English Grammar and Composition for Public Schools

by G. H. Armstrong

CAN.

		PRESENT TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I can,		1. We can,
	2. Thou canst,		2. You can,
	3. He can.		3. They can.

		PAST TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I could,		1. We could,
	2. Thou couldst,		2. You could,
	3. He could.		3. They could.

Can is used to denote power or ability; as, I can sing. He could write very rapidly.

MAY.

		PRESENT TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I may,		1. We may,
	2. Thou mayest,		2. You may,
	3. He may.		3. They may.

		PAST TENSE.
	Singular.		Plural.
	1. I might,		1. We might,
	2. Thou mightest,		2. You might,
	3. He might.		3. They might.

May is used to denote permission, possibility, or a wish; as, You may leave the room. He might succeed again. May you be there too.

Could and might are used sometimes in a conditional sense; as, They might stay here if we could help them.

The phrases made by the auxiliaries may and can with the infinitive of a verb are sometimes called potential verb-phrases, because they express that an action is possible from the subject having power to perform it.