Modal Verbs

Differences from other English verbs:

*they have no infinitive form or participles

MODAL VERBS are a small group of verbs
that are used with other verbs to change their
meaning in the sentence in various ways .
MODAL VERBS are used with other verbs (in
front of a verb ) to express the speaker’s
opinion at the time of speaking. They express
the speaker’s attitude towards an event, a
situation or the person they are speaking to.
We use MODAL VERBS, not for situations /
things that have definitely happened, BUT to
talk about things we expect, which are
possible, which we think are necessary, which
we are not sure about, etc…
The English MODAL VERBS are :
 CAN / COULD,
 MAY / MIGHT,
 SHALL/SHOULD,
 WILL/WOULD,
 MUST, HAVE to, MUSTN’T
 OUGHT to ,
 USED to,
 DARE to
 NEED to.
*they do not need auxiliary DO =
questions and negatives are made without
do, does, did:
EX: Question - Can we go now?
Negative - I can’t ride a bike.
*they have no s in the 3rd person singular:
EX: Mary can swim very well and Tânia
should learn it before her trip to Brazil.
*they do not normally stand alone. They are
nearly always used in front of a verb. The main
verb is always an
Infinitive without to:
EX: -Yes, I can pass you the salt.
EX: -Jane might arrive before dinner, but I
doubt it.
*A few modals are followed by to:
EX: -Perhaps you ought to see a doctor.
EX:- How dare you to say that to your teacher?
*when necessary , we use other verbs/ words:
Ex - It can rain tomorrow . = It is possible… It is
likely… etc

They are used in several ways/meanings.

Modal verbs help us to show a different attitude to the main action verb.

A few examples:

Sentence explanation Words/ Meaning

phrases with
similar
meanings
1- I can /can’t swim very fast. I’ve learned how to do it, Be able Ability /
so I’m able to do it Be unable capacity
2-I could/ couldn’t swim when I was I had learned how to do Be able Past ability
4 years old. it, so I was able to do it Be unable
3-Well, I think I can/can’t swim here It’s possible or probable / Possible Possibility
on Tuesdays. impossible or improbable Probable Probability
90%/ 100% Likely
75% …. it’s likely to Possibly
could happen Probably
 may 50% : it’s fairly possible Impossible
to happen Improbable
might less than 25 % : it’s Unlikely
unlikely to happen
4-Might I come a bit later for my Very formal way of asking To be allowed Asking for
swimming lesson ? for permission to permission
Could Still formal To be
May Less formal permitted to Giving
Can permission
5-Might you comb my hair? Very formal way to ask Please Polite
Could someone to do us a Ask for a requests
Would favour favour
Can
Will Requests
Less formal
6-I must go for my swimming Self-imposed obligation To be obliged Obligation
lesson on time. Somebody else imposed to
Have to me that obligation To be required
to
To be forced to
To have to
To really need
7-I ought to teach my younger About a social, traditional Moral
sister how to swim. rule obligation
8-I really should do something about Indicates a suggestion, It would be Giving good
that crawl style. an advice, a better advice
recommendation Would better
Would rather
It is your duty
to…
You are
required to
9-You mustn’t walk barefoot here. When we want somebody It is forbidden Prohibition
NOT to do something Not to be
allowed to/
permitted to
10-I need to practise my crawl style. Something is wanted, Necessity
required , indicating Absence of
-You needn’t to have arrived so need necessity
early: there’s
plenty of time Something is
unnecessary
11-Shall I help you to put your cap Asking if the other person Do you want Offering
?* would like me to do me to…? assistance
-Shall we take our swim-suits? something for her
-Shall we have dinner out ? Making a suggestion Suggesting
Inviting the other person Inviting
* the subject is always either I or WE for something
12-I used to swim 3 times a week, A finished past habit A regular past
but I’ve quitted now habit
13-How dare you to splash so much Have the courage to do Have the A daring
water around ? something courage attitude
14-He must be one of the teachers It’s a logical conclusion Surely Logical
as he is the best swimmer. I presume deduction
Practice:

1- Underline the modal verb in each of the sentences below. What is their meaning in
each context?

Abi Possi Asking Prohib Polit Sugge Oblig Moral Nece Offeri A Dari Logic
lity bility/ for/ ition e stion/ ation oblig ssity ng pa ng al
proba giving requ invitati (self- ation (or assist st attit dedu
bility Permi ests on/ impos not) ance ha ude ction
ssion ed or bit ( aff.
advice not) or
neg.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

a- Can “money” have a plural form? ………………………………..

b- You mustn’t light fires in a forest. ………………………………..
c- May I come tomorrow? ………………………………..
d- It might get worse in the future. ………………………………..
e- People should keep oceans clean. ………………………………..
f- Shall I turn on the TV? ………………………………..
g- Can you really get addicted to fast food? ………………………………..
h- You needn’t to buy a drink: this bottle of water is enough for both of us.
………………………………..
i- Would you like another slice of cake? ………………………………..
j- Will you please open the door for me? ………………………………..
k- We might even discover that it’s possible to become addicted to the all-American meal of
burgers and fries. ……………………………
l- Fast-food companies should label the food to inform customers of its high calorific value.
………………………………..
m- Costumers used to help themselves to the tomato sauce, salt and pepper on the trolleys.
………………………………..
n- Kate left 30 minutes ago, so she must be home by now. ………………………………..
o- You mustn’t leave any litter on your way out. ………………………………..
p- You must have received a lot of junk mail before: everybody does.
………………………………..
q- I have to repair the damages. ………………………………..
r- You ought to have told Ruth about the shopping list: she is your sister after all.
………………………………..
s- My grandma used to give me some extra money. ………………………………..
t- How dare you?? It’s not even Christmas and you are already cutting down pine trees as if
you didn’t care for environmental problems. ?..
u- I must organise some anti-consumerism campaigns. ………………………
v- You must shake your towels very well before leaving…………………….
w- How dare you spit on the ground!?? It’s a disgusting habit…..
x- He must know what he is doing: he has worked on that for a long
time!!…………………………………………………………….
y- Students may borrow up to 3 books. ………………………….
z- Her office is empty: she must have gone home………………………….