PRESENT MODAL VERBS

ABILITY CAN I can speak four 4 Languages

BE ABLE TO +INF ( SPECIFIC TIME ) I am able to listen and study at the same time
MANAGE TO+INF I manage to get on time to the airport
POSSIBILITY IN PRESENT OR FUTURE MAY She may be late cause she has missed the train
MIGHT I might fail this exam since I didn´t study for it
COULD I could book my summer holidays in August since
there is usually little work
PERMISSION MAY May I go the toilet ?
MIGHT Could I open the window?
COULD
PROHIBITION MUSTN´T = MUST NOT You mustn´t eat in class .Its banned.
CAN´T = CANNOT You can´t shout or scream in class. Its forbidden.

ADVICE OR RECOMMENDATION SHOULD / SHOULDN´T If I were you I would study more.

OUGHT TO You ought to be more respectful to your parents
as they want to be best for you .
STRONG CERTAINTY OR DEDUCTION MUST He must be stuck in a traffic jam otherwise he
would have arrived way earlier .
OBLIGATION MUST ( SELF OBLIGATION ) Today I must do the household tasks.
They have to work harder in order to reach the
HAVE TO ( 3RD PARTY ) sales targets.

IMPOSSIBILITY CAN´T He can´t be at school because she has a medical

appointment
NECESSITY NEED TO +INF We need to be on time at the restaurant cause our
table is at 19
LACK OF OBLIGATION DOESN´T NEED TO / DON´T NEED TO We don´t need to get up early today since its
+INF Saturday
DON´T / DOESN´T HAVE TO +INF

Modal verbs do not go with -s /-es he must goes

Some modal verbs are not followed by to +inf ( should, ought to, must , can´t, could, may, might )

1

PAST ABILITY
PAST POSSIBILITY
PAST IMPOSSIBILITY
PAST ADVICE OR PAST CRITIC
PAST DEDUCTION OR STRONG
DEDUCTION
PAST OBLIGATION
LACK OF OBLIGATION IN THE PAST
PAST MODAL VERBS
COULD ( GENERAL ABILITY )
WAS ABLE TO ( SPECIFIC ABILITY IN
THE PAST )
COULD/ MAY /MIGHT +HAVE+PAST
PARTICIPLE
CAN´T / COULDN´T HAVE+PAST
PARTICIPLE
SHOULD / OUGHT TO HAVE +PAST
PARTICIPLE
MUST HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE
HAD TO +INF
NEEDN´T HAVE+PAST PARTICIPLE(
UNNECESSARY ACTION BUT DONE )
DIDN´T NEED TO +INF (
UNNECESSARY ACTION AND
UNDONE)
DIDN´T HAVE TO +INF (
UNNECESSARY ACTION AND
UNDONE)
2
WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD I COULD
SPELL WORDS FASTER IN GERMAN
THAN IN SPANISH
LAST WEEKEND I WAS ABLE TO
REPAIR THE CAR IN 30 MINUTES
I COULD / MAY / MIGHT HAVE STAYED
LONGER WITH MY FRIENDS BUT I
WAS TIRED AND WENT HOME
HE COULDN´T HAVE BEEN AT THE
CINEMA BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING
IN THE EVENING SHIFT
I SHOULD HAVE STUDIED MORE AT
UNI AND NOW I WOULD BE EARNING
MORE
HE MUST HAVE SPENT QUITE A LOT
OF TIME TRAINING BECAUSE HE
LOOKS TIRED
LAST WEEKEND I HAD TO HELP MY
MUM OUT WITH THE CHORES
MY 1ST DAY OF HOLIDAYS I NEEDN´T
HAVE GOTTEN UP EARLY BUT I DID
AND MADE THE MOST OF THE DAY
DURING MY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS I
DIDN´T NEED TO WORK SO I SPENT
MOST OF THE TIME CHILLING OUT
WITH MY FAMILY
SHE DIDN´T HAVE TO DO ANY
HOMEWORK DURING THE WEEKEND
SO WE TOOK ADVANTAGE TO WATCH
SOME FILMS
3