_______________________________________________________________________Handout Nº18 – Designed by David Rubio B.

MODAL VERBS

A modal verb is a type of verb that is used to indicate modality, which is the way
in which a main verb is performed. Among the different modalities are: ability,
suggestion, obligation, likelihood, permission, request, capacity, order, or advice.

The place of a modal verb within the basic structure of the English sentence is,
as follow:

SUBJECT + Modal Verb + MAIN VERB + OBJECT/COMPLEMENT

Without the modal verb, a simple sentence would be:

I EAT BREAD (which implies the action of eating bread here and now)

By adding a specific modal verb I may change the utter meaning of the sentence. For
example:

I SHOULD EAT BREAD (implying the suggestion of eating bread)

I MUST EAT BREAD (implying the obligation of eating bread)

Or I CAN EAT BREAD (implying the capacity to eat bread)

For negative statements you must only add NOT after the modal verb used.

For example:

I SHOULD NOT EAT BREAD * I MUST NOT EAT BREAD * I CANNOT EAT BREAD

Abbreviated forms: I shouldn´t eat bread * I mustn’t eat bread * I can´t eat bread

As seen in the examples, the use of modal verbs implies that the main verb of the
sentence is unaltered. By changing the modal verb the meaning of the sentence changes,
but the main verb is not to be changed in any way.

Thus the complete list of modals verbs and their uses are listed as follow:

CAN (used to express capacity/ability) – Ex.: I can go to the cinema today because I have time.

WILL (used to express simple future (1) and requests (2) ) –

Ex(1).: I will close the door because it´s getting cold.

Ex(2).: Will you help me with this please?

COULD (used to express possibility (1), requests (2) and the past simple of can (3)) –

Ex(1).: I could help you with your work if I had more time.

Ex(2).: Could you come today?

Ex(3).: I could run very fast when I was a child.

WOULD (used to express conditional (1) requests (2) and the past remote (3)) –

Ex(1).: I would help you with your work if I had more time.

Ex(2).: Would you come today with me?

Ex(3).: I would run very fast when I was a child.

MAY (used to express likely events (1) and asking permission (2) ) –

Ex(1).: I may join you tomorrow if I get more money.

Ex(2).: May I go to the toilette please?

MIGHT (used to express unlikely events) – Ex.: I might find a UFO if I keep searching the sky.

MUST (used to express obligation) – Ex.: I must pay the water bill before they cut it off.

SHOULD (used to express suggestions) – Ex.: I should go to the doctor because I feel sick.

In addition to the abovementioned, there are some Semi-modal verbs. These

follow the same pattern as the above (S + Modal + Main verb + O/C) but these are
compounded by more than one element. The semi-modal verbs are, as follow:

USED TO (used to express past habits) – Ex.: I used to be happy when I lived in Europe.

HAVE TO (used to express imposition) – Ex.: She has to come today. / I have to do it now.

NEED TO (used to express necessity) – Ex.: He needs to be here. / You need to drink more water.

(BE) GOING TO (used to express future plans) –

Ex.: I am going to arrive very late tomorrow.

Ex.: She is going to bring all her work to the house.

Ex.: You are going to pay a lot of money for that shirt.

In summary Modal verbs:

1 : T hey don't use an 's' for t he t hird person singular (except from the sem i-m odals have to and need to)
2 : T hey m ake qu estions by inversion ('she can g o' becom es 'can she go?').
3 : T hey are followed directly by the infinitive of a nother verb (without 't o').
4 : T hey don´t change the Ma in verb, just the m eaning of t he sentence.
5 : Som e of t hem (the sem i m odals) have a different structure that includes 't o'.
6 : Som e of them have m ore than one use (ex.: would / could / m ay / w ill).