Língua Inglesa:

Intermediário
Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Responsável pelo Conteúdo:

Prof.ª Me. Silvana Nogueira da Rocha

Revisão Técnica e Textual:

Prof.ª Dr.ª Nathalia Botura de Paula Brennecke
 Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion,
Authority, Prohibition, Obligation
& Supposition

• Theoretical Contents;
• Grammar – Should/Shouldn’t/Shall/Shan’t;
• Grammar – Ought to/Oughtn’t to;
• Grammar – Must/Mustn’t;
• Grammar – Need/Needn’t;
• Phonetics – “S” Sound;
• Anexo I.

OBJETIVOS DE APRENDIZADO
• To improve the ways in which we express ourselves in situations related to giving advice and
suggestions, or showing authority, prohibitions, obligations and suppositions;
• To investigate and to understand the organization and functioning of the morphosyntactic
structures of the English language, at the various levels of linguistic analysis, observing and
respecting the varieties of the language;
• To understand the language in its heterogeneity, as a social and cognitive activity, always
historically situated and built interactively.
UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Contextualização
What would you tell a person who is sick?
• Oh, you should see a doctor!
(Oh, você deveria consultar um médico!)

• Dear, you should have some soup.

(Querido, você deveria tomar um pouco de sopa.)

• You mustn’t go out today.

(Você não deve sair hoje.)

Figura 1
Fonte: Getty Images

What about this guy?

• You shouldn’t eat so many calories!
(Você não deveria comer tantas calorias!)
• You should eat healthy food.
(Você deveria comer comida saudável)

Figura 2
Fonte: Getty Images

Well, here are some few cases of Modal Verbs in our daily communication. Let’s
check the other possibilities!

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Theoretical Contents
Focus – Giving Suggestions and Advice
Table 1
David Can you tell me a little about Mexico City?
Maria Sure I can. What would you like to know?
David Well, what’s a good time to visit?
Maria I think you can go anytime. The weather is always nice
David Oh, good! And what should I see there?
Maria Well, you should visit the National Museum and go to the Palace of Fine Arts.
David What else?
Maria Oh, you shouldn’t miss the Pyramid of Kukulcán. It’s very interesting.
David It sounds really exciting!

Figura 3
Fonte: Wikimedia Commons

It is very common to use the modal verb “should” when we are talking about
suggestions or asking for some advice as shown in the previous dialog. Notice that
David asks Maria if she can tell him something about Mexico City and both of them
use “should” when they want to ask for or give some advice or suggestion.

Firstly, David asks for suggestion about places to visit in the city: “And what should
I see there?” (E o que devo ver lá?). Secondly, Maria gives her suggestion: “Well, you
should visit the National Museum and go to the Palace of Fine Arts” (Bem, você deve
visitar o Museu Nacional e ir ao Palácio das Belas Artes). And then she also adds:
“Oh, you shouldn’t miss the Pyramid of Kukulcán. It’s very interesting” (Oh, você não
deve perder a Pirâmide de Kukulcán. Ela é muito interessante).

Importante! Importante!

So, every time we want to give advice and suggestions, the Modal Verb “should” is
very welcome!

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UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Grammar – Should/Shouldn’t/Shall/Shan’t
Here we are going to explain first the modal verbs that express advice and
suggestion. Then we are going to study the modal verbs that express obligation
and prohibition.

The modal verbs that indicate advice or suggestion are “should” (in affirmative
sentences) and “shouldn’t” (in negative sentences).

Table 2
Affirmative Negative Affirmative Interrogative Negative Interrogative
I should I shouldn’t Should I? Shouldn’t I?
You should You shouldn’t Should you? Shouldn’t you?
He should He shouldn’t Should he? Shouldn’t he?
She should She shouldn’t Should she? Shouldn’t she?
It should It shouldn’t Should it? Shouldn’t it?
We should We shouldn’t Should we? Shouldn’t we?
You should You shouldn’t Should you? Shouldn’t you?
They should They shouldn’t Should they? Shouldn’t they?

