英語中,情態(tài)動(dòng)詞can / could, may / might, must / can, would / should 等都可以表示“推測”。具體用法如下:
1. can 和could
can 表示推測時(shí),可能性比較大,用于疑問句或否定句中,不用于肯定句中, 意思是“不可能”。表示一種有把握的推測。表示否定時(shí),can’t語氣最強(qiáng)。如:
It can’t be Mr Li. He has gone to Nanjing already.
They can’t know the answer. Let me explain it to them.
That can’t be her husband. She is still single.
could 表示推測時(shí),可以用于否定句,也可以用在后面跟不定式一般式的肯定句。表示可能性不大的推測。意思相當(dāng)于may / might。如:
Anything could happen if you do not obey the rule.
It could be true. But I still doubt it.