English Modal Verbs Table

Modal verb

can

cannot /
cant

could

Function

Example

to show ability

I can do several things

at the same time.

to suggest that something

is possible

Miracles can happen.

to give an option

Students can pre-enroll in classes.

to ask for permission

Can you lend me your pen?

to give permission

You can go now.

Informal requests

Can you come for a minute?

to show impossibility

It cannot be Ahmad standing there. He has

gone to India for a month.

to show inability

Sheila cant play the piano.

to show past ability

Uncle Sham could run 10 kilometers when he

was young.

to ask a polite question

Could you move

your bag, please?

to show possibility

It could be that he
missed the train.

to give an option

You could have tried going that way.

to show impossibilty

He could not be here at the party. He is out of

town.

to show possibility

It may rain tomorrow.

may

to ask or give
permission (formal)

May I speak?

might

to show possibility

could not
/ couldnt

He said he might
change his mind. (past form of may)
This might fail.

must
must not/
mustn't

should

to show neccesity

You must obey the law

to show probabilty or to
make a logical assumption

They left so early, they

must be home by now.

to show prohibition

You mustn't smoke in here.

the right thing to do

She should call the police.

to ask for
advice/suggestion
to give advice

- What should I do?

- You should stop
thinking about it.

would

ought to

to show possibilty / to
show expectation

We should be
back by midnight.

to indicate future time in

the sentence that is in the
past

He told me he would come.

to talk about imagined

situations

What would you do

if you were him?

to ask polite question, to

offer and to invite

- Would you please sit down?

- Would you like some tea?
- We are meeting with Sarah
next Saturday, would you like to come along?

to express a desire

I would like a piece of cake.

to indicate a repeated
action in the past

When John lived in London, he would go to the

park every day.

to show advisability

You ought to apologize.

to show obligation

We ought to register to vote.

to show expectation

You ought to receive my letter in two days.