Another modal verb is “shall” and its negative form “shan’t”. We use “shalll”
when we are asking for some advice. So, in this situation we can use either “shall”
or “should”, as shown next:

Table 3
How shall I cook the spaghetti?
(Como devo cozinhar o espaguete?)
How should I cook the spaghetti?
Where shall we put this?
(Onde devo colocar isto?)
Where should we put this?
Which one shall I buy?
(Qual devo comprar?)
Which one should I buy?

But there is another situation in which we can use “shall”: when we are offe-
ring something.
• Offering something:
» Shall I wait for you? (Quer que eu te espere?)
» Shall I help you to pack? (Quer que eu te ajude a fazer as malas?)
• We can use “shall” for suggestions:
» Shall we meet at the theater? (Vamos nos encontrar no teatro?)
» Shall we start? (Vamos começar?)

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 • And “shall” is also used as the Question Tag for “let’s”.
» Let’s meet at the theater, shall we? (Vamos nos encontrar no teatro, vamos?)
» Let’s pursuit our dreams, shall we? (Vamos buscar nossos sonhos, vamos?)

In fact, there isn’t a correct translation into Portuguese for this Question Tag, but
it serves to emphasize what was said in the first sentence, which is in the imperative.

Importante! Importante!

We haven’t learned the Question Tag structure yet, but as we are talking about “shall”,
it is convenient to mention it because it’s one of its uses.

Focus – Expressing Advice

Table 4
Peter Hi, Helen! You ought to paint your door.
Helen Yes, I know I ought to.

Importante! Importante!

As the previous example shows us somebody expressing some advice, it is perfectly

coherent and correct to say the same things in the conversation using the Modal Verb
“should”. Here they are similar and can be used freely.
So the previous dialog might have been written as:
Table 5
Peter Hi, Helen! You should paint your door.
Helen Yes, I know I should.

Grammar – Ought to/Oughtn’t to

The Modal Verbs “should”, “shouldn’t”, “ought to” and “oughtn’t to” may
express advice. So, we can say there are some similarities between them.

Affirmative

You ought to read this. It’s very good!

(Você deveria ler isto. É muito bom!)
=
You should read this. It’s very good!
(Você deveria ler isto. É muito bom!)

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UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Negative

You oughtn’t to read this. It’s a waste of time!

(Você não deveria ler isto. É um desperdício de tempo!)
=
You shouldn’t read this. It’s a waste of time!
(Você não deveria ler isto. É um desperdício de tempo!)

So, when expressing advice there is no difference between “should” and

“ought to”.

However, it’s advisable to say that when we are dealing with formal notices,
such as information sheets, we must use “should” instead of “ought to”. See the
examples of “formal notices”.

Importante! Importante!

“Ought to” is the only Modal Verb with the particle “to”. The other ones, as studied so
far, do not have it.

Formal notices:

Candidates should be prepared to answer questions on the historical heritage of the city.
(Os candidatos devem estar preparados para responder questões sobre a herança cultural da cidade)
*In this kind of situation, “ought to” can’t be used.

Focus – Showing Authority, Obligation, Prohibition and Supposition

To whom it may concern

I have known Mr. Frank Barrington for several years and as far as I know him, I must tell you
that it is a pleasure to recommend him. Concerning my knowledge of him, what impressed
me most, is his leadership among his colleagues. He is regarded by all who know him, not
only as a very capable worker, but also by his relationship among his friends.
During the time I could share his company he revealed a good deal of his easy-going personality.
He has been characteristically careful and efficient, intelligent highly responsible and truly an
organizer. He has the rare ability to obtain the most unreserved cooperation and enthusiasm
from his colleagues for any project he proposes, what proves his ability to get along with others.
It is a privilege, as well as a pleasure, to have been asked to recommend such a likeable
person, who has reached a high degree of learning in his own area.
Truly yours,
Mr. Keanu R. Swanson
Fonte: NATEROP, 2005

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 As previously presented in the Business Letter “To whom it may concern”
(A quem possa interessar), the Modal Verb “must” is used to express an obligation:
“I have known Mr. Frank Barrington for several years and as far as I know him,
I must tell you that it is a pleasure to recommend him” (Eu conheço o Sr. Frank
Barrington há vários anos e, pelo que conheço dele, devo dizer-lhe que é um
prazer recomendá-lo”).

