What Is a Modal Verb?

In grammar, modality has to do with properties, such as possibility, obligation, and emphasis.

Before we talk about modal adverbs, let's review modal verbs. The main modal verbs in the English
language are:

 can
 could
 may
 might
 must
 shall
 should
 will
 would

These verbs are auxiliary verbs, which modify the meaning of another verb in the sentence. Certain
other verbs are sometimes, but not always, referred to as modal verbs: ought, had better, and in
certain uses, dare and need.

 I might go to the meeting if I get all of my homework done first.

 You can write this paper; you just need to have the confidence.
 Maggie should come home by 10:00 PM in order for her parents to be happy.

The Function of Adverbs

You probably remember that adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
Adverbs can tell you more information about a verb, such as how something is done, or when, or to
what extent. Some examples of adverbs used in sentences are:

 The ducks swam placidly on the lake.

 Later, they nested under the dock.
 They were quite comfortable nesting there.

Modal Adverbs
If one of the key jobs of adverbs is to add to the meaning of verbs, it makes sense that modal
adverbs add additional meaning to modal verbs. Remember that modality has to do with ideas
such as the possibility of something happening. Another way to think of this concept is to ask
yourself: ''How likely is this to occur or to exist?'' Look at these sentences:

 I really might be going to the party on Saturday.

 Surely you can't mean to vote for that candidate!
 It is likely that Matt will get an A in Chemistry.
 USES
EXAMPLES
To express or inquire about willingness.
Can you help me move next Friday?
In the negative form, to show inability or impossibility.[Negative Form: "Cannot"
contracted to "can't"]
We can't fix it.
To show possibility, in the sense that an action is theoretically possible.
We can arrive in time if we leave now.
To show ability, in the sense of knowing how or being able to do something.
We can swim, but we can't surf - yet!
In informal situations, to express permission, in the sense of being allowed to do
something. [Note: In formal situations, you should use "may" in this case.]
Mom, can I go over to my friend's house?
Could is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
To make a request.
Could you say it again more slowly.
To give a suggestion.
We could try to fix it ourselves.
To show ability in the past.
Until he grew taller than me, I could run faster than my younger brother!
To identify a possibility in the present.
We could go out for dinner, or we could just eat leftovers.
To express or inquire about permission or willingness in a more polite form.
Could I borrow your car next week?
To identify a possibility in the future that is dependant upon a present action.
If she practiced more, she could sing beautifully.
May is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
To express possibility in the present and future. [Note: In this context, may and might
are interchangeable.]
Dr. Fox may be your teacher next year.
In formal situations, to express permission, in the sense of being allowed to do
something.
May I be excused from the table?
Might is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
To express possibility in the past.
He might have seen the movie before he read the book.
To express possibility in the present and future. [Note: In this context, may and might are
interchangeable.]
Dr. Fox might be your teacher next year.
In formal situations, to express permission, in the sense of being allowed to do
something. It is more polite and tentative than may.
Might I be excused from the table?
Will (and its contracted form 'll, and negative form won't) is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
To express intention.
I'll (I will) mow the lawn if you clean the house.
To make a prediction.
The weather will be hot enough to go to the beach this weekend.
For habitual behavior.
I'm not surprised you don't know what to do! You will keep talking in class.
To make a semi-formal request.
Will you open the window, please? It's very hot in here.
To show willingness or interest.
We're going to go to the mall. Will you come with us?
For making a promise or a threat.
If you don't finish your dinner off, you'll go straight to bed!
To reassure someone or to make a decision.
Don't worry! You'll settle down quickly, I'm sure.
For talking about the future or past with certainty.
Don't bother calling: they'll have left for their 10 o'clock meeting.
Would (and its contracted form 'd, and negative form wouldn't) is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
For requests.
Would you pass the salt please?
For preferences.
Would you prefer tea or coffee? I'd like tea please.
To request permission.
Would you mind if I brought a colleague with me?
 To show habitual activity .
The dog would bark every time the doorbell rang.
To enquire about willingness.
Would you like to come on vacation with us this year?
To comment on a likely truth.
The doorbell just rang. That would be your mother!
To talk about refusals in the past.
She wouldn't ride the roller coaster, no matter how much we begged her.
To comment on a hypothetical possibility.
If I trained, I would be able to run a marathon.
To talk about habitual behavior in the past.
Every Saturday, dad would make us pancakes.
To talk about the future in the past, as the past tense of "will".
I knew it would be cold, so I packed sweaters and a coat.
To comment on someone's characteristic behavior (often with a negative connotation).
Mrs. Jones gave us so much homework! She would ruin our weekends! (Meaning, it is just
like her to do so.)
To express a situation that is dependant upon another action (this is called the
conditional mood).
If I had a million dollars, I would buy a fancy car.
Shall is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
For suggestions.
Shall we say 2:30, then?
For asking what to do.
Shall I do that or will you?
For offering someone help.
Shall I help you with your luggage?
In formal or legal situations.
The plaintiff shall be allowed to speak.
In British English, to indicate a promise in the future.
The package shall be delivered on Thursday.
In British English, to form the simple present for I and we.
Shall we meet at 7?
In American English, to form polite questions that include a polite
request for permission.
Shall I call you a taxi?
Should (and the negative contracted form shouldn't) is used...
 USES
EXAMPLES
To make a suggestion or advice.
You should try this soup!
To convey the idea of an obligation.
He should come to the meetings on time.
Ought to is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
In the same situations as "should," but with a stronger sense of obligation or intensity.
He ought to come to the meetings on time! He's the boss!
Must (and its negative contracted form mustn't) is used...
USES
EXAMPLES
For prohibition (mustn't only).
They mustn't disrupt the work more than necessary.
To make a command in a more respectful way.
You must do your homework before watching TV!
To make a conjecture, but with some certainty.
It's already 9 PM! You must be hungry!
In similar contexts as "should and ought to," but with a sense of external obligation.
All employees must come to staff meetings!

Active voice

When the subject of a sentence performs the verb’s action, we say that the
sentence is in the active voice. Sentences in the active voice have a strong,
direct, and clear tone. Here are some short and straightforward examples of
active voice.
Active voice examples
Monkeys adore bananas.

The cashier counted the money.

The dog chased the squirrel.

All three sentences have a basic active voice construction: subject, verb, and
object. The subject monkey performs the action described by adore. The
subject the cashier performs the action described by counted. The subject the
dog performs the action described by chased. The subjects are doing, doing,
doing—they take action in their sentences. The active voice reminds us of the
popular Nike slogan, “Just Do It.”

Passive voice

A sentence is in the passive voice, on the other hand, when the subject is

acted on by the verb. The passive voice is always constructed with a
conjugated form of to be plus the verb’s past participle. Doing this usually
generates a preposition as well. That sounds much more complicated than it
is—passive voice is actually quite easy to detect. For these examples of
passive voice, we will transform the three active sentences above to illustrate
the difference.

Passive voice examples

Bananas are adored by monkeys.

The money was counted by the cashier.

The squirrel was chased by the dog.

Let’s take a closer look at the first pair of sentences, “Monkeys adore
bananas” and “Bananas are adored by monkeys.” The active sentence
consists of monkeys (subject) + adore (verb) + bananas (object). The passive
sentence consists of bananas (object) + are adored (a form of to be plus the
past participle adored) + by (preposition) + monkeys (subject). Making the
sentence passive flipped the structure and necessitated the preposition by. In
fact, all three of the transformed sentences above required the addition of by.

When to use active and passive voice

Using the active voice conveys a strong, clear tone and the passive voice is
subtler and weaker. Here’s some good advice: don’t use the passive voice
just because you think it sounds a bit fancier than the active voice.

That said, there are times the passive voice is useful and called for. Take “The
squirrel was chased by the dog,” for example. That sentence construction
would be helpful if the squirrel were the focus of your writing and not the dog.

A good rule of thumb is to try to put the majority of your sentences in the
active voice, unless you truly can’t write your sentence in any other way.

Here’s a tip: Grammarly catches instances of passive voice in your writing so you know when
you need to switch it up.

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How to change a sentence in passive voice to
active voice

Here is an example of a business communication that could be strengthened

by abandoning the passive voice.

An error has occurred with your account, but every attempt was made to remedy it.

That sentence is not incorrect, but it does sound a bit stiff and dishonest. It
sounds less trustworthy than it could—almost evasive. Who wants to do
business with a company that avoids taking full responsibility by slipping into
formal passive voice territory? Face the responsibility head on instead. Own it.

We made an error with your account, but we have made every attempt to remedy it.

To make that sentence active rather than passive, I identified the subject: we.
It was “our company” that was responsible.

If there are any questions, I can be reached at the number below.

Here’s a tip: What to remember: to change a sentence from passive voice into active voice,
identify the subject.

The structure of this sentence is weak because it doesn’t identify the subjects
in either clause. Let’s unveil them. Who might have questions to ask? The
person being addressed: you. Who will be doing the reaching (by calling the
number below)? It is still the communication’s recipient.
If you have any questions, call me at the number below.
Simple sentences[edit]
A simple sentence structure contains one independent clause and no dependent clauses.[2]

 I run.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, I, and one verb, run.

 The girl ran into her bedroom.

This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, girl, and one
predicate, ran into her bedroom. The predicate is a verb phrase that consists of more than one word.

 In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat.

This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, dog, and one
predicate, barked and howled at the cat. This predicate has two verbs, known as a compound
predicate: barked and howled. This compound verb should not be confused with a compound
sentence. In the backyard and at the cat are prepositional phrases.

Compound sentences[edit]
Not to be confused with Atomic sentence §  Compound sentences.
In English language, a compound sentence is composed of at least two independent clauses. It
does not require a dependent clause. The clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (with or
without[citation needed] a comma), a semicolon that functions as a conjunction, a colon instead of a
semicolon between two sentences when the second sentence explains or illustrates the first
sentence and no coordinating conjunction is being used to connect the sentences, or a conjunctive
adverb preceded by a semicolon. A conjunction can be used to make a compound sentence.
Conjunctions are words such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. Examples:

 I started on time, but I arrived late.

 I will accept your offer or decline it; these are the two options.
 The law was passed: from April 1, all cars would have to be tested.
 The war was lost; consequently, the whole country was occupied.
The use of a comma to separate two independent clauses without the addition of an appropriate
conjunction is called a comma splice and is generally considered an error (when used in the English
language).[2] Example:

 The sun was shining, everyone appeared happy.

If a sentence contains homogenous members referring to another common member of the sentence,
the sentence may be considered either simple [3] or compound.[4] If the homogenous members are
removed, then the sentence is called contracted. In some languages, like Russian, a comma is not
always required in a sentence with homogenous members. [5]

 Alex likes to fish, and he is going fishing on Friday – Alex likes to fish, and is going fishing on
Friday.
 Алекс любит ловить рыбу, и он пойдет на рыбалку в пятницу – Алекс любит ловить
рыбу и пойдет на рыбалку в пятницу. (Russian)
Complex and compound-complex sentences[edit]
Main article: Dependent clause
A complex sentence has one or more dependent clauses (also called subordinate clauses). Since a
dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a sentence, complex sentences must also have at
least one independent clause. In short, a sentence with one or more dependent clauses and at least
one independent clause is a complex sentence. A sentence with two or more independent clauses
plus one or more dependent clauses is called compound-complex or complex-compound.
In addition to a subject and a verb, dependent clauses contain a subordinating conjunction or similar
word. There are a large number of subordinating conjunctions in English. Some of these give the
clause an adverbial function, specifying time, place, or manner. Such clauses are called adverbial
clauses.

 When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I had only
two things on my mind. (S. E. Hinton, The Outsiders)
This complex sentence contains an adverbial clause, When I stepped out into the bright sunlight
from the darkness of the movie house. The adverbial clause describes when and where the action of
the main clause, I had only two things on my mind, took place.
A relative clause is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or noun phrase in the independent
clause. In other words, the relative clause functions similar to an adjective.

 Let him who has been deceived complain. (Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote)
 You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. (J.K.
Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
In the first example, the restrictive relative clause who has been deceived specifies or defines the
meaning of him in the independent clause, Let him complain. In the second example, the non-
restrictive relative clause who have never known your family describes you in the independent
clause, You see them standing around you.
A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions like a noun. A noun clause may function as
the subject of a clause, or as a predicate nominative or an object.

 What she had realized was that love was that moment when your heart was about to
burst. (Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
In this sentence the independent clause contains two noun clauses. The noun clause What she had
realized serves as the subject of the verb was, and that love was that moment serves
as complement. The sentence also contains a relative clause, when your heart was about to burst.