SECTION 6 modal verbs grammar summary MODAL VERBS: can, could — may, might shall, should past AND FUTURE OF MODALS: beable to have to ‘The modal verbs are a special group of aun will, would must — ought to iary verbs. We use them before other verbs to express certain meanings - for example permission, ability, possibility, certainty. Modals have different grammar from other verbs. For example, they have no -s on the third person singular: awe say he can, NOT hecans. Have to, be able to and used to are similar to modals in some ways, and they are included in this section For will, see pages 39-40. Wate A Science says ‘We mus FeO N NY Help to get politicians to.say ATVs! (Adapted from advertisement for Centre for Alternative Technology, ‘Machynlleth, Wales) Hove mankind, it’s people | can't stand. (Charles M Schulz) Ifyou cant live without me, why arent you dead yet? (Unknown) Letters to a magazine Should I give up smoking? Should I marry Bob? Should I move to Woking? Should I change my job? Should I dye my hair green’ Should I tell his wife? Should I ask a magazine How to live my life? (Lewis Mancha) There are three kinds of people: = those who can count, and those who cant. —Georgecatiny Money can't buy you love, TARO | MODAL VEF+ introduction can, must, should ete F i modal verb: "The modal verbs are a special group of auxiliary verbs. rent from most other verbs in fourways. y dbnsedi #INFINTTVES WITHOUT i, ‘After modals (except ough, we use infinitives without fo. (After other verb: “= Can tuseyourphone? NOT Ganttouse...)__ Joecan'tswim. may be out tonight BUT/wanttouseherphone. Idliketogohome. Joe seems to have acold. ° Circle the correct answers. > Can youplay) to play the guitar? 3. Could youBass/to pass the orange juicer 4 > Idon't want play Ato play football today. 4 We hope get /to géta bigger flat soon, } 1 Ann seems be Ato Bevery tired. 5 Chris mayGey to be here at the weekeng, 2 Peter hasn't phoned. He must@eY to be away. 6 | forgot speak /to speak to-Janet, NO-S , = Model verbs have nos onthe third person singular (he/she form). (Other verbs haves) John can speak Korean. (NOT JohA-eans...) Barbara may be late. This must be your coat. BUT Josh knows my father. Ann seems to be ill. The cat wants to go out. e Add -s or nothing (-). > Amy pla tennis. > Timcan..;.. swim. 1 Ourcat like fish, 2 Itmay...... rain. inLondon. 5 Kim should..... phone her mother. 3. She must..... paynow. 4 Harry work... 6 Thetrainseem..... tobelate. 7 Nick might.. togohome. ome and see us. 8 Tom want. Can you help me? (NOT Be-youcan help me?) BUT Doyouknow my friend Jeremy? Sally doesn't cook very well é Make questions ([Ed) or negatives (E). (Negatives in this exercise: cannot/can't; must not/mustn‘t; may not) oat peak, Chines Must > Claire can’t speak Russian. (Chinese Ed) > Katy must wash her clothes, (do itnow I) 1. Mike can’t swim. (ski). 2. John can play football. (poker Ed). 3. Maria must play the piano. (sing EB) . 4 Robert may go to Italy. (go this week El) 5 Emma can visit us on Saturday. (Sunday NO INFINITIVES OR PARTICIPL ‘Modal verbs have no infinitives or participles: to-can, maying, musted. use other verbs: can —> be able to (see page 81); must > have to (see page 78). ee Instead, we 74 MODAL VERBS.of must You must be home by eleven. Must you go? rmustgetupearly tomorrow. Youmust illin this form. (NOT You muster youmustvisitus while we'e in Paris. Pat and Jam are so nice - we must see them again. 0 complete the sentences with must and verbs from the boxes, bey go hurry pay speak stop study write eS _ Sty write _| > FATHER:You . home byeleven. 4 TAX OFFICE:You .. the tax now. 1 TEACHER: You . in ink, 5. TEACHER: Your daughter c harder. 2 FRIEND: We were late, 6 B0Ss:You... politely on the phone. 3. poctor:You smoking, 7 MOTHER: That child ....sesesseeneene tO bed NOW, @ Put the beginnings and ends together. Add must and verbs from the box. = getup give go go have phone ready see | 0. Smith's latest book is her best, | think, . her tonight. Thaven't heard from Annie for ages. You ..nmst Shall lend it to you? ..2. {ve left my handbag in the restaurant. | C My mother made it; YOU .....es-e- apiece. This cake is delicious. You - it. It5a cinema classic. “Velocity’is a wonderful film. I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow. Vd like to see you again. ‘The woods are full of flowers. We You . for a walk this weekend. . me your phone number. back and getit ea | rammone> ‘Must we tell the police when we change addresses? Must youtalksoloud? Must youg ° ‘Anew student is asking some questions about next week’s exam. Complete the questions. Use Must /...? and verbs from the box. ‘answer bring” come pay sit stay work write > Must t bring. _. writing paper? 4 in my usual place? 1 .. any money? 5 every question? 2 tothisroom? 6 without a dictionary? 3 in ink? 7 If inish early? 5, instead, we use had to and (to) have to (see pag for example tm, dan an full . MODAL VERBS 75 Insome answers, both contracted forms (0 oct forms or example arm, donot are posint to say ‘This is nec ‘You have to drive on the left in Britain. Ihave to go to New York for a meeting Oe “Mysisterhas to workon Saturdays. Doyour children have to take lunches to schoo! @ complete the sentences with have to or has to and expressions from the box. have know know like practise read wear | bey be camyv do have ++ ood at speatin, > An accountant ..245.t2, 06. . good with numbers. 5 Apolitician 0 > Builders ..nave to carry, heavy things. 6 Footballers . + 8 lot of training, 1 Asoldier ...... . uniform. 7 Asecretary - 8 good memon, 2. Students... alotofbooks. 8 Agardener |» about flowers, 3. schoolteacher children, 9 Doctors .. about runs alot 4 Cooks veryclean hands. 10 Amusician . @ Put the beginnings and ends together. Add Do/Does ... have to. ] ‘ finish it today?" speak Spanish?’ tell you now?’ .. stay until the end?’ ..... teach small children?’ ..2. . pay it all now?’ travel a lot?’ . babysit?” | 0. ‘Mary’sa swimming teacher? 1 “Heres some work for you and lan’ 2. ‘Iwant you to go to your aunt's party! 3. Joand Alec work fora Mexican frm’ 4 ‘When would you lke your holiday? 5 6 7 | ‘Dad and | are going out tonight! ‘That will be 250 Euros! ‘Peter works in marketing! Za™moOnw@> © Write five things that you have to do every day, or most days. > have to takee the train to work, Write five things that you never have to do. Bs eae Chinese, For negatives (donot don't have to) see page 77. MODAL VERBS- ‘tand don’t have to We mustn't wake the baby, must en'tsmoke here. You mustn't take pictures here. We mustm't wake the baby Your have t0 pay Now yOu can pay when the workis finshed vovserenave to hurty wee ery, e complete the sentences with mustn’t and the verbs in the box. ® | [tet light¥ make play play smoke wash SS aaa ata campsite: west fat ‘animals run around, fires. + in the toilets, . football. +. Moise after 10 pm. @ putthe beginnings and ends together. Add don't have to and verbs from the box. . dishes in the showers, +++: loud music, aunw a a ere eal give make make post speak wakev | | 0 You ..dow't nave to wake. me up; A ican walk, | + You breakfast for me; B Ill buy The Times at the station. [2 You lunch for me; Cathy's going to the post office. 13. You. metothestation; | D_Iiljusthave coffee. 4 You -me yournewspaper; | E I've got an alarm clock. . | 5 You.. those letters; F everybody here understands English. | 6 You French; G ilhave lunch in the canteen. © mustn’t or don’t have to? | >» You ..H4ste't uu... pay John —he hasn't done any work | pay John - I've already paid him, | stay up late tonight - you've got school tomorrow morning. 1. Stay up late to wash the dishes - Il wash them in the morning. vsssensee Ieave the door open ~ the rain will come in. .. leave the door open ~ Peter has got a key. .. write to Deepak about this ~ Ive already written to him, write to Deepak about this - if you do, hell tell everybody. au. drive so fast ~ the police will stop you. sssssnes drive so fast ~ weve got a lot of time, | lookin the cupboard again - I've looked in there twice. | | look in the cupboard - Holly has put my birthday present in there, .. phone Maxine now ~ she’s probably asleep. phone Maxine now - tomorrow will be fine. Ii some answers, both contracted forms (for example Im, don't) and full + MODAL VERBS forms (for example am, donot) are possible. Normally both are correct,had to, will have to | didn’t have to Pay: nn HADTO - TT rurune: WiLL HAVETO a Thou : iyouhe etl ave 0 90 dtatyeunect ow ? willi/yourhe etc have 0 90° , ataunecc han iat Vyou/he etc did not have to. g0_ _| Wyo si “Contractions: youtlet: dan = 4 ust and have to. Ididn't have to pay. Did you have to tell Jo? Aled won't have to come. , and didn’t have to do (I), at school, ‘My mum had to leave schoo! at sixteen. Alice will have to start school next September. it i do (1 Write about the things that John had to o > (learn French EB) 12 had te Learn French ‘ > (play tennis). 1 (learn Russian EB) 2. (learn maths EB) 3. (learn music El) 4 (play football &¥) 5 (write poems EB) 6 (write stories @ Make questions with Did... have to...? > you/learn French at school _..Pid. you have to Learn. French at school? > Annie / work last Saturday 1 Adam / pay for his lessons 2 Tina /take an exam last year... 3. Joe and Sue / wait a long time for a train 4 you / show your passport at the airport 5. the children / walk home 6 Peter /cook supper or won't have to... with “ © Complete the sentences, Use ‘have to..., will... have to the verbs in the box. ask get get go learn play study” tell work > Cara wants to be a doctor. She Ut have to stud 1 Lucy needs anew passport. She 2. Edward's got anew car, so he . 3. ‘Ive got a job with a Swiss company! 4 Jack wants to be a pianist! ‘He .. 5. ‘Can go home early?’ ‘I don't know. You . 6 I'm working next Sunday, but | 7 ‘Liz wants to go to the US!" 8 I don't know the answer now. |, . hard, a form from the post office. +» to Work by bus, - for hours every day! the boss! . on Saturday, ba .- French?’ a visa?’ ++ you tomorrow,ee ' | snould What should | tell John? | ishouldgo, sean ago he/she” should qoete (Not I should to 90) should 190! id you go fhould he/sheritgo?ete (wot dol shoe. g0?) | ishouldnotgo __youshould not go __he/she/it should not go ete BF conwactions: shouldnt oushould/ought be more careful. People shoulda’ chive fst in therain. Should wear a tie? o Choose the best verbs, and complete the sentences with should and shouldn't. he > mabigconyo Careful with your money. (be, make, stand) Inanairport, you . ; ~- your baggage with you, (keep, run, stop) 2 Ithink everybody . 2 foreign language. (work, learn, teach) Z Shea ~ Everything in the newspapers. (write, play, believe) YOU creesten some fruit or vegetables every day. (drink, eat, sll) 5 Doctors say you (work, smoke, get up) 6 Advertisements, the truth, (tell, sell, break) 7 Small children ---sses with knives. (think, play, write) 8 Parents... their children’s letters. (read, cook, fe) 9 People ... - fast in towns. (drive, run, walk) 10 You always what you think. (say, pay, play) @ Make questions with should the question words and verbs from the box. QUESTION WORDS: What’ What _Whattime Whattime Where Where Who VERBS: arrive put phone sit telly wake — wear } +» John?’ “Tell him left early: ‘Atabout 7.00; first?’ 'Mr Andrews: Your blue dress ‘Atthe end of the table: this box?" ‘On the shelf YOu up?’ ‘Not too early, please: ‘must getanew passport:i'm travelling next month. | should eat more fruit, but I dont lke fruit, | © Putin should o must. > ‘Dol look OK?’ “You getahaircut! 4 Thesign says we ..n'tsmoke, 1 Leantgo;1.. finish this work. 5 What... Ido to geta visa? 21. take more exercise. 6 You... . be over 16 to buy cigarettes, \ play? ‘Mozart! 3 You. n't smoke near babies, 7 ‘What music £h30Me answers, both contracted forms (for example ’m, dont) and full MODAL VERBS 79 "for example iam, do nt) are possible Normally both ate come. ze _eon "| can He can play the piano. j| icango--youcango hesheliteangoete (NOT Fcan-togo, NOT he-cansgo) B | can ian ‘can you go? can he/she/it go? ete (not doteango?) a reannot go _youcannot hhe/she/itcannot goetc (NOT feannotge)_ : [| Contraction: can't _—_— Sa Tean read Spanish, but car'tspeakit. Can you sing’ Jean speak Italian. é Write sentences with but about what David can and can’t do. 2 3 \Richgrd ay jah Nx < Jf 4 soon baseball, the violin. cherries, ” Deutsch > (speak) 1 Olay) 2 (play 5 3 (rememben « 4 (eat) Can Billswim? Can Alice speak Chinese? When can pay? e Make questions with can. > ‘Little Lilya is ten months old now! (walk) > ‘John Is starting the violin: (what /play) ‘My brother wants to work in a restaurant: (cook) “My daughter's going to Spain: (speak Spanish) ‘Bill and Lisa want to buy a house: (how much /pay) ‘Can | help in any way?’ (drive a bus) ‘Some colours look bad on me: (wear red) ‘essca and | have gota lovely hotel room: (see the sea) ‘Iwant to learn the piano’ (read music) peaseonss ‘My brother is looking for a job: (what /do) ‘Ican't eat cheese: (eat butter) 10. ‘My sisters one year old today! (talk) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 © Write three things that you can do, and three things that you can't do. 1 tean .. 2 Iean 3 lean. 4 leant... 5 leant. 6 Vean't verse 80 MODAL VERBS