This means that, in this case, we are not talking about pieces of advice or sug-
gestions, as we’ve just seen with “should” and “ought to”, but an obligation or, if
you prefer, an emphatic advice.

Importante! Importante!

Business Letters are very useful textual genres, which may help you understand the use
of Modal Verbs in many formal and specific situations. Explore them!

Grammar – Must/Mustn’t
We use “must” to show obligation or express authority. In the negative form,
“must” expresses prohibition and in the interrogative form it represents a form of
confirming an obligation. Differently from “should”, which is used to request for
some kind of advice or suggestion. “Must” can also show supposition or deduction.

Now let’s see examples of these possibilities of use of this Modal Verb:

• Authority and Obligation:

» You must wipe your feet before you come in. (Você deve secar seus pés
antes de entrar.)
» We must pay our bills monthly. (Devemos pagar nossas contas mensalmente.)

• Prohibition:
» You mustn’t drive too fast on this road. There’s a speed limit here. (Você
não deve dirigir rápido demais nesta estrada. Há um limite de veloci-
dade aqui.)
» You mustn’t go there by yourself. You aren’t 18! (Você não deve ir lá sozi-
nho. Você não tem 18 anos!)

• Confirming an obligation:
» Must I go? (Devo ir?)
» Must I take my passport? (Devo levar meu passaporte?)

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UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Importante! Importante!

The previous examples are totally different from the questions “Should I go?” and
“Should I take my passport?”, because when we use “should” we want to know the
personal opinion from the speaker who is in the conversation with us. The questions:
“Must I go?” and/or “Must I take my passport?” are not related to receiving personal
opinions from the other speaker. Who is asking it wants to know about obligations only.

• Supposition:
» A: Who’s kn ocking at the door? (A: Quem está batendo à porta?)
» B: It must be John. He told me he would come. (B: Deve ser o John. Ele me
disse que viria.)
» It mustn’t have been John who was knocking on the door. He’s traveled to
Europe. It must have been his son, who is here. (Não deve ter sido John que
estava batendo à porta. Ele viajou para Europa. Deve ter sido o filho dele,
que está aqui.)

Now, see the chart with “must” and “mustn’t” for all pronouns in the affirmative
and, negative forms and in the, affirmative and negative interrogative forms.

Table 6
Affirmative Negative Affirmative Interrogative Negative Interrogative
I must I mustn’t Must I? Mustn’t I?
You must You mustn’t Must you? Mustn’t you?
He must He mustn’t Must he? Mustn’t he?
She must She mustn’t Must she? Mustn’t she?
It must It mustn’t Must it? Mustn’t it?
We must We mustn’t Must we? Mustn’t we?
You must You mustn’t Must you? Mustn’t you?
They must They mustn’t Must they? Mustn’t they?

Focus – Showing Absence of Obligation

Table 7
Example 1
Employer: You needn’t make two copies. One will do.
Patrão: Você não precisa fazer duas cópias. Uma será suficiente.)
Example 2
Boss: You needn’t change your sports clothes. Just come as you are.
Chefe: Você não precisa mudar suas roupas esportivas. Simplesmente venha como está.
Example 3
Employer: Give them this cheque. They needn’t send me a receipt.
Patrão: Dê-lhes o cheque. Eles não precisam me enviar um recibo.
Example 4
Doctor: You needn’t go on a diet, but you must eat sensibly and you mustn’t overeat.
Você não precisa entrar numa/fazer dieta, mas deve comer de maneira sensata
Médico: e não deve comer demais.

