Centro de Educación Integral CEDI 

Sábado marzo 28, 2020 
 
GOAL​: Identify the use of ​SOCIAL MODAL 
 
Social Modals​: Suggestions, Advice, Warnins, Instructions 
SOCIAL MODAL 2 
 
 

1.   

The  modals  ​could  and  ​might  are  used  to  make  suggestions;  ​should 
and  ​ought  to  are  used  for  advice;  ​had  better  is  used  to  give 
warnings;  ​have  to,  have  got  to​,  and  ​must are used for strong advice; 
should and must are also used for explaining instructions: 
 
Suggestions:  You  Could  call the doctor. 
You  Might  call the doctor. 
Advice:  You  Should  call the doctor. 
You  Ought to  call the doctor. 
Warnings:  You  Had better  call the doctor or you´ll get pneumonia. 
Strong advice:  You  Have to  call the doctor. 
You  Have got to  call the doctor. 
You  Must  call the doctor. 
Instructions:  You  Should  Take  one  tablet  after  each  meal.  You  ​must  not  exceed  the 
recommended dosage. 
 
 
 

2.   

The  modals  you choose will affect the strength and meaning of what 

you say: 
Weaker could, might 
should, ought to 
had better 

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have to, have got to 

Stronger must 
 
 
 

3.   

Could  is  used  for  making  casual  suggestions,  especially  when  there 
is a choice: 
Miguel:  My back still hurt. What should I do? 
John:  You c
​ ould​ call the doctor now, or you c
​ ould​ wait until tomorrow. 
 
 
 

4.   

Might ​is also used for making casual or tentative suggestions: 

Karen:  I don't know what to do about my car. I´m having a lot trouble with it. 
Sonya:  You m​ ight​ ask Kelly about her mechanic. I think she just found a good one. 
 
 
 

5.   

The  modal  ​shall  is  rare  in  America  English.  It  is  especially  used  in 
questions  with  ​I  or  ​we  to  make  suggestions  and  at  the  same  time  to 
ask if the suggestion is OK: 
Shall:  I turn on the radio? (Is that OK with you) 
Shall:  We leave early? (Is that OK with you) 
 
 
 
 

6.   

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Should  and  ​ought  to  make  advice  sound  stronger,  ​should  is 
much  more  common  than  ​ought  to​.  ​Should  can  be  used  in 
questions and negative statements, but ​ought to​ cannot: 
Marcelo:  What s​ hould​ I do? I feel awful. 
Anna:  You o
​ ught to​ call the doctor. You ​shouldn't​ go to work. 
 
 
 

7.   

Had  better  is  stronger  than  ​should  and  ​ought  to​.  It  is  used  to  give 
warnings  and  to  mention  bad  consequences.  These  consequences 
are  often  stated  in  clauses  beginning  with  or.  ​Had  better  is  used  in 
affirmative and negative statements and in negative questions: 
Enilsa:  I´ve been sick for two weeks. 
Elvira:  You had better go the doctor, or your cold will get much worse. 
 
 
 

8.   

Have better ​and​ have got to ​are used advice: 

Ivan:  Where s ​ hould​ I take my parents tonight? 
Tatiana:  You h
​ ave to​ take them to that new Thai restaurant. OR 
You h​ ave got to​ take them to that new Thai restaurant. 
 
 
 

9.   

Must  is  the  strongest  modal  for  advice  and  is  used  for  emphasis 
when the advice is certain or when the situation is serious. 
Arturo: Where s
​ hould​ I take my parents tonight? 
Dennis:  You m​ ust​ take them to that new Thai restaurant. They´ll love it. 
 
Alexa:  I´ve been sick for two weeks. 
Dina:  You m ​ ust​ see the doctor. Your cough sounds very bad. 

COMPLEMENTARY READING 
 

CONVERSATIONS NOTES 
 
 

1.   

In  informal  conversations,  ​ought  to  is  often  pronounced  ​oughtta​, 

have  to  is often pronounced, ​hafta​, ​has to is pronounced ​hasta​, and 
have got to​ is frequently pronounced ​gotta​. 
 
Written form  Spoken form 
   
You ​ought to​ go to the doctor.  You ​oughtta​ go to the doctor. 
You ​have to​ go to the doctor.  You​ hafta​ go to the doctor. 
He ​has to​ go to the doctor.  He ​hasta​ go to the doctor. 
You ​have got to​ go to the doctor.  You ​gotta​ go to the doctor. 
 
 
 

2.   

Had  better  is  often  contracted  to  ​´d  better  in  conversation  and 
informal writing. In negative statements, ​not​ is not contracted. 
Statements:  You'​d better​ call the doctor. 
Negative Statements:  You'​d better​ not go to work. 
Negative Questions:  Hadn't​ you better call the doctor? 
 
 
 

3.   

In  very  informal  conversation  you  will  sometimes  hear  only  ​better or 
better not​. The contracted form of ​had​ is dropped completely. 
SPOKEN ONLY:  “You b​ etter​ call the doctor” 
SPOKEN ONLY:  You b
​ etter​ not wait any longer. 

COMPLEMENTARY READING