VERBOS MODALES

PRESENT CAN He can play the piano. (Puede/Sabe

tocar el piano).
COULD (GENERAL ABILITIES) cosas que sabias hacer. I could sing at the age of three. (Sabía
PAST cantar a la edad de tres años).
WAS/WERE ABLE TO ( FOR A PARTICULAR ACTION OR The police were finally able to solve
SITUATION) arreglarsela the mystery.
La policía pudo finalmente resolver el
ABILITY misterio
FUTURE CAN
WIL BE ABLE TO (TO EMPHASIZE THE FUTURE TIME) Do you think England will be able to
win the World Cup one day?
(¿Piensas que Inglaterra pueda ganar
el Mundial algun día?)
PRESENT It was too difficult, I couldn’t do it.
FUTURE MAY/MIGHT/ COULD + INFINITIVE (Era demasiado difícil, no lo podía
POSSIBILITY hacer).
Imposibilidad
negativa
PAST MAY/MIGHT/ COULD + HAVE + PARTICIPIO
CAN´T + INFINITIVE (NEGATIVE) They can’t come to the party, they’re
busy.
DEDUCTION (No pueden venir a la fiesta, están
CERTAIN PRESENT ocupados).
MUST+ INFINITIVE (POSITIVE) They must be rich, they’ve just
bought a yacht.
(Deben de ser ricos, acaban de
comprar un yate).
PAST CAN´T + PERFECT INFINITIVE (NEGATIVE) It can’t be John on the phone. He is in
bed upstairs.
(No puede ser John al teléfono. Está
acostado arriba).
MUST+ PERFECT INFINITIVE (POSITIVE) They must be rich, they’ve just
bought a yacht.
(Deben de ser ricos, acaban de
comprar un yate).
PRESENT MUST( THE SPEAKER DECIDES PRESENT /FUTURE) I must pay the phone bill. (Debo
pagar la factura del teléfono).
OBLIGATION HAVE TO ( OTHER DECIDES FOR THE SPEAKERS) In England, you have to go to school
NECESSARY until you are sixteen.
(En Inglaterra, tienes que ir al colegio
hasta que tienes dieciseís años).
OTHER MUST BORROWS THE REST OF ITS TENSES FRON HAVE
TENSES TO
LACK PRESENT NEEDN´T
OF FUTURE DON´T HAVE TO
+INFINITE
DON’T NEeD TO
OBLIGATION PAST DIDN´T HAVE TO
Ausencia de
obligacion +INFINITE
DIDN´T NEED TO
PRESENT MUSTN´T (IT´S FORBIDEN) esta prohibido You mustn’t cheat in exams. (No
debeís copiar en los exámenes).
CAN´T ( YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO) no se permite Ana can’t go to the party, She’s too
PROHIBITION young.
(Ana no puede ir a la fiesta, es
demasiado joven).
SHOULD ( deberias) para dar consejos. You should/ought to eat more fruit
and vegetables.
(Deberías comer más fruta y verduras).
PRESENT
OUGHT TO + INFINITIVE (deberias) obligacion moral. They should/ought to spend more
time with their children.
ADVISE (Deberían pasar más tiempo con sus
consejo
niños).
HAD BETTER (a lo mejor) You had better go to the doctor
SHOULD They should have asked for
PAST permission.
OUGHT TO + PERFECT INFINITIVE (Deberían haber pedido permiso).
CANT I………..? Can you do me a favour? (¿Me podrías
hacer un favor).
ASKING COULD I…………..? Could you pour me some more coffee,
FOR please?
(¿Me podría servir más café, por
PERMISSION favor?).
PERMISSION MAY I………? May I open the window? (¿Podría
abrir la ventana?)
 MIGHT I …?
GIVING CAN (informal)
PERMISISION MAY (FORMAL) You may smoke during the flight. (Se
permite fumar durante el vuelo
REFUSING MUSTN´T /CAN´T (Informal)
PERMISSION MAY NOT (formal)
TALKING PRESENT CAN / BE ALLOWED TO
ABOUT
COULD( used por repeates actions)
PERMISISON
PAST
WAS/WEREW ALLOWED TO( used por
repreates or singles actions)
REQUESTS CAN YOU………………….? COULD YOU………………? WOLD YOU………….?
WILL YOU…………………….? WOLD YOU MIND………………..?
I´LL (informal)
OFFERS SHALL I / WE
(informal)
CAN I/WE WOUL YOU LIKE……….?
(informal) WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO….?
SHAL I/WE
SUGGESTIONS I/WE HOW ABOUT + GERUNDIO…………? We could spend the day on the beach.
CAN/COULD WHAT ABOUT + GERUNDIO………? (Podríamos pasar el día en la playa).
LET´S WHY DON´T WE……………..?

