A Lesson Over Coffee: Understanding English Modals in Real Life

In a busy corner of the city, there stood a small coffee shop called “The Grammar Grind.” To most, it was just a cozy place to sip lattes and escape the noise. But to a few language lovers, it was something more—a quiet classroom where grammar found its voice.

It was on a cloudy afternoon that the story began.

Raka, a college student studying English literature, was typing away at his thesis in the back corner of the café. His cappuccino was going cold, and his concentration was fading. That’s when Nina, his younger cousin still in high school, burst through the door, a piece of paper flapping in her hand.

“Raka, I need help! I don’t get this English homework about modals. What’s the difference between can, could, and may?”

Raka chuckled, closed his laptop, and gestured for her to sit down.

“Alright,” he said, picking up a napkin and a pen. “Let’s make this simple—and fun.”

Chapter 1: “Can” – The All-Rounder Modal

He scribbled the word CAN on the napkin.

“Can is used for ability, informal permission, and possibility,” Raka explained.

Examples:

• I can swim.

• Can I borrow your pen?

“Think of can like your best friend—easygoing, familiar, and helpful in everyday situations.”

Nina nodded. “So can is what I’d use when I ask my friend if I can use her phone?”

“Exactly,” Raka smiled. “You’re getting it.”

Chapter 2: “Could” – The Polite and Reflective One

Next, he wrote COULD.

“Could is more polite than can. It’s also used to talk about abilities in the past,” he said.

Examples:

• Could you help me, please?

• When I was ten, I could run faster than anyone.

“It’s like the version of can you use during a job interview or when you’re being extra respectful,” Raka added.

Nina laughed. “So could is the one I use when I’m trying to sound smarter?”

“In a way, yes,” Raka grinned.

Chapter 3: “May” – The Formal One with Class

Then he wrote MAY.

“May is the most formal of the three. We use it to ask permission politely, or to express possibility with a touch of elegance,” Raka said, pointing at the rain outside.

Examples:

• May I come in?

• It may rain today.

“May is like a headmaster—proper, calm, and often found in formal writing or speeches.”

Nina squinted. “So if I say May I go to the bathroom?, I sound like I’m in an exam?”

“Exactly,” Raka laughed. “That’s the perfect situation for may.”

Interlude: Why Modals Matter

Raka leaned back and said something important:

“Modals like can, could, may, might, must, shall, and should are special helping verbs. They never change form, no matter what the subject is. And they’re always followed by the base verb—no to, no -s, no nonsense.”

Examples:

• She can dance. (Not She cans dance)

• They should study. (Not They should studies)

“They’re like tools. Each one fits a different job—politeness, possibility, permission, or advice.”

Final Scene: A Cup of Coffee and a Lesson Learned

After almost an hour of chatting and scribbling, Nina folded her homework with a confident smile.

“Raka, I never knew grammar could actually be this interesting.”
“Depends on who’s teaching it,” Raka said with a wink.

The coffee was gone. The confusion was too. In that little café, a grammar lesson had unfolded like a story—warm, familiar, and just the right blend of useful and sweet.

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Final Note:
Modals aren’t just grammar points in a textbook. They reflect tone, politeness, time, and even personality. Learn them not just as rules, but as tools—so you can speak with clarity, respect, and purpose.