Couldn't plus an infinitive means that something is completely impossible. That's right, but don’t use the negative couldn't like this. When we're less sure about something, we can say, for example, the fossils might not, mightn’t or may not be from a known human species. Must or can't plus an infinitive both help us to express a strong belief that something is or isn't possible. So they must be from an unknown human species.
They can't come from a known human species – it's not possible. The researchers believe strongly that the fossils don't belong to any known human species. Now we use can't with an infinitive when we believe strongly that something isn't possible. It seems that the fossils can't be from any known human species.įiona uses the modal can’t there. That's right: it's a modal verb plus the continuous form of be plus verb–ing. In fact, we can say could be looking, might be looking or may be looking there. The research teams analysing fossils found in China and Taiwan could be looking at something very important… The modal verb could does this too, either with an infinitive or with a continuous form. Now the modal verbs might and may plus an infinitive show that we're talking about a present possibility, not a certainty. They might be the result of breeding between species or they may belong to an unknown human species.Įxactly. And we asked you: Are the fossils from humans?Īnd the answer is: Maybe. The fossils suggest that before modern humans arrived in Asia, more diverse human groups may have lived there than previously thought. They might be the result of breeding between species or they may belong to an unknown human species.
It seems that the fossils can't be from any known human species. The research teams analysing fossils found in China and Taiwan could be looking at something very important. While you listen, think about this question: Are the fossils from humans? And Fiona is talking about some ancient fossils that were found in China and Taiwan. We'll give you lots of examples…Īnd we’ll check what you've learned in our quiz.īut first, we're listening to Fiona, who is a science reporter. And modal verbs can express how sure or unsure we are about our guesses.
When we don't know something for sure, we often make guesses. Now modal verbs are used in a lot of different ways but in this programme we’re looking at the modal verbs we use when we're talking about things we think are possible or true – both in the present and in the past.
In today's programme we're having a look at modal verbs. Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me Finn.Īnd me Catherine.
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