Modal Verbs

What are modal verbs?

▪ They are:
• Can
They are Auxiliary verbs that
• Could
provide additional and specific
• May,Might meaning to the main verb of the
• Must sentence
• Should
• Would Modal verbs are sometimes
refered to as
Modal Auxiliary verbs because
they help other verbs
Secondary functions of modal verbs
In their secondary function, the modal verbs (except shall)
can be used to express the degree of certainty/uncertainty or
probability.
ALMOST CERTAIN

P ▪ MUST
R ▪ WOULD
O
B ▪ SHOULD
A
B ▪ CAN
I ▪ COULD
L
I ▪ MAY,
T MIGHT
Y

VERY UNCERTAIN
 What do they express?
They can have more than one meaning
depending on the situations

To understand it better we are going to divide them into

3 categories
1. Single Concept Modal: they have one meaning
2. Double Concept Modal: they have two meanings
3. Modals in past: They are used to express a situation in
the past
Single Concept Modal

Modal Concept Examples

Might Small probability I might move to Canada some day

Should Recommendation You should go to the doctor

 Double Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
May (1) Permission May I come in?
May (2) Good probability We may visit Mexico this summer
Must (1) Responsibility Everyone must pay taxes
Must (2) Assumption She didn’t arrive. She must be sick
Would (1) Past (used to) When I was young, I would play soccer
Would (2) Present unreal I would buy the car but I can’t afford it

Could (1) Unreal Ability I could go if I had time

Could (2) Past Ability She could play the piano, not anymore

Can (1) Present Ability We can speak English

Can (2) Permission Can I have a sweet?

How do we use modals?
S M V
Subject Verb

They do not work conjugation

Example: Mary could play the piano
Form:
There is no “s” in singular
There is no “do / does” in the question
There is no “don’t / doesn’t” in the negative
He can ski He cans ski or He can skis

-Would you like to come with me?

-They can’t be serious
Form Modal verbs do not have infinitives or –ing forms
to can / caning to must /musting
-She must study
-We should have gone the other way
-He could play football in his youth (general ability)
-They can play the piano
*You use "not" to make modal verbs negative, even in Simple
Present and Simple Past.(don’t use “do”).
EXAMPLES:
-He should not be late.
-They might not come to the party

Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tense or the

future tense.
EXAMPLES:
-She must studied very hard.
 MAY
▪ -I may choose to wear the red dress to the party.
=I have two dresses. There is a chance that I will choose to
wear the red dress and not the blue one.
▪ -Today, he may come on time.
=Although usually he comes late. There is a possibility that
today he will come on time.
▪ May I come to visit you at 5 o’clock?
=I want to come to you but I’m not sure that you want me to
come/that you will be at home/that you will let me enter .

▪ You may take only one candy.

=Although there are more candies, I permit you to take only
one of them!
 MIGHT

1) To express possibility in the present or in

the future.
Ashley might be in the library. I am not sure.
George might come as well.
He may come.
He might come. (the chance that he comes
is less likely than may)
MIGHT

2) might with present perfect tense means

speculation about the past.
Edward is late. He might have missed
his bus or he might have overslept.
 MIGHT
▪ We may come on time, but if you miss the bus, we might be
late. =I plan to come on time and this is why I want to catch
the 7:15 bus.
-If I catch the 7:30 bus, I can come on time or not, I’m not
sure.
-If you advertise on the Internet you might get a lot of spam
to your e-mail box.=Although you don’t want to get spam,
there’s a risk that you will get it.
SHOULD
▪ If you want to be a champion you should practice every
day.=You don’t have to practice but then, you will not get
better.

▪ When you make a cheese cake, you should first check that
you have cheese. -or else, it will not be a cheese cake
 MUST
1) Express something is necessary and essential
You must pay by cash.
▪ Students have to wear uniform.
▪ She is sick. She has high fever. She must take a pill.
= very strong advice/ obligation
2) Must not is used to express something is not permitted or
allowed. not have to is used to express something that is not
to be done necessarily.
-You mustn’t smoke, eat and drink in the museum.
-You mustn’t ride your bike without a helmet!= you're not
allowed to do.
-You must not drink and drive.
-We don’t have to get up early on Saturday.
-She doesn’t have to live in the hotel. She can live with us.
We must come to MEET
on time
 We must give seat to
the old people on public
buses
We must do our
homework
We mustn’t disturb other
people
We mustn’t make noise
in class
mustn´t E

must

mustn´t A

must

must F

mustn´t

C
Unit 8: Modal Auxiliary Verbs

▪ Would: Would is used

1) as the past tense of will:
She said she would buy dinner on her way
home.
I believed it would rain so I brought my
raincoat.
2) to express polite request:
Would you please take off your coat?
Would you mind turning the radio off?
Unit 8: Modal Auxiliary Verbs

3) to express actions take place in the past:

I would fish and swim in the river when I
lived in the countryside.
I used to go swimming in the river when
I lived in the countryside.
4) to express desire
I would like to have one day off.
I’d love to stay for a few more days.
5-10 WOULD LIKE

I would like a glass of water.

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 5-10 WOULD LIKE

(a) I’m thirsty. I want a glass of water.

(b) I’m thirsty. I would like a glass of water.

would like same meaning

want
more polite

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 5-10 WOULD LIKE

(c) I would like

You would like
She would like
He would like
a hamburger.
We would like
They would like

would
like no final -s

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 5-10 WOULD LIKE

(d) CONTRACTIONS
I’d = I would
you’d = you would
she’d = she would
he’d = he would
we’d = we would
they’d = they would
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 5-10 WOULD LIKE

WOULD LIKE + INFINITIVE

(e) I would like to eat lunch.
WOULD + SUBJECT + LIKE
(f) Would you like to eat lunch?

