | |
| fall ill (fell, fallen) Syn. get iII |
заболеть | |
| play | пьеса | |
| marvellous ['  :  ] |
чудесный, прекрасный, удивительный | |