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 As you can see, when we use the Modal Verb “needn’t”, the intention is to show
that the speaker gives permission for an action not to be performed or merely states
that an action is not necessary.

In example 1, it wasn’t necessary to make two copies; in example 2, it wasn’t

necessary to change clothes; in example 3, it wasn’t necessary to send any receipt;,
and in example 4, it wasn’t necessary to go on a diet. So, all of them mean absence
of obligation.

Grammar – Need/Needn’t
It is important to show that “need” can be both an auxiliary and an ordinary verb.

As an auxiliary verb it is a semi-modal, which means it has both modal and

“ordinary verb” forms. As a modal, its forms are “need” or “need not” (“needn’t”)
for all persons in the present and the future.

“Need” as an auxiliary is seldom used in the affirmative form except when

a negative or an interrogative sentence is preceded by an expression which
changes the negative or the interrogative verb into an affirmative, as the
following examples.:

Negative Form

I needn’t wear a coat.

(Não preciso vestir um casaco.)
or
I don’t suppose I need wear a coat.
Acho que não preciso vestir um casaco.

Interrogative Form

Need I tell Tom?

(Preciso contar ao Tom?)
or
Do you think I need tell Tom?
(Você acha que preciso contar ao Tom?)

Well, the unit has brought us several situations in which Modal Verbs can be used
and all their particularities. In case you have any doubt, please do not hesitate to
look for a good grammar book to check other examples. Now, let’s read a text and
answer the questions about it!

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UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Text Comprehension – Shopping

Table 8
Let’s go shopping. I have got quite a number of things to buy, and I believe I can get them all in this shop.
Alice You see, I ought to buy a present for a friend of mine. She has invited me to her birthday. What shall we
look at first?
Melissa Gloves, I think. They must be on the ground floor. Yes, here we are, and I can see just the kind I want.
Alice Well, that didn’t take us long. Now let’s go up by the escalator to the third floor.
Melissa We’ll just take a quick look around to see if there is anything we could take back as presents for the family.
Alice I like these books, and do you? Shall we ask how much they are?
Melissa I want to get a comb and some hair clips. Where do you think I can find them?
Oh, you must go to the haberdashery department. That’s on a lower floor, I believe. We’ll get them on our
Alice way out.
Melissa How do you like those white shoes just over there, on the right?
Alice I like them very much, indeed. They are perfect for summer wear.
Melissa Do you think they’re my size? They look just about right.
Alice You should try them on.
Fonte: https://bit.ly/346Uz8Y

Although the Modal Verbs already studied before are in bold type in the previous
dialog too, we’re going to focus on those related to suggestions, advice, obligation
or supposition.

The dialog is full of them, isn’t it?

The two girls are talking about things they intend to buy in the shop they are in.
And we can notice the use of some Modal Verbs in many passages, such as: “You see,
I ought to buy a present for a friend of mine” (Veja, eu devo comprar um presente
para uma amiga minha); What shall we look at first? (O que devemos olhar primei-
ro?); Gloves, I think. They must be on the ground floor (Luvas, eu acho. Elas devem
estar no piso térreo); Shall we ask how much they are? (Devemos perguntar quanto
custam?); Oh, you must go to the haberdashery department (Oh, você deve ir ao de-
partamento de armarinhos); You should try them on (Você deveria experimentá-los).

Well, as you could see, there are many situations in which the Modal Verbs were
used in the dialog, expressing suggestions, advice, obligations and supposition.

Exercises
Now let’s answer some questions related to the reading of “Shopping”.
1. Where should Melissa and Alice go to find the gloves they intended to buy?
2. What was the piece of advice Alice gave when Melissa found the white
shoes and thought they were right for her?

The answers for the exercises are in

the section “Anexo I” of this unit.

