MODAL VERBS - 4TH ESO- GRAMMAR EXPLANATION AND

PRACTICE
• The modal verbs are: can, could, may, might, will, would, shall,
should, ought to, must, need and dare.

1. Use: we use modal verbs to talk about, possibility, ability, obligation,

certainty, permission etc.

2.Form: modal verbs take the same form in all persons. There is no –s
ending in the third person singular: She can speak French.

- They are followed by an infinitive without –to.: She should study

more.

- We form the negative by putting “not” after the modal verb.: we

can’t do it.

- We form questions by inverting the subject and the modal verb.:

Can she type?

- - They lack many tenses and they don’t have an infinitive. Some of
them have a past form but they lack compound tenses. Instead of
modal verbs to make compound tenses we use other verbs: to be
able to, to be allowed to or to have to.

- E.g.: I’d like to be able to play the piano

( me gustaría ser capaz de tocar)

She had to go to the doctor’s yesterday. (tuvo que ir al

médico)

ABILITY - CAPABILITY ( CAN- COULD - BE ABLE TO)

• CAN: we use “can” to talk about ability.

• COULD: to express ability in the past.

• The rest of tenses are formed with “to be able to”:

e.g.: He can play football very well / He will be able to talk in a few months
 My sister could talk when she was 15 months old.

• E.g. We haven’t been able to find the keys.

• I’d like to be able to play the guitar.

Now translate into English:

1. El bebé podrá caminar dentro de unos meses.

2. El equipo no pudo ganar el partido.

3. Finalmente, los estudiantes han podido solucionar (solve) los

problemas.

4. No podré terminar el proyecto a tiempo. Es demasiado trabajo.

5. 5.¿ Pudo tu perro encender el ordenador? No me lo creo.

OBLIGATION : MUST - HAVE TO

We normally use must when the authority comes from the speaker:
You must be home by 12 o’clock.

We normally use have to when the authority comes from outside

the speaker. ( I have to wear uniform/ you have to wear uniform)

• Must is only used in the present , in the In other tenses we use

“have to”:

e.g. You must come back home now.

She had to come back soon/ She will have to leave her job.

• Remember that “have to” uses do/does in the negative and the
interrogative form:

e.g.: Do you have to work today? No, I don’t.

She doesn’t have to come today.

We must respect animal rights

Everybody must have the same rights

 TRANSLATE NOW :

1- Tendrás que ayudar a tu hermana esta tarde.

2- Debes usar corbata y traje en el banco

3- No hemos tenido que repetir la escena.

4- ¿ Tendrás que viajar a Paris la semana que viene? No lo creo.

5. Los estudiantes tienen que guardar los teléfonos en sus

mochilas.

6. Mi madre me dijo que no tenía que hacer la cama porque era

muy tarde .

PROHIBITION (MUSTN'T ) / ABSENCE OF OBLIGATION ( DON'T HAVE TO -

NEEDN'T )

1. Prohibition: you use mustn’t to express this: You mustn’t park here

2. ( está prohibido aparcar aquí)/ You musn’t speak in the library.

Absence of Obligation: don’t have to/ needn’t: You don’t have to give me
the money tomorrow. (you can do it next week)/ You needn’t do those
exercises

TRANSLATE NOW :

- No debes aparcar aquí. Está prohibido

- No tienes que aparcar aquí . Hay un sitio más cerca de tu oficina

- No puedes hablar ni hacer ruido en la biblioteca.

- No tienes que hablar si no quieres .

ADVICE ( SHOULD / SHOULDN'T / OUGHT TO )

. Advice : to give some advice you can use should or ought to:

e.g.You should study more / you ought to study more.

You shouldn´t smoke . It’s bad for your health.

IMPOSSIBILITY AND CERTAINTY ( CAN'T / MUSTN'T)

1. we use “can’t” when we are certain something is impossible.

e.g. She can’t be at home. She is on a business trip this week. (es
imposible)

2. We use “must” when we are certain something is true.

e.g.: Ben must be at home because it’s 9:00 o’clock. (debe estar)

TRANSLATE NOW:

- No puede estar en casa todavía porque sale a las 5.

- Debe de ser su hermana . Se parece mucho a ella.

POSSIBILITY

• May, might, may not, might not and could are used to express
possibility in the present and future.

e.g. He might/may/ could be at home but I’m not sure because he always
gets home at different times.

Perhaps he is in the sports centre. He may/ could / might be in the

sports centre.