I was going to call you, but my battery died.
Prediction My sister is going to have a baby.
The sky was dark; it was going to rain.
BE LIKELY TO
Probability Smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer compared to non-smokers.
He knew that he was likely to be promoted.
BE LIKELY THAT
Probability It is likely that he will win the race.
It was likely that Mrs Hancock would become president.
BE TO
Arrangements + action performed Mr Jones was to speak at the meeting.
Arrangements + action not performed Mr Jones was to have spoken at the meeting, but he had to cancel because of his illness.
Obligation What am I to do?
Official arrangements The Prime Minister is to visit India next month.
Official orders At the end of the course, all students are to take a written exam.
Prohibition You are not to do that again!
CAN
Ability Tom can play the piano.
If you ask him, he can probably help you.
Criticism You can be really annoying, you know!
Offers Can I help you?
Permission You can borrow my car if you want.
Can I use your phone?
Students can choose any topic for their project.
Possibility Winters in Minnesota can be really cold.
Requests Can you lend me $10?
Can I borrow your car?
CAN'T
Ability We can't enter this street because it's blocked.
Deduction It's only 10 o'clock. He can't be at home.
It can't have been Carla you saw this morning. She is away on holiday.
Prohibition I'm sorry, but you can't stay here.
We can't eat in the library.
COULD
Ability I could see him through the window.
Criticism George could really help you!
George could really have helped you!
Offers I could give you a lift.
General permission When I was a child, I could do basically anything that I wanted to do.
Asking for permission Could I have a glass of water?
Possibility You could be right.
I could have caught the bus if I had hurried.
Suggestions You could talk to your parents and ask them.
Requests Could you tell me where the train station is?
Uncertainty We haven't heard from him for 10 years. He could have died.
COULDN'T
Ability She couldn't speak German then.
I couldn't walk any further.
Deduction It's only 10 o'clock. He couldn't be at home.
It couldn't have been Carla you saw this morning. She is away on holiday.
Possibility The food is delicious and the staff couldn't be more polite.
It was a great year, and I couldn't have been happier.
DARE
"Have the courage to do something" How dare she criticise us?
I daren't think how many victims there are.
DARE (TO)
"Have the courage to do something" Do you dare (to) tell him what happened to his bike?
Don't you dare interrupt me!
Who dares (to) argue with me?
He didn't dare (to) look back.
HAD BETTER