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Hello.
喂。
Hi. Could I speak to Faith, please?
喂。我能和费思通电话吗？
This is Faith.
我是费思。
Faith! This is John.
费思！我是约翰。
Hi John, how are you doing?
嗨，约翰，你好吗？
Great! You know, I was thinking about phone calls and how they connect with an important area of grammar modal verbs.
很好！我在想打电话以及它们是如何与一个重要的语法“情态动词”联系在一起。
We use modal verbs to help change the meaning of other verbs.
我们使用情态动词来帮助改变其他动词的意思。
I can think of a couple modal verbs that are especially useful when describing or making phone calls: can and could.
我能想到两个情态动词，它们在描述或打电话时特别有用：can和could。
Let's explore both of them.
我们一起来探讨一下这两个情态动词。
Can suggests ability.
Can表示能力。
Here's an example: Imagine you are sitting with family or friends. You hear the phone ring and perhaps everyone looks around to see who is going to answer the phone.
举个例子：想象你和家人或朋友坐在一起。你听到电话响了，也许每个人都环顾四周，看谁去接电话。
You say: I can answer the phone. The main verb is "answer."
你说：我能接电话。主动词是“answer”。
In this case, the modal "can" suggests ability.
在这种情况下，情态动词“can”表示能力。
You are able to answer the phone.
你能接电话。
You may or may not want to answer the phone.
你可能想也可能不想接电话。
Another modal is very important when making phone calls: could.
打电话时，另一个情态动词也很重要：could。
One of its uses is to express a polite request or suggestion.
它的用法之一是礼貌地表达请求或建议。
For example, when you called me, John, you said: Could I speak to Faith, please?
例如，约翰，当你打电话给我时，你说：我能和费思通电话吗？
The use of the modal "could" along with the word "please" communicates politeness.
情态动词“could”和“please”一起使用表达礼貌。
If I had said, "I want to talk to Faith."
如果我说，“我想和费思说话。”
My meaning would have been understood, but Faith might have thought that I was being too direct, familiar, or demanding.
我的意思可能会被理解，但费思可能会认为我太直接、太随便或太过分。
In other words, she might have thought I was being rude.
换句话说，她可能会认为我很粗鲁。
Well, you are rude, but not because of how you speak to people on the phone.
你很粗鲁，但不是因为你打电话时说话的方式。
Hey! That's not nice!
嘿！这可不好！
And that's Everyday Grammar.
以上就是今天的《每日语法》。
