Modal verbs and related phrases

Use modal and semi-modal verbs and phrases to express degrees of obligation or whether or not sth is
necessary, desirable, permitted or forbidden. Modals are also used to refer to people’s abilities.

 Have to, must, should, ought to, had better for obligation

We ought to set the alarm for an hour earlier.

Had better is stronger than ought to and implies a warning.

We’d better leave now. We don’t want to be late.

 Need for talking about obligation or lack of it

We needed to ask for directions. (If we had done this, we wouldn’t be lost.)

Notice the difference between didn’t need and needn’t have.

We didn’t need to ask for directions. (We had a map.)

We needn’t have asked for directions. (We asked for directions, but it was unnecessary as we found a
map.)

 Can, (be) allowed to, (be) supposed to, (be) permitted to for talking about what is
permissible/possible

We couldn’t leave the premises after 6 p.m. (It wasn’t allowed.)

Be supposed to implies that someone expects you to do this (maybe it’s a rule). We can use this when
we don’t obey the rule.

We’re supposed to leave the key on the desk when we finish. (But we may not, we may take it with us.)

 Others phrases which can be used with modal meaning

(be) allowed, (be) permissible; (be) forbidden, (be) banned; (be/feel) compelled, (be) compulsory; (be)
forced to, (be) obligatory; have the courage to, dare to

They were forced to wear army uniform. (Army uniform was compulsory.)

We weren’t allowed to contact the teachers. (It wasn’t permissible to contact them.)