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 Table 9
Vocabulary
shopping fazer compras family família
shop loja comb pente
present presente hair clips grampos para cabelo
birthday aniversário haberdashery armarinhos
glove(s) luva(s) department departamento
ground floor piso térreo way out saída
kind tipo white branco(a)
go up subir shoe(s) sapato(s)
escalator escadas rolantes perfect perfeito(s)
quick rápido(a) summer verão
around ao redor size tamanho
Explor

Haberdashery: British English – Small items used in sewing, such as buttons, zips, and thread.

Phonetics – “S” Sound

The consonant “s”, in English, can have several sounds. It may sound like an “s” as
in “school”; “sh” as in “passion”; “j” as in “television”; or even as a “z” as in “dessert”.
In the table presented after the following further information, it is possible to learn
their corresponding phonetic symbols, which are used in phonetic transcriptions.

When the “s” starts a word in English, and after it there is a consonant, avoid
putting the vowel “i” before it, which is very common for those who are starting to
learn this language.

Try to pronounce the following words without putting an “iI” before the “s”: scar,
school, scoop, scope, skate, smooth, snack, snake, snap, snarl, spoon, squid, star,
start, stair, stomach, student, study.

Check the new words in the following link: https://bit.ly/2UzSwqZ

Explor

You will be able to listen to all of them in order to practice and improve your English!

Now let’s pay attention to the several sounds this consonant may have!
Table 10
/s/ /ʃ/
summer sure
size mission
side passion
miss Russia
bass
dress

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UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

/ʒ/ /z/
television dessert
usually scissors *the “ss”
vision possess *the first two “ss”
Asia desert

Importante! Importante!

Check the new words in the following link: https://bit.ly/2UzSwqZ

ou will be able to listen to all of them in order to practice and improve your English!
Be careful with confusing words in English, such as “dessert” and “desert”! “Dessert”
means “sobremesa”, while “desert” means “deserto”. Their pronunciation is quite
different. Check it out over and over again!

Exercises – Practice the “s” sound

1. Which is / s /, / ʃ /, / ʒ / and / z /?
a) sand
b) sure
c) scissors
d) snake
e) usual
f) mission
g) passion
h) dessert
i) Russian
j) school

The answers for the exercises are in

the section “Anexo I” of this unit.

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Anexo I
Answers Keys
Text Comprehension – Shopping
1. They should go to the ground floor.
2. Alice told Melissa she should try them on.

Practice the “s” sound

Sound / s /: a) sand, d) snake, j) school

Sound / ʃ /: b) sure, f) mission, g) passion, i) Russian

Sound / ʒ /: e) usual

Sound / z /: h) dessert, c) scissors

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UNIDADE Modal Verbs – Advice, Suggestion, Authority,
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Material Complementar
Indicações para saber mais sobre os assuntos abordados nesta Unidade:

  Sites
OneLook – Dictionary Search
https://bit.ly/3dO7H7r
Tecla SAP
https://bit.ly/2wPmPkC
Rache’s English
https://bit.ly/2yu97E9

