MODAL GENERAL RULES

- Without to
- Without -s
- Without -ed
- Modal + modal MISTAKE
Semimodals: have to/ ought to/ be able to
ABILITY
- Can: present: I can swim/ she can play the piano
- Could: past (general action): I could ride a bike when I was 7

past (specific action): was/were able to: I was able

to swim down a river in winter
- Be able to
future: will be able to: I will be able to perform
the concert when the weather is sunny

PERMISSION
- Can (afirmatives/ interrogatives) not very formal, we know this
person: Can I go to the concert, mom?
- Could (preguntas) more formal, to be polite: Could I go to the
toilet, please?
- May (preguntas) very formal: may I take your passport, please?
- Be allowed to
I am not allowed to arrive home at 23 o’clock
She is allowed to travel alone

ADVICE
- Should – ordinary advices
You should buy this film
- Ought to – a formal advice
She ought to go to the dentist with such a serious pain
- Had better + infinitive without TO – a very serious situation
You had better go to the hospital because I think you have an
infection
PROBABILITY/ POSSIBILITY
- Must: 100%
It smells very good. Patricia must be cooking
- Can: 50%
It can be a fantastic day today
- Could: 40%
This accent is not familiar to me. I think she could be from Galicia
- Should/ ought to: 40%
She should be at home but I don’t remember if she is working today
- May: 30%
I may go to the concert if the tickets were cheaper
- Might: 25%
I might go to the concert but I don’t like the band
- Can’t: 0%
She can’t be María because she is in Argentina
- Couldn’t: ALMOST 0%
My father couldn’t work from home because he doesn’t have a
printer

OBLIGATION

PRESENT/ FUTURE PAST

Must
Personal obligation
I weight 60 kg. I must gain some kg more Had to
Law and rules I had to do some exercise before
You must use the sanitizer before the race
entering the shop We had to wear uniform at
Have to: school
Subjective obligation, imposed by Your grandma had to clean the
someone house everyday
You have to study harder because you
have been failing the last two exams
She has to be more friendly if she wants
to be my friend
NECESSITY
- Need to
I need to buy some cheese for my pizza
She needs to use the computer for her English classes

LACK OF OBLIGATION
PRESENT/ FUTURE
- Don’t have to
I don’t have to study more because it is summer
She doesn’t have to take care of her younger sister
- Don’t need to/ needn’t (SECOND WAY – MODAL PATTERN)
We don’t need to/needn’t buy ice-cream because we have already
She doesn’t need to/needn’t go to the shopping centre

PASADO

- Didn’t have to
Mike and I didn’t have to sit the exam because we had very good
marks in the first ones
- Didn’t need to: you know it is not necessary so you don’t do it
Peter didn’t need to fix the TV as it was replaced for a new one
- Needn’t have done: you don’t know if it is necessary or not but you
do it.
Josh: Hey, welcome!
María: Hi, thanks, here you have your present
Josh: oh, a cake! You needn’t have bought one, I’ve already bought
a chocolate cake
I needn’t have called my ex-gf
PROHIBITIONS
- Mustn’t/ Can’t/ not be allowed to
1) Laws
I can’t smoke in a hospital
I am not allowed to smoke in a hospital
2) Personal prohibitions
She can’t go out with you because she is grounded
She is not allowed to play the piano when her brother is sleeping

PERFECT MODALS
- Must have + participle: you are sure about something in the past
She must have gone to the beach because the sun cream is not here
- May/ might have + participle: you are not very sure about a
possibility in the past
She may have gone to the beach but I will call her just to know
- Could have + participle: you could have done something but you
didn’t
I could have avoided the problem
- Can’t/ couldn’t have + participle: you are sure something has not
happened in this way in the past
He couldn’t have known the truth because he was away
- Should/ ought to have + participle: regrets and critics about the
past
She should have won the match
- Shouldn’t/ oughtn’t to have + participle: regrets and critics about
the past
He shouldn’t have treated me like that
I shouldn’t have gone to the party