A fable about a problem, and about thinking. A bird, a jug, and not enough water.
Aesop’s Fables · Part 1 · Modal verbs: possibility and prediction
The Crow and the Pitcher
Might, may, could, will, won’t and could never: the grammar of what is possible, what is likely and what is certain, puzzled out by a thirsty crow, tested by Marcos, and precisely footnoted by Philo.
🐦⬛ Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are the Crow.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
PHILO
I like fables where the hero wins by thinking.
The fable
After Aesop
It had not rained for weeks, and a Crow was dying of thirst. At last she found a pitcher standing in a garden, with a little water at the bottom.
She put her beak into the neck of the pitcher, but it wasn’t long enough. The water was too far down. She tried to push the pitcher over, but it was too heavy.
The Crow sat on the garden wall and thought. “What might work?” she said to herself. “I could break it, but the water would soak into the ground. I could fly off and look for a river, but I might die before I find one.”
Then she saw the pebbles in the garden path. She picked up one pebble and dropped it into the pitcher. Then another, and another, and another.
Slowly, pebble by pebble, the water rose, until at last it reached the top, and the Crow could drink.
Little by little does the trick. Where force fails, patience and thought may succeed.
Might, may, could: possible, not certain
MARCOS
I would just smash the jug. That might work.
SOPHIA
It might. Might, may and could all say that something is possible, but not certain. Smashing it might work. It may work. It could work. In most sentences, they are almost the same.
Might not: perhaps not
DEMETRIA
But it might not work! The water would go into the ground.
SOPHIA
Careful now. Might not and may not mean perhaps not. But couldn’t means impossible: It might not work (perhaps it won’t). It couldn’t work (there’s no way it will).
Will and won’t: certain predictions
PHILO
The Crow could see that one thing was certain: if she did nothing, she would die. If she dropped enough pebbles, the water will rise.
SOPHIA
A small correction, Philo: “the water will rise” is a present prediction; in a past story we say would. Will / won’t are for predictions we are sure of: The water will rise. The pitcher won’t fall over; it’s too heavy.
May well, might well: probably
THE CLERK
It may well rain tomorrow. I heard thunder over the sea.
SOPHIA
Good. May well / might well / could well mean probably: more likely than plain may. After a week of pebbles, crows may well be the cleverest birds in Alexandria.
Can: general possibility
PHILO
A footnote. Can is used for things that are possible in general, sometimes: Crows can be very clever. Summers can be very dry in Egypt. But for one particular possibility, we say could or might: It could rain today, not it can rain today.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| might / may / could + verb | possible, not certain | Smashing it might work. |
| might not / may not | perhaps not | It might not work. |
| couldn’t / can’t | impossible | Her beak couldn’t reach the water. |
| will / won’t | certain predictions | The water will rise. |
| may well / might well | probably | It may well rain tomorrow. |
| can | general possibility (sometimes true) | Crows can be very clever. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best form
Choose the form that fits best.
1. Take an umbrella. It ___ rain later. (possible)
2. Summers in Egypt ___ be very hot. (in general)
3. If you drop more pebbles, the water ___ rise. (certain)
4. The pitcher is made of stone. It ___ break easily. (impossible)
5. Look at those clouds. It ___ well rain. (probable)
6. I’m not sure the plan will work. It ___ work.
B · Complete the sentence
Write the missing modal.
7. Try this idea. It work, but I’m not sure.
8. The Crow’s beak reach the water: it was too far down. (impossible, past)
9. Don’t worry. The water rise if you keep dropping pebbles. (certain)
10. Crows be very clever animals. (in general)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “Take a coat. It can rain this afternoon.”
12. “This plan may well be the answer.”
13. “The pitcher might to fall over.”
Now be the Crow yourself. Can you think your way to a drink before it’s too late?Play the gamebook →