Could/May/Might + present infinitive: Possibility in a specific situation.
He should keep that souvenir - it may be valuable one day.
Note: we can use can/could/might in questions
BUT NOT may. Do you think that he can/could/might fix it?
Could/Might/Would + perfect infinitive: Refers to sth in the past that was possible but didn't happen. He might have succeeded if he had tried harder.
Ability/Inability
We use the following verbs to talk about ability:
Present
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can, can't, be able to, manage to
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I can't swim.
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Past
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could, couldn't, he able to, manage to
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They weren't able to find out his name.
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Perfect
|
be able to, manage to
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Have you managed to finish the report yet?
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Future
|
be able to, manage to
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I won't be able to meet you later.
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Can expresses ability in the present/future.I can lean play the piano.
Could expresses general, repeated ability in the past. I could talk when I was two.
Was(n't) able to expresses (in)ability on a specific occasion in the past. I was(n't) able to get to the airport in time to catch my flight.
Couldn't may be used to express any kind of inability in the past, repeated or specific. I couldn't speak French when I was two. I couldn't/wasn't able to remember his name when I saw him in the street.
Logical Assumptions/Deductions
Must, may, can't, etc + bare infinitive: for assumptions about the present.
perfect infinitive: for assumptions about the past.
Must = almost certain that this is/was true. (= very likely)
She's been working all day, so she must be really tired!
She was working all day yesterday, so she must have been really tired!
May/Might/Could = possible that this is/was true. (= possible)
John isn't at work today - he may/might be out of town on business.
John wasn't at work yesterday - he may/might have been out of town on business.
Can't/couldn't = almost certain that this is/was impossible.(=very unlikely)
That can't be Janet over there - she's at her grandparents’ at the moment.
That can't have been Janet you saw - she was at her grandparents' at that time.
Could, may and might express the same degree of possibility:
He may/might/could remember some things already.
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