Examples. (ARNOLD is looking out the window.)

(ARNOLD is looking out the window.)

JACK: Hey, Arnold. Is it raining outside?

ARNOLD: It must be. People are carrying umbrellas. But it must be raining very lightly. I can't see the rain very well.

JACK: Where did Yolanda go?

ARNOLD: She's in the kitchen.

JACK: Is she serving the dessert now?

ARNOLD: I think she might be.

• ACTIVITY 6J

Read the description of each situation. Then make sentences using the present continuous tense of may/might or must.

1.Yolanda's grandmother is sitting at a window, and she's thinking about some of the happy moments in her life. What are some things that she might be thinking about?

a. She might be thinking about the birth of her first child.

______________________________________________________________________

b. ____________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

c. _______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

d._____________________________________________________________________

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2. Jack and Molly are having a small argument. What do you think they are arguing about?

a. _____________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

COULD – ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS, POSSIBILITY,

AND IMPOSSIBILITY

Alternative Solutions – Future

When someone has a problem, we can suggest alternative solutions with could. This is a polite way to make a suggestion. We can also suggest solutions to our-selves; for example, in the dialogue on page 73, Jack says, «I could take the bus up to Vermont tomorrow.»

Examples

JACK: Arnold, I want to do something special for Molly when she gets back from skiing. I want to show her that I really missed her.

ARNOLD: You could write a poem for her.

JACK: Be serious!

YOLANDA: You could get tickets for that new show on Broadway. She really wants to see it.

ARNOLD: You could meet her at the airport with a dozen red roses.

JACK: Yeah. I could do that. That's a good idea.

Possibility – Present

Could has the same meaning as may/might when we use it in the present continuous tense.