QUESTIONS:

would before subject

27
 5-10 WOULD LIKE

(g) Yes, I would.

I would like to eat lunch.

used alone with would like questions

not contracted

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 5-10 Let’s Practice

would like

They want flowers too.

They _______________.
would like flowers
’d like flowers
They___________.
(contraction)

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5-10 Let’s Practice

would like

Sami: Do you want a rose?

Ming-Fa: Yes, I do. Thank you.
Would you like a rose?
Sami: ____________
I’d like a rose.
Ming-Fa: Yes, ______
(contraction)
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5-11 WOULD LIKE vs. LIKE

I would like to play soccer.

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 5-11 WOULD LIKE vs. LIKE

(a) I would like to play soccer.

(b) I like to play soccer.

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 5-11 WOULD LIKE vs. LIKE

(a) I would like to play soccer.

Want to
now or in the future

(b) I like to play soccer.

Enjoy
always, usually, often

33
5-11 Let’s Practice

would like
like

would like to visit the moon.

She _________

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 Unit 8: Modal Auxiliary Verbs

• Should: Should is used

1) to give advice and opinions
You are driving too fast; you should slow
down a little bit.
You have gained a lot of weight. You
should go on a diet.
 Unit 8: Modal Auxiliary Verbs

2) to express expectations:
Are you ready? The taxi should be here
soon.
Twenty dollars is enough. It shouldn’t
cost more than that.
3) to suggest a less strong possibility
If you should pass the bakery, can you
buy some bread?
 Unit 8: Modal Auxiliary Verbs

4) Should with present perfect tense means

something in the past should not be done.
The baby is crying. You shouldn’t have
talked so loudly.
Mom is angry. You shouldn’t have come
back so late.
 Can
I can walk.= I have the general ability to do the action
of walking.
I can’t hear you, it is too noisy.
=I don’t have the ability to hear what you are saying because
of the noise.
I have some free time. I can help her now.
=I have the opportunity to help her.
Can Could
I can't help her now because I don't have any time.
=I don’t have the opportunity to help her. In the past, can
changes to could.
He could speak only Hebrew when he was a kid. He couldn’t
speak to his neighbor who speaks only English. (General
ability).
I can speak English.

▪ I can use computer.

▪ I can drive a car.

EXAMPLES;
▪ I can do karate.

▪ I can climb a
mountain
I can’t play tennis. 

▪ I can’t play tennis.

▪ I can’t skate.
EXAMPLES;

▪ I can’t swim. 

▪ I can’t play the guitar.

Can you speak English?

▪ Can you carry a box?

▪ ☺ Yes, I can.

▪ Can you paint the house?

▪ ☺ Yes, I can.
EXAMPLES;

▪ Can you cook an omlette?

▪  No, I can’t.

▪ Can you sing songs?

▪  No, I can’t.
Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Could: Could is used

1) to express abilities in the past:
Jason could do 50 push-ups in five
minutes when he was young.
Jason could talk when he was four.
2) to express permission:
Could you lend me two grants?
Modal Auxiliary Verbs

3) to express future possibility: it expresses

more uncertainty than may
I could get an A or B in grammar. It
depends on the final exam.
4) could with present perfect tense is used to
express something in the past may be real.
You could have been killed in that accident.
I could have won that game.
Find and correct the six mistakes in the dialogue
 PRACTISE 1
Make the modal verb negative
in each of these sentences:

a) You will stay in at break. a) You won’t stay in at break.

b) You could catch a cold. b) You couldn’t catch a cold.
c) You can go first. c) You can’t go first.
d) You may not turn off the TV.
d) You may turn off the TV.
e) You mustn’t be boiling.
e) You must be boiling. f) You shouldn’t really be quieter
f) You should really be quieter. g) You might not get lucky.
g) You might get lucky. h) You wouldn’t believe it.
h) You would believe it.
a) You will not (won’t) stay in at break.
b) You couldn’t catch a cold.
c) You can’t go first.
d) You may not turn off the TV.
e) You mustn’t be boiling.
f) You shouldn’t really be quieter.
g) You might not get lucky.
h) You wouldn’t believe it.
 PRACTISE 2

Put the right modal verbs into these sentences:

1. He swims really well. He _____ practise a lot.
2. It was so dark I ____ see the path.
3. He’s brilliant. He ___ even juggle with his eyes closed!
4. If she keeps practising, she __ just make the team.
5. He is just not sure. He ___ make his mind up.
6. You ___ spread gossip.
7. ___ I sit here?
8. Jill has ten hedgehogs. They ___ cost a bomb to feed.
9. Sadly I ____ sing for toffee.
10. I tried to eat it, but I _____.
 EXERCISES -KEY
Put the right modal verbs into these sentences:
1. He swims really well. He must practice a lot.
2. It was so dark I couldn’t see the path.
3. He’s brilliant. He can even juggle with his eyes closed!
4. If she keeps practising, she might just make the team.
5. He is just not sure. He can’t make his mind up.
6. You mustn’t spread gossip.
7. May I sit here?
8. Jill has ten dogs. They must cost a bomb to feed.
9. Sadly I can’t sing opera´s song.
10. I tried to eat it, but I couldn’t.