 CAN.— Lo usamos para:

 Expresar habilidad
He can play the piano. (Puede/Sabe tocar el piano).
 Pedir algo
Can you do me a favour? (¿Me podrías hacer un favor).
 Expresar posibilidad o imposibilidad.
They can’t come to the party, they’re busy.
(No pueden venir a la fiesta, están ocupados).
I won’t be able to come tomorrow. (No podré venir mañana).
 Expresar y pedir permiso.
Ana can’t go to the party, She’s too young.
(Ana no puede ir a la fiesta, es demasiado joven).
 En negativa: expresar deducción.
It can’t be John on the phone. He is in bed upstairs.
(No puede ser John al teléfono. Está acostado arriba).
 COULD.— Lo usamos para:
 Expresar habilidad en el pasado.
I could sing at the age of three. (Sabía cantar a la edad de tres años).
 Pedir algo educadamente.
Could you pour me some more coffee, please?
(¿Me podría servir más café, por favor?).
 Expresar imposibilidad en el pasado.
It was too difficult, I couldn’t do it.
(Era demasiado difícil, no lo podía hacer).
 Hacer especulaciones.
It could be hers. She was wearing it before
(Puede ser de ella. Antes lo llevaba puesto).
 Hacer sugerencias.
We could spend the day on the beach.
(Podríamos pasar el día en la playa).
 MAY.— Lo usamos para:
 Pedir algo.
May I open the window? (¿Podría abrir la ventana?)
 Expresar permiso
You may smoke during the flight. (Se permite fumar durante el vuelo).
 Expresar posibilidad
My brother may come back tomorrow.

(Puede que mi hermano regrese mañana).

 Hacer especulaciones.
He may still be awake because the light is on.
(Puede que esté todavía despierto porque la luz está encendida).
 MIGHT.— Lo usamos para:
 Expresar posibilidad de que algo ocurra.
They might come tomorrow instead of today.
(Podrían venir mañana en vez de hoy).
  Hacer especulaciones.
They might have phoned when you were out.
(Puede que te llamaran/hayan llamado cuando estabas fuera).
 MUST.— Lo utilizamos para:
 Expresar obligación.
I must pay the phone bill. (Debo pagar la factura del teléfono).
 En forma negativa: esprexar prohibición.
You mustn’t cheat in exams. (No debeís copiar en los exámenes).
 Expresar dedución afirmativa.
They must be rich, they’ve just bought a yacht.
(Deben de ser ricos, acaban de comprar un yate).

 HAVE TO.— Lo utilizamos para:

 Expresar obligación.
In England, you have to go to school until you are sixteen.
(En Inglaterra, tienes que ir al colegio hasta que tienes dieciseís años).
 En forma negativa: expresar ausencia de obligación.
I don’t have to work today, it’s my day off.
(No tengo que trabajar hoy, es mi día libre).
 NEED.— Lo usamos para:
 Expresar necesidad.
I need a haircut. (Necesito cortarme el pelo).
 Con sentido pasivo.
The grass needs cutting. (Es necesario cortar el césped).
 En forma negativa: expresar ausencia de obligación.-
They needn’t stay any longer.
(No es necesario que se queden más tiempo).-

 SHOULD/OUGHT TO.— Lo usamos para:

 Dar consejos.
You should/ought to eat more fruit and vegetables.
(Deberías comer más fruta y verduras).

 Expresar obligación moral.

