Modal verbs

Ability, possibility, obligation, necessity, Advice, Permission, Request,

Invitation, Suggestion, Preference, promise and Refuse

Ability :

can / Can’t = be able to…

Present

Can : I can swim. = I am able to swim.

Can’t

Past

Could : I could swim when I was Little = I was able to swim when I was …

Possiblity :
May:
My brother may come from France tomorrow = It is possible that my brother will come.
Could : he could come tomorrow = It is possible that he will come tomorrow.

Might : My brother might come from France tomorrow = It is unlikely (less possible) that my
brother will come.

Obligation:

Have to : I have to do my homework. It is obligatory to my homework (external obligation)

Must: I must do my homework. It is obligatory to my homework (internal obligation)

Prohibition :
Mustn’t : You mustn’t use a calculator in Maths exam = You are prohibited from using a calculator.

Necessity:

Need: I need to help him = It is necessary to help him.

Advice
Should / shouldn’t
Ought to / oughtn‘t : I ………see the dentist = it is the best thing to see the dentist.
 Had better / had better not WRONG THING (negative)

Permission:

May : You may park here (a policeman to a driver) = You are allowed to / have the permission to

Request: (ask someone for something)

(more formal)Would : Would you mind opening the window = I ask you politely to open the window
Can : can you open the window = I ask you politely to open the window
Could : could you open the window = I ask you politely to open the window

Invitation / offering

Would : Would you like some tea ? = I offer / invite you for some tea.

I’ll : I’ll make some tea = I offer / invite you for some tea.

Suggestion:

shall : Shall we go to the cinema?

How about+ v+ing :  How about going to the cinema?

Let ‘s : let’s go to the cinema.

Would : would you like to go the cinema?

Preference :

Prefer : I perfer to go to the cinema

Rather :I’d rather go the cinema

Promise : WILL

Will : I will do it. I promise that I will do it.

Refuse : Will not / won’t

Will not / won’t : I will not go to school = I refuse to go to school.

 Rewrite the following statments. Use modal verbs.

1. Ask your friend to send the letters for you.

2. Suggest to your father to visit Fes.
3. Invite your friend for tea.
4. Advise your friend to get prepared for the exam.
5. Refuse to go to bed early .
6. Promise your friend that you will not be late
7. Give permission to your friend to use your book.
8. Say to your friend that he is obliged to submit his homework to the teacher.

I couldn’t grasp the exercise that our teacher gave us this morrning.

The books might be here tomorrow.

Children may watch tv when they finish their homework.