Modal Verbs

+ short infinitive (exceptions: ought to,

need to , has/have to)
Types of long infinitive :

1) Present Simple : to sleep

2) Present Continuous : to be sleeping
3) Perfect Simple : to have slept
4) Perfect Continuous : to have been sleeping

• 1.CAN
a. ability

Present : can ; am/is/are able to

Past : could ; was/were able to
Future : will be able to
Eg. : Pot sa citesc . - I can read .

Puteam sa merg pe bicicleta . – I could / was able to ride a bike ,

when I was 5 years old .

Voi putea sa deschid fereastra cand voi fi mare . – I will be able to open
the window when I am taller .

b. impossibility
CAN’T + sh inf. = impossibility in the present or future
CAN’T + BE + V ing = impossibility in the present or future
+ action in progress ( now )
 CAN’T / COULDN’T + HAVE + V3 = impossibility in the
Past
CAN’T / COULDN’T+ HAVE + BEEN + V ing = impossibility in the
past continuous

Eg. : Este imposibil ca ea sa fie in America. – He can’t be in America .

Este imposibil ca el sa citeasca acum. – He can’t be reading right now .

Este imposibil ca el sa fi plecat. – He can’t / couldn’t have left .

Este imposibil ca el sa fi jucat tenis pe vremea asta. – He can’t / couldn’t have

been playing tennis this time yesterday.

2.MAY

a. permission

Present : may ; am/is/are allowed / permitted to

Past : might ; was/were allowed / permitted to

Future : will be allowed / permitted to

b. possibility
MAY + sh inf.= possibility in the present or future
MAY+ BE+ Ving = possibility in the present or future
Action in the present ( now)
MAY/MIGHT + HAVE + V3 = possibility in the past
MAY / MIGHT + HAVE + BEEN + Ving = possibility in the past
continuous

Eg. : E posibil ca el sa fie in parc . – He may be in the park .

 E posibil ca el sa fi jucat tenis pe vremea aceasta .- He may have been playing
tennis this time yesterday .

E posibil ca el sa cante la pian acum. – He may be playing the piano now.

E posibil ca el sa fi castigat competitia. – He may have won the competition.

Perhaps

Maybe, MAY/MIGHT

It’s possible

Possibly

• Perhaps she is swimming .

She may be swimming.
• Maybe he was swimming.
He may/might have been swimming.
• It’s possible he won.
He may have won.
• It was possible he won.
He might have won.
Idioms : COME WHAT MAY = fie ce-o fi

TRY AS I MIGHT = oricat as incerca

I MAY / MIGHT AS WELL = as putea sa si …

3.MUST
a)necessity

Present: must, have/has to

Past: had to
Future: will have to
E.g:

A trebuit sa ma antrenez mai mult. = I had to train more.

Va trebui sa fiu mai atenta = I will have to be more careful.

Eu trebuie sa joc mai bine. = I must/have to play better.

MUSTN’T=prohibition(interdictie)

DOESN’T/DON’T HAVE TO=lack of obligation (lipsa de obligatie)

Eg: E interzis sa copiezi=You mustn’t cheat.

Nu e nevoie sa conduc pentru ca distanta este scurta.=I don’t have to

drive because the distance is short.

b) probability

MUST+sh inf:probability in present or future

MUST+be+Ving=probability in present or future with action in progress
MUST+have+V3=probability in the past
MUST+have+been+Ving=probability in the past with action in progress
Eg:Probabil ca el a jucat tenis=He must have played tennis.

Probabil ca el canta ieri pe vremea asta=He must have been singing this
time yesterday.

Probabil ca el doarme acum:He must be sleeping now.

Probabil ca el e in parc=He must be in park

OBS:

I’m sure(+)

I’m certain(+)
 Surely(+)

Certainly(+)

It is likely MUST

There is every likehood

It is probable

Probably

In all probability

Eg:

I’m sure he is a teacher=He must be a teacher.

Surely he was driving=He must have been driving.

It’s likely he left=He must have left.

I’m certain he’s reading=He must be reading.

OBS:

I’m sure(-)

Surely(-)

It is certain(-) CAN’T/COULDN’T

Certainly(-)

It was sure(-)

It was ceratin(-)

Eg:
 I’m sure it isn’t snowing=It can’t be snowing

Surely he wasn’t driving=He can’t have been driving

4.SHOULD

a)Should=had better=ought to+sh inf=advice

Eg:Tu ar trebui sa fii mai atent=You should/had better/ought to be more

careful

b)should+have+V3=unfulfilled action in the past

Eg:Tu ar fi trebuit sa ma fi ajuti cand ti-am cerut=You should have

helped me when I asked you.

c)If+should=if it happens(daca se intampla)

Eg:Daca se intampla sa o vezi pe Mary,spune-i sa ma sune=If you

should see Mary,tell her to call me.

5.NEED- necessity

a) doesn’t/don’t need to=doesn’t/don’t have to=lack of obligation in the

present

Eg:Nu trebuie sa aduci nimic deoarece am cumparat eu tot=You don’t

need to bring anything because I have already bought everything.

b)didn’t need to (- -)=the action wasn’t necessary and it wasn’t

performed

c)needn’t+have+V3(- +)=the action wasn’t necessary but it was

performed

Nu am avut nevoie sa iau cartile de la bibilioteca=I didn’t need to take

the books from the library.
 Nu era nevoie sa aduci niciun cadou=You needn’t have brought any
present.

6.SHALL=suggestion

Eg:Shall we play tennis?=Vrei sa jucam tenis?

7.WILL

a) refusal in the present

e.g. Ii tot spun dar nu vrea sa vina

I keep telling her to come but she will not.

b)if+will (polite request and insistence) exceptions in if 1

Eg:Daca insisti sa nu-ti faci temele, vei lua nota mica.

If you will not do your homework, you will get a low mark

Daca veti vrea sa veniti,voi fi bucuroasa

If you will come,I will be happy.

8.WOULD

a)refusal in the past

Eg: I-am tot spus sa vina dar nu vrea=I kept her telling to come, but she
would not come.

b)if+would=polite request(exception IF 2)
Eg:Daca ati vrea sa veniti, m-as bucura

If you would come,I would be very happy

c)would=used to=past habit

Eg:Obisnuiam sa-mi vizitez bunicii cand eram copil.
 I would/used to visit my grandparents very often when I was a child.

9.USED TO =past state

Eg:I used to live in Paris

10.DARE

a)+sh inf=a indrazni

Eg:I dare say you are wrong.

b)+long inf=a provoca

Eg:I dare you to sing a song.