They should/ought to spend more time with their children.
(Deberían pasar más tiempo con sus niños).
 Criticar acciones pasadas.
They should have asked for permission.
(Deberían haber pedido permiso).
 WILL.— Lo usamos para:
 Expresar certeza en el futuro.
We will definitely be there at eleven o’clock. (Llegaremos a las once).
 Expresar predicción del futuro.
It’ll be sunny tomorrow. (Mañana hará sol).
 Hacer promesas.
I’ll ring you up when I arrive home.
(Te llamaré por teléfono cuando llegue a casa).
 Pedir algo educadamente.
Will you pass me the water, please?.
(¿Serías tan amable de pasarme el agua?)
 Hacer un ofrecimiento.
I’ll help you if you like. (Yo te ayudaré si quieres).
 WOULD.— Se usa para:
 Pedir algo educadamente (como could).
Would you give me a lift to the station, please?
(¿Me podría llevar a la estación por favor?).
 Hacer un ofrecimiento.
Would you like a drink? (¿Te apetecería una copa?).
EJERCICIO 15. Completa estas frases con can / can’t / could / couldn’t más uno de estos verbos:
Come eat hear run sleep wait

1. ‘You look tired.’ ‘Yes, I ..............................................................last night.’

2. Can you speak up a bit? I....................................................................you very well.

3. I was feeling sick yesterday. I .............................................................anything.

4. ‘Are you in a hurry?’ ‘No, I’ve got plenty of time. I.......................................................... .’

5. When John was 14, he was a fast runner. He...................................................150 metres in 12 seconds.

6. I’m afraid I ...........................................................................to your party next week.

1.Completa las oraciones con Can /Can’t

a. I’m bad at Italian. I __________________ speak it.

b. I ___________________play volleyball. I’m good at it.

c. ___________________ you do karate?

d. She ___________________ dance but she _________________ sing.

e. “_________________you mum skate”? “Yes, she __________________.”

f. “_________________ your dad ski”? “No, he ___________________.”

2. Completa las oraciones con MUST or MUSTN’T.

a. You _________________________ play tennis inside the school.

b. Students _________________________speak French in their English lesson.

c. I _____________________ do my homework every day.

d. People ______________________ speak loudly in a museum.

e. Professional football players _______________________ train every day.

f. We ______________________ write on our desks.

g. People _______________________take photos in the museum.

h. You ______________________drive on the left in Britain.

i. We ______________________give any food to the animals in a zoo.

j. People _______________________wear a seatbelt on a plane.

3.Completa las oraciones sobre las reglas de la piscina con MUST or MUSTN’T.

a. You ____________________wear a swimming hat

. b. You ____________________ eat food.

c. You ____________________ run.

d. You ____________________ swim in the correct line.

e. You ____________________ follow the instructions of the lifeguard.

f. You ____________________ play ball games.

4. Dar consejos a las personas utilizando las ideas de la tabla según su situación.Utiliza should /shouldn’t.

Be polite with People Go to the doctor Study in an academy Start to prepare the wedding

1. I feel sick today.

You _________________________________________
2. Sara needs to speak English to work in that company.
Sara _________________________________________
3. Peter hasn’t got many friends because he’s rude with them.
Peter__________________________________________
4. Tony and Mary are going to get married soon.
They_____________________________________________

5.Complete the sentences with a modal verb from the box below. Sometimes more than one answer is possible.

CAN - CAN’T – COULD – DON’T NEED - MAY - MIGHT – MIGHT NOT - MUST – MUST HAVE – MUSTN’T - NEEDN’T –
NEEDN’T HAVE - SHOULD – WILL

1. We _____________________ be able to win, but I don’t think we have a good chance.

2. That _____________________ be John. He said he was going to travel to Australia.

3. When I was younger, I _____________________ sing very well.

4. I think you _____________________ relax more. You have been working too much lately.

5. I _____________________ ask you to help me later.

6. She _____________________ left the house quietly. I didn’t hear her.

7. You _____________________ to go shopping this weekend. We’ve got everything at home.

8. You _____________________ go in without a ticket. All seats are reserved.

9. All passengers ____________________ put on their seatbelts during take-off and landing.

10.At what age _____________________ you get a driving licence in your country?

11.You _____________________ watered the plants. Dad has already done it.

12.In the US, young men _____________________ join the army. It’s voluntary.

13.I promise I _____________________ stop smoking.

14.Mom, _____________________ you pass me the sugar please?

15.If you want to be a teacher, you _____________________ attend a teacher’s training college.

16.They _____________________ taken the wrong train. Otherwise, they would be here by now.

17.He’s not picking up the phone. He _____________________ be home yet.

18.You _____________________ have taken my advice and gone to the doctor. Your cold is not going to get better if you wait.

19.You _____________________ park in a no-parking area. It’s forbidden.

20.I _____________________ go to the cinema to watch a movie, but I’m not sure