By Rafael Cano

MODAL VERBS
Modal verbs are a reduced group of verbs
which share common grammatical
characteristics and which give a special
meaning (modality) to the verbs they are with.
 MODAL VERBS: GENERAL ASPECTS

• Modal verbs must be followed by a verb in base form

“She can play the piano very well” --- “Tom must go home now”

• Modal verbs never change in form. They don´t have any mark (-s, -ed, ..) They only have
affirmative and negative form.
- most add “n’t” to the root of the modal verb: should-shouldn’t , must-mustn’t, can-can’t (cannot)
- a few add “not” after the modal verb: may- may not, might- might not

• FORM: (+) I can speak Japanese (-) I can’t speak Japanese

(?) Can you speak Japanese? Yes, I can

Common mistakes!

• Never write “to” between the modal verb and the base form. “She must to do the project”
• Never write 2 “pure” modal verbs together “She will can drive” [for this reason we need the semi-
modal verbs “she will be able to drive”]
• Never add any mark to the modal verb or to the verb in base form: “she cans play” “she can
plays”
 1.CAN- CAN’T
• PRESENT and CURRENT ABILITY: “I can drive a car, but I can’t drive a
bus” (it should be translated as “saber”)

• POSSIBILITY (70%)
“It can rain this afternoon” (it is possible, it is translated as “poder”)
* can’t = impossible (0%) “I can’t go to the party tonight. I’ve broken my leg”

• ASKING FOR PERMISSION AND INFORMAL REQUESTS

“Teacher, Can I go to the toilet, please?”
“Miguel, Can I open the window?”
 *BE ABLE TO
• It’s a semi-modal, with the same meaning as “CAN” = ability. But it can have
past, present and future form. You only have to change the verb TO BE.

(past) “I was able to bite my toes”, “You were able to swim fast”

(present) “I am able to speak Chinese”, “she is able to dace ballet”

(future) “I will be able to drive”,

Common mistake: “I will can drive”

 2. COULD- COULDN’T
• PAST ABILITY: when a person was able to do something in the past, but
that he or she can no longer do at present.
“when I was a baby, I could bite my toes”
“my grandfather could run fast when he was younger”

• PRESENT/ FUTURE POSSIBILITY: (= MAY/ MIGHT/ CAN)

“It could rain tomorrow”

• ASKING FOR PERMISSION AND FORMAL REQUESTS:

more polite and formal than “CAN”
- “Sandra, Can you go for a chalk, please?” (the teacher and the student know each
other)
- “Could you phone tomorrow, please? (they don’t know each other, you is translated
as “usted”)
 3. MAY- MAY NOT
- POSSIBILITY (50%)
“It may rain tomorrow”(it’s translated as “puede que”,remember MAYBE –predictions 50%)

- FORMAL REQUESTS ( = could. It’s very polite and formal)

“May I use the phone, please?” (¿podría usar el teléfono, por favor?)

4. MIGHT- MIGHT NOT

-POSSIBILITY (20%)
“It might rain tomorrow” (it’s translated as “pudiera ser que”)
 5. SHOULD- SHOULDN’T
• GIVING ADVICES: (debería)
“You should go to the dentist” “you shouldn’t use your mobile phone so much”
*OUGHT TO (old-fashioned) the same meaning as should.
- “you ought to go to the dentist” “ You ought not to use the mobile phone”
*HAD BETTER (‘D BETTER): “You had better go to the dentist”
“you’d better go…” “You’d better not use the mobile phone…”

6. MUST
- OBLIGATIONS: It’s compulsory, obligatory, mandatory. You are obliged
(deber)
“I must tidy your room” (your mum says to you to do so, so you must do it)
- PROBABILITY: when you are 100% sure of something.
- The lights are off and the door locked. He must be out of the office
 7. HAVE TO /HAS TO
• OBLIGATION: the same meaning as “MUST”. But it’s a semi-modal, so it
can have past and future form.
(present) “I have to pay taxes” ---- “she has to pay taxes”
(past) “I had to pay taxes last May”
(future) “I will have to pay taxes in the future”

***** MUST vs HAVE TO***** (I have to wash the car) vs (I have to pay the water bill)

8. MUSTN’T
• PROHIBITION: It’s forbidden, banned, prohibited, you are not allowed.
“You mustn’t smoke at school”
“You mustn’t use the mobile phone in the classroom”
 9. DON’T HAVE TO/
DOESN’T HAVE TO
• ABSENCE OF OBLIGATION: (no es necesario que…) It is not obligatory,
but you can do it if you want.
“ You don’t have to wear a tie at school”
“Peter doesn’t have to study in the summer, he has passed all the subjects”

*Common mistake= “You haven’t to wear a tie” “he hasn’t to study”

10. NEEDN’T
The same meaning as “DON’T/DOESN’T HAVE TO” (no es necesario que…)
“You needn’t wear a tie”
“he needn’t study in the summer”
 11. OTHER MODALS
• SHALL: making an offer or expressing doubt . only used in questions and
with I/ WE
“Shall we dance?” (¿bailamos?)
“Shall I go to the lawyer?”

• WOULD/ WOULDN’T : conditional and polite requests (the same as May

and Could)
“I would like a cup of tea” (me gustaría una taza de té)
“Would you open the door for me, please?” (podría usted abrir la puerta por mi?”

• WILL/ WON’T : (see the future grammar explanation)

 Modal Perfect
• Form: MODAL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE