What does the underlined Modal express in the following sentence?
Can I give you a lift?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → offer
"Can I ...?" as an offer:
- Can I + verb is often used to offer help to someone: "Can I help you?", "Can I carry that bag?"
- This sentence: "Can I give you a lift?" means the speaker is offering to take the listener somewhere in his car.
Example: Can I get you a glass of water?
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: capability — Incorrect. Capability is shown by can in statements such as "I can drive"; here the speaker is not asking about his own ability.
Example: My grandfather can read without glasses.
Option 3: request — Incorrect. A request asks the listener to do something for the speaker ("Can you help me?"); here the speaker offers to do something for the listener.
Example: Can you pass me the salt, please?
Option 4: permission — Incorrect. "Can I ...?" asks permission when the speaker wants something for himself ("Can I go out?"); giving someone a lift is an offer of help.
Example: Can I leave early today?
Contrast: "Can I ...?" offers help or asks permission for oneself; "Can you ...?" makes a request.