UNIT FOUR (4) MODAL VERBS

Cuando se utilizan los modal verbs?? Los utilizamos para el futuro y el condicional.

Los verbos modales expresan modalidad, habilidad, posibilidad, necesidad, u otra

condición.

Y son los siguientes:

CAN Posibilidad o petición, habilitado o capacitado para hacer algo.

COULD Pasado de CAN, algo que ya sucedió, brinda alternativas.
MAY Mayormente sirve para pedir permiso. Establecer posibilidad.
MIGHT Sirve para hacer sugerencias o posibilidad. Es más flexible que
MAY.
MUST Expresa necesidad a una sugerencia contundente.
SHALL No es muy común- Muy formal/ como WILL.
SHOULD Sirve para dar consejos, pedir sugerencias, opiniones y acciones.
WOULD Hábitos que se realizaba antes.
1. CAN = Ability, doubt, astonishment, permission, polite request.
Examples
a) I can play football.
b) Can I go out tonight?
c) Ivan can connect the coil.
2. MAY = Permission, if not prohibition, supposition with doubt.
Examples
a) It may rain tomorrow.
b) May I go to the bathroom?
c) May I use the tester?
3. MUST = Obligation, firm necessity, logical conclusion, probability.
Examples
a) He must be her brother.
b) You must study today.
c) He must use the caliper.
4. SHALL = Intention, supposition.
a) You shall pay on Saturday.
b) Shall I help you?
c) Jorge shall clean the electrical workshop.
5. WOULD = Wish (with “to like”), polite request, a habit of the past.
Examples
a) I would play the tennis when I was a child.

1
 b) How about going to the circus tonight? It would be funny.
c) We are going to breakfast. Would you come?

EXERCISES WITH MODAL VERBS

1. There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You buy

any.

a) mustn’t
b) needn’t
c) may not
d) should not

2. it’s a hospital. You smoke.

a) musn’t
b) needn’t
c) may not
d) don’t have to
3. He had been working for more than 11 hours. He be
tired
a) must
b) need
c) had better
d) musn’t
after such hard work. He prefer to get some rest.
a) may
b) shouldn’t
c) must
d) had better

4. I speak English fluently when I was a child and we lived

a) could
b) might
c) can

2
 d) must

in U.S.A. But after we moved back to Canada, I had very little

exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as a
child. Now, I just

a) may
b) can
c) must
d) need

say a few things in the language.

5. The teacher said we read this book for our own pleasure

a) can
b) needn’t
c) must
d) shouldn’t
as it is optional. But we read it if we don't want to.
a) could
b) need
c) needn’t
d) musn’t

6. you stand on your head for more than a minute? No,

a) may
b) need
c) must
d) can

I .

a) may not
b) needn’t
c) can’t

3
 7. If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you to
work hard.

a) could
b) need
c) needn’t
d) musn’t

8.Take an umbrella. It rain later.

a) need
b) should
c) mustn’t
d) might

9. You leave small objects lying around . Such

a) shouldn’t
b) need
c) needn’t
d) may not

objects be swallowed by children.

a) must
b) need
c) may
d) mustn’t

10. People walk on grass.

a) couldn’t
b) needn’t
c) mustn’t
d) may not

11. Drivers stop when the traffic lights are red.

4
 a) could
b) must
c) may

12. I ask a question? Yes, of course.

a) may
b) must
c) should
d) will

13. You take your umbrella. It is not raining.

a) couldn’t
b) needn’t
c) mustn’t
d) may not

14. you speak Italian? No, I .

a) can
b) need
c) should
d) may

No, I ……………………………….

a) shouldn’t

b) mustn’t

c) may not

d) can’t

5
PUT MUST, MUSTN’T AND CAN IN CONTEXT
1. We…………………………..put our clothes back in their place.

2. ………………………..you watch TV after midnight?

3. We………………………drink outside the classroom.

4. We……………………….use mobile phones at the Institute.

5. The sink is dirty. I …………………clean it now.

6. We………………………..forget to turn off our lab computers.

7. You…………………………be quiet during the test.

8. We…………………………turn off all lights when we go to bed.

9. You…………………………fall asleep in class.

10. We……… ……………….shout in the library.

11. You……………………….take my computer, I’ m not using it now.

12. Turn off the tap. We………………………..save water.

13. You have done your homework, so you……………………watch TV. Now.

14. You…………………………tidy your room. It’s messy.

15. ……………………………..I borrow your bike, please?