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Identify the sentence where the modal verb suggests a past ability:
  • a)
    She might swim across the lake yesterday.
  • b)
    You must have seen that movie before.
  • c)
    He could play the guitar when he was younger.
  • d)
    They should have finished their homework by now.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Identify the sentence where the modal verb suggests a past ability:a)S...
The correct answer is Option C, "He could play the guitar when he was younger." The modal verb "could" in this sentence refers to a past ability or skill.

Interesting fact:
"Could" is a modal verb often used to express past ability or skills that a person possessed at some point in the past.
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Identify the sentence where the modal verb suggests a past ability:a)S...
Answer:

The sentence that suggests a past ability using a modal verb is option C: "He could play the guitar when he was younger."

Explanation:

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express various meanings such as possibility, necessity, ability, permission, and more. In this question, we are looking for a sentence where the modal verb suggests a past ability.

Modal Verbs:

Modal verbs are used to express different ideas and can be categorized into different types:

1. Ability: can, could
2. Possibility: may, might
3. Necessity: must, have to
4. Advice: should, ought to
5. Permission: may, can
6. Request: could, would

Identifying the Correct Sentence:

a) "She might swim across the lake yesterday." - This sentence uses the modal verb "might," which suggests a past possibility rather than a past ability. It indicates that she had the possibility to swim across the lake, but it does not imply that she had the ability to do so.

b) "You must have seen that movie before." - This sentence uses the modal verb "must," which suggests a strong deduction or certainty. It indicates that it is highly likely that you have seen the movie before, based on the speaker's deduction. However, it does not imply a past ability.

c) "He could play the guitar when he was younger." - This sentence uses the modal verb "could," which suggests a past ability. It indicates that he had the skill or capability to play the guitar when he was younger.

d) "They should have finished their homework by now." - This sentence uses the modal verb "should," which suggests an obligation or expectation. It indicates that it is expected or considered necessary for them to have finished their homework by now, but it does not imply a past ability.

Conclusion:

Among the given sentences, option C is the correct answer as it uses the modal verb "could" to suggest a past ability. The sentence "He could play the guitar when he was younger" indicates that he had the ability to play the guitar in the past.
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Identify the sentence where the modal verb suggests a past ability:a)She might swim across the lake yesterday.b)You must have seen that movie before.c)He could play the guitar when he was younger.d)They should have finished their homework by now.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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