Pragmatic competence and linguistic transfer in English modal verb selection by teacher trainees : can, could and be able to

Abstract

Throughout the twentieth century, English progressively consolidated its position as the dominant medium for global communication. This development has been shaped by a range of geopolitical and historical factors, which have intensified in recent decades. In contexts such as professional networking, business expansion, and technological advancement, adopting a global perspective has become essential in order to facilitate effective cross-cultural communication. Consequently, fostering communicative competence has become a priority within language education.