 Livros
Dicionário Oxford Escolar Para Estudantes Brasileiros
Dicionário Oxford Escolar Para Estudantes Brasileiros. Brasil: Oxford University,
Ed. 3, 2018.
Essential grammar in use: A self-study reference and practice book for elementary students of English
MURPHY, R. Essential grammar in use: A self-study reference and practice book for
elementary students of English. New York: University Press, Ed. 4, 2015.
The very famous grammar book by Raymond Murphy is very useful for beginners
and intermediate-level students. It brings several important grammar topics that have
already been studied and that may have been forgotten by now. So, it’s always time to
remember and practice! It will certainly upgrade your knowledge about the language.
Learn Real English Modal Verbs (Using English Grammar Book 1)
MARKHAM, A. Learn Real English Modal Verbs (Using English Grammar
Book 1). Goodreads, 2017.
Learn how to use modal verbs, one of the most important areas of English grammar.
You will find out the meanings and correct contexts for every modal and semi-modal
verb and how to use alternative or substitute constructions when necessary.
Verbs: Modal Auxiliary Verbs Workbook
MELVIN, J.. Modal Verbs: Modal Auxiliary Verbs Workbook. CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform, 2017.
Modal auxiliary verbs are used to express degrees of certainty/uncertainty, probability/
improbability, possibility/impossibility, expectation/lack of expectation, and so forth.
In this book you will find out how to use each modal. You will discover all the meanings
each one has – all in one little book.
TBusiness Writing for Technical People: The most effective ways to get your message across
MARSHALL, C. TBusiness Writing for Technical People: The most effective ways
to get your message across. BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT ,2018.
In this book you’ll discover how to give your communication skills an upgrade, exploring
the tips and tricks that will enable you to write effectively and persuasively for any
audience. You’ll discover how to write for maximum impact and how to make your
enthusiasm even more infectious.

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How to Write a Business Letter: For Use in Offices, Schools, and as a General Reference Book
WIERS C. How to Write a Business Letter: For Use in Offices, Schools, and as a
General Reference Book. Forgotten Books, 2018.
Letter-writing is rapidly becoming one of the first essentials of a young man’s ability.
It is recognized as an all-powerful influence in determining where a position may go.
It is not enough to be able to write a good hand, but the young man of today must
be able to marshal his thoughts in such a way as to carry weight, interest, attention
and conviction.

Vídeos
Angela Bofill – You should know by now
https://youtu.be/oEiwSFV1Vlw
Bee Gees – You should be dancing
https://youtu.be/_JoZS6LgqYI
Beyoncé – Irreplaceable – (You must not know about me)
https://youtu.be/2EwViQxSJJQ
Billy Currington – Must be doin’ something right
https://youtu.be/FbQfE2Oi6Wo
Bruno Mars – When I was your man
https://youtu.be/ekzHIouo8Q4
Chris Brown – Should’ve kissed you
https://youtu.be/8iR6JgODHts
Jamey Johnson – You should have seen it in color
https://youtu.be/EYGwxf1gCC4
Jim Diamond – I should have known better
https://youtu.be/2x8PLjvmiIw
Kylie Minogue – I should be so lucky
https://youtu.be/bMCXx5k01Tg
Paloma Faith – Only love can hurt like this – (Must’ve been a deadly kiss)
https://youtu.be/PaKr9gWqwl4
Phil Collins – I can’t stop loving you – (Why should I?)
https://youtu.be/K8inZ2sg6d0
The Carpenters – Love me for what I am
https://youtu.be/eIWLAUKKE9M

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Prohibition, Obligation & Supposition

Referências
ALTANO, B. Reading themes and skills: skills-based american culture reader.
Michigan: Michigan University, 2007. (E-book)

AZAR, B. S.; HAGEN, S. A. Understanding and using English grammar. 4. ed.

Pearson/Longman, 2009. (E-book)

CRYSTAL, D.; SPRES St. M. Spell it out: the singular story of English spelling.
Profile Editor. (E-book)

LAPKOSKI, G. A. O. Do texto ao sentido: teoria e prática de leitura em língua

inglesa. Curitiba: IBPEX, 2011. (E-book)

LIMA, T. C. S. Língua estrangeira moderna: Inglês. Curitiba: Intersaberes, 2016

v.2 (E-book)

_______.; KOPPE, C. T. Inglês: a prática profissional do idioma. Curitiba: IBPEX,

2008. (E-book)

MARQUES, F. S. Ensinar e aprender inglês: o processo comunicativo em sala

de aula. Curitiba: IBPEX, 2006. (E-book)

MCCARTHY, M.; CARTER, R. Cambridge grammar of English a comprehen-

sive guide. Cambridge do Brasil, 2006. (E-book)

NATEROP, B. J. E. Business letters for all. USA: Oxford University Press, 2005.

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