MODALS USE EXAMPLE

CAN Ability/request/possibility -They can improve their life quality

- Can you help us?

CAN’T Strong disbelief / inability / -It can’t be true that they live without clean
prohibition water
-I can’t ride a bike to school- It’s too far
-You can’t barbecue in the park

BE ABLE TO Ability (less frequent and more -She isn’t able to find work in the slums
formal than “can” in the present -She is able to speak five languages fluently
simple) / Possibility

MUST Obligation (speaker’s feelings) / -You must pay for the ticket
necessity (the speakers thinks it is -You must find clean drinking water
necessary) / strong belief -Life must be difficult in the slums

MUSTN’T Prohibition -You musn’t park your car on the pavement

HAVE TO Necessity (someone else thinks it is -You have to wear a uniform in this school
necessary) / obligation (by law)

NEED TO Necessity /obligaton (an action -I need to go to the market to get my

must be performed urgently and it’s groceries
important) (it can be used instead of
“have to” in most of the cases)

DON’T HAVE TO Lack of necessity -They don’t have to/needn’t climb the
DON’T NEED TO mountain any more
NEEDN’T

SHOULD Advice / opinion -You should/ought to visit Medellin

OUGHT TO

MAY Possibility -They may/might build a skyscraper here

MIGHT

MAY Polite request/permission -May I speak to the mayor?

COULD Past ability / possibility / polite -When I was Young I could run very fast
request / polite suggestion (habilidad general)
- you help me clear the path?
-You could meet Beth at the sation

WOULD Formal request/ offer -Would you give this letter to the mayor,
please?
-Would you like some tea?