MODAL VERBS

AND SEMI MODALS

CHARACTERISTICS:
- NO -s THIRD PERSON SINGULAR
- NO PAST ( except COULD) or FUTURE FORMS

* FOR FUTURE OR PAST (or the rest of tenses) we use SEMI MODALS,
VERBS WITH MODAL MEANING BUT WITH A FORM THAT CAN BE USED IN
ANY TENSE( PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE, PRESