Modals

'Modals' are helping verbs and also known as Modal Auxiliary verbs and
Modal verbs. Modals are different from normal verbs. They are used
with the Main verbs to express permission, ability, obligation, possibility,
probability, necessity, uncertainty and so on.
Important Points about Modals

• 1. Modals are used as Helping (Auxiliary) verb with Main verb.

2. Subject Number (Singular or Plural) and Subject Person (Ist Person/2nd
Person/3rd Person) have no impact on Modals. It remains same with Singular or
Plural or any Person of the Subject whereas other helping verbs
(Is/Are/Am/Has/Have) keep on changing according to the Number and Person of
the Subject.
3. Always first form of Main verb is used after Modals.
4. When 'Be/Have' comes between Modal and Verb then 3rd form of the Main
verb is used. Such sentences are used in Passive Voice. Exception - in Future
Continuous Tense, 'Be' comes with Modals and 'Ing' is added with the Ist form of
the Main Verb.
• 5. Modals do not change their form (spelling / addition of 's', 'ing' or
'en') according to the tense.

6. Infinitive 'To' comes only after two Modals - 'Used To' and 'Ought
To'. Infinitive 'To' does not come after other Modals.

7. Modals are auxiliary verbs. They do not need an additional auxiliary

verb in negative or interrogative sentence
• Main Modals are - may, might, can, could, will, would, shall, should,
must, ought to, dare, need & used to.
 May

• 'May' is used to express possibility or uncertainty of any happening

Vah aa sakataa hai. (Vah shaayad aa sakataa hai.) He may come.

Vah shaayad tumhaaraa peechhaa kar sakataa hai. He may follow you.

Aaj baadal chhaaye huay hai. Shaayad barsaat ho sakatee hai. It is cloudy today. It may rain.

Vah shaayad videsh sair kee yojanaa banaa sakate haiN. He may plan for a foreign trip.

HameN der ho sakatee hai. We may be late.

Use tumhaara pataa maaloom hone kee sambhavanaa hai. He may know your address.

Yah ek achchhaa sujhaav ho sakataa hai par vah ise nahee apanaayegaa. It may be a good idea but he won't adopt it.
'May' is used to seek or give Permission and for polite/informal
request (When you expect less than 50-60%)
May I come in?

Yes, you may.

May I sit here?

Yes, you may sit here.

May I take your leave?

Yes, you may go.

May I help you?

May I ask him to see you at home?

May I have your pen?

May I use your highlighter?

May I borrow your cycle?

May I ask you to stand there?

Girls may go to computer lab after recess.

May is also used to give blessings,good wishes or to
express desires.
Tumhe lambee aayu mile. May you live long!

Tumhe sampannataa mile. May you prosper!

Tumhe apanee jindagee meiN safalataa mile. May you succeed in your life !

Bhagwaan tumhe aashirvaad de. May God bless you!

Bhagwaan tumhe shaitaano se bachaaye. May God protect you from bad devils !

Bhagwaan usakee sahaayataa kare. May God help her !

Is mushakil samay meiN Parmeshawar use shaktee de. May God give him strength during this difficult time !
'May' is also used to express purpose, reason and information

Vah usakee dekhabhaal karataa hai taaki vah jindagee meiN kaShT naa bhugate. He cares for her so that she may not suffer in life.

Vah kaDee padhaai karataa hai taaki use achchhe number mil sake. He studies hard so that he may get good marks.

Vah roj mandir jaatee hai taaki usake beTe ko achchhee naukaree mile sake. She goes to temple daily so that her son may get good job.

Vah vrat rakhatee hai taaki use jiwan meiN sabse achchhaa saathee mil sake. She keeps fast so that she may get the best partner in life.

Usakee umra kitanee hogi? / Vah kitanee baDee hogi? / Usakee aayu kyaa hogi? How old she may be?

Ham use kahaaN DhoonDh sakate haiN? Where may we find her?

Use kaun gumaraah kar rahaa ho sakataa hai? / Kaun ho sakataa hai jo use Who may be misguiding her?
gumaraah kar rahaa hai.

Usake inkaar kaa kyaa kaaraN ho sakataa hai? What may be the reason of her refusal?

Rahul kee dostee unake sambandh-vichchhed kee vajah ho sakatee hai. Rahul's friendship may be the reason for their breakup.
 Might

• 'May' is used to express possibility or uncertainty of any happening.

'Might' is also used to express possibility or uncertainty where
possibility is very less (only about 10-20%).
Vah shaayad hee aa sakataa hai. He might come.

Vah shaayad bhookhee hogee. She might be hungry.

Main vachan nahee detaa hooN. MaiN shaayad tumase milu. I don't promise. I might call you.

Vah shaayad hamaaree company meiN chunaa jaaye. He might get selected in our company.

Vah usase shaam ko shaayad mile. She might meet him in the evening.

Vah VRS scheme ke baare meiN shaayad kuchh jaanataa ho. He might know something about VRS scheme.

Election se pahale shaayad yah usakaa aakhiree bhaaShaN ho sakataa hai. This might be his last speech before the election.
• This gift may please her - There is a possibilility of 50-60% that the gift
may please her. This gift might please her - There is a remote
possibility (only 10-20%) that the gift may please her. The difference
of 'May' and 'Might' becomes visible by the voice tone expressing the
good possibility or meek possibility
 'Might' is also used to make request. It expresses more politeness and shows
hesitation or less confidence of the speaker. It also hints that the request may not be
accepted

Kyaa maiN tumhaaree car udhaar le sakataa hooN? Might I borrow your car?

Kyaa maiN tumhaare Chairman se mil sakataa hooN? Might I meet your Chairman?

Kyaa ham tumhaare khaalee flat ko 10 dino tak istemaal kar sakate haiN? Might we use your vacant flat for ten days?

Kyaa tum aaj bartan saaf kar sakate ho? Might you clean the utensils today?

Kyaa tum aaj saDak kinaare jhaaDu lagaa sakate ho? Might you sweep the roadside today?
'Might' is the past tense of 'May'. In Direct Indirect, 'May' is
changed to 'Might'.
He said, "He may come today". He told that he might come that day.

She asked, "May she go to Chandigarh by bus"? She asked whether she might go to Chandigarh by bus.

Principal said to students, "You all may appear in the campus interview". Principal told students that they all might appear in the campus interview.

Her mother said to me, "She may agree to accompany her". Her mother told that she might agree to accompany her.

He said to Avyan, "You may dance in front of all". He told Avyan that he might dance in front of all.
May have / Might have

• 'May have/Might have' is used to express the possibility that

something (action/event) has already happened. It is also used to
say that by some time in the future, it is possible that something will
have happened. Use of 'May/Might' in Perfect Tense - Third form of
Verb is used after 'May have/Might have'.
• I am setting or will set aremiander in phone,otherwise I may/might
forget my marriage anniversary.
• She is normal today.She may/might have forgotten about the
anniversary.
• First sentence is talking about present or future possibility and the
second sentence is talking about future possibility.
Mujhe lagataa hai ab tak shaayad vah so gayee hogee. I think she might have slept by now.

Vey aaj Agra pahunch chuke honge aisee sambhaavanaa hai. They might have reached Agra by today.

Tum shaayad meraa naam bhool gaye ho. You might have forgotten my name.

Vah ek durghaTanaa thee. Driver shaayad choTil ho gayaa hai.(HameN sahee That was an accident. The driver may have been injured. (We do not know the exact
jaanakaaree nahee hai parantu sambhaavanaa hai aur shaayad vah choTil huaa position but possibility exists and probably he is injured)
hai)

Vah ek durghaTanaa thee. Driver choTil ho sakataa thaa. (Sambhaavanaa thee That was an accident. He might have been injured. (There was a possibility but
parantu driver ChoTil nahee huaa) driver was not injured)

Agale Monday tak maiN apanaa saunpaa huaa kaam khatm kar sakataa thaa. By next Monday, I might have completed my assignment.

Agale Monday tak maiN shaayad apanaa saunpaa huaa kaam khatm kar sakataa By next Monday, I may have completed my assignment.
hooN.

Vah mujhe meeting meiN aamantrit kar sakataa thaa ( parantu usane nahee He might have invited me in the meeting (but he did not invite).
kiyaa)

Vah mujhe meeting meiN aamantrit kar sakataa hai aisee sambhaavanaa hai. He may have invited me in the meeting.
Kisane tumhaaree anguThee churaai hogee? Who might have stolen your ring?

Usane kyaa kiyaa hogaa? What might he have done?

Usase train chhooT gayee hogee. (sambhaavanaa hai) He may have missed the train (There is a possibility).

Usase train chhooT gayee hogee. (bahut kam sambhaavanaa hai) He might have missed the train (There is least possibility).

Ab shaayad computer chal rahaa hogaa.(bahut kam sambhaavanaa hai) The computer might be working now (There is least possibility)

Plumber ab kaarya kar rahaa hogaa (aisee sambhaavanaa hai). The plumber may be working now.

Asafalataa ke liye use doSh diyaa jaa sakataa hai. (sambhaavanaa hai) He may be blamed for the debacle.

Asafalataa ke liye use doSh diyaa jaa sakataa hai. (bahut kam sambhaavanaa hai) He might be blamed for the debacle.

Vah shaayad aapatti kare. He may protest.

Vah shaayad hee aapatti kare. He might protest.

Tum May/Might ke prayog shaayad samajh gaye honge (sambhaavanaa hai) You may have understood the uses of May/Might.

Tum May/Might ke prayog shaayad hee samajhe honge (bahut kam You might have understood the uses of May/Might.
sambhaavanaa hai)
Thank you