Modal verbs – permission, obligation,

prohibition, necessity

ou 'd better not   use this product without protection.

➪ We use had better + infinitive (without to) to talk about actions we think
someone should or shouldn’t do. There is often a negative resultif the action is
carried out. We normally use the shortened form ‘d better, and the negative
form is never contracted: ‘d better not.

2You don't have to   go to the ceremony if you don't feel like it. It'll be very

boring anyway.
➪ The negative forms mustn’t and don’t have to are completely
different. Mustn’t is used to express prohibition (an obligation not to do
something), whereas don’t have to + infinitive to say that something is not
necessary.

3We took too much risk. We needn't have made   that decision.
➪ When something was not necessary but we did it, we can use both didn’t
need to + infinitive and needn’t have + past participle.

4He didn't need to take   the bus because his brother picked him up at the

station.
➪ When something was NOT necessary and we did NOT do it, we use didn’t
need to (NOT needn't have done).

5He had better not spend   so much money on the trip last summer.
Correct answer: shouldn't have spent
➪ We cannot use shouldn't spend or had better not spend here because we use
these forms to talk about the present or future.
➪ We use perfect modal verbs to talk about the past.

6The refugees are not allowed   to work outside the camp.

➪ The only correct form is are not allowed.
➪ We can say mustn't work (NOT mustn't to work), and we can say had better
not work (NOT had better not to work).
7We couldn't find a hotel so we had to sleep   in the car. It was so

uncomfortable!
➪ We need to express past obligation, and had to is the only form we have in
this sentence to do it.
➪ We should have slept in the car means 'we didn't sleep in the car but it was
the right thing to do'.
➪ We must have slept in the car means 'I'm sure we slept in the car'.

8You ought not   forget to take your medicine.

Correct answer: mustn't
➪ We use mustn't to express prohibition and don't have to to express lack of
necessity.
➪ We can say ought not to forget (NOT ought not forget).

9We needn't have got up   early because it was a holiday, so we slept till late.
Correct answer: didn't have to get up
➪ When something was not necessary but we did it, we can use both didn’t
need to + infinitive and needn’t have + past participle.
➪ However, when something was NOT necessary and we did NOT do it, we
use didn’t need to (NOT needn’t have done).

10You were supposed   call me as soon as you arrived. I was very worried!

Correct answer: were meant to
➪ We can use be supposed/meant to + infinitive to express obligation or
permission, to say what we should or shouldn’t do.

It's beautiful! Thanks, but you ______ anything for me.

 a. needn't have boughtcorrect

 b. needn't buy
 c. mustn't have bought
 d. shouldn't have boughtcorrect

➪ When something was not necessary but we did it, we can use both didn’t
need to + infinitive and needn’t have + past participle.
➪ We can also use shouldn't have bought with a similar meaning.
➪ Needn't buy has a present or future sense, not past. And mustn't have
bought doesn't make any sense.

2We'll ______ be more careful about what we say in the future.

  a. have tocorrect
 b. must
 c. need tocorrect
 d. be able

➪ We use need to/have to or don’t need to/don’t have to + infinitive to say that
something is or is not necessary.
➪ We cannot say will must. And we say be able + to.

3You ______ see a specialist to check that knee.

 a. need
 b. ought tocorrect
 c. should havewrong

 d. 'd bettercorrect

➪ We can use ought to + infinitive or had better + infinitive to talk about actions
that someone should or shouldn't do.
➪ The other two forms are grammatically incorrect.

4When you get a new employee, you ______ work so hard any longer.

 a. won't must
 b. won't have tocorrect

 c. shouldn'twrong
 d. won't need tocorrect

➪ We use need to/have to or (not) need to/(not) have to + infinitive to say that
something is or is not necessary.

5The effects ____ last 6 to 8 hours.

 a. ought tocorrect
 b. are meantwrong

 c. are supposed tocorrect

 d. had better
➪ We can also use be supposed/meant to + infinitive to talk about what should
or should not happen.
➪ The same is true for ought to + infinitive.

6They ______ us a discount because we couldn't sleep in the room that we had

booked.

 a. must have offered

 b. 'd better offeredwrong
 c. ought to have offeredcorrect
 d. should have offeredcorrect

➪ We can use should/ought to + have + past participle to talk about things that

didn't happen but that it was a mistake; we regret them not happening.
➪ The form must have + past participle is used to make deductions. They must
have offered a discount means 'I'm sure they offered a discount'.

7If we ______ to have midnight snacks, why is there a light in the fridge?

 a. aren't meantcorrect
 b. shouldn't
 c. aren't supposedcorrect
 d. don't have

➪ We can also use be not supposed to/be not meant to + infinitive to express
obligation not to do something.
➪ The form don't have to means don't need to which doesn't make sense in
this sentence.

8When I was at school, we ______ wear a uniform.

 a. ought to
 b. had tocorrect
 c. were supposed tocorrect
 d. mustwrong

➪ We can use had to or was/were supposed/meant to to express past

obligation.
➪ We use must to express obligation to, but it is only used with a present or
future meaning.
➪ We use ought to + infinitive to express advice, but it doesn't have a past
meaning.

9We ______ do the dishes today; we can leave them for tomorrow.
  a. needn'tcorrect
 b. don't have
 c. mustn't
 d. don't need tocorrect

➪ We can use both don’t need to or needn’t + infinitive to say that it is

unnecessary to do something.
➪  Mustn't is used to express prohibition or obligation not to do something,
which doesn't make sense in this sentence.
➪ We can say don't have to do (NOT don't have do).

10Visitors ______ stay at night.

 a. aren't permitted
 b. aren't allowed tocorrect

 c. hadn't betterwrong
 d. mustn'tcorrect

➪ We can use mustn't or not be allowed to to express prohibition or lack of

permission.
➪ We can say that something isn't permitted + to + infinitive.
➪ The form had better is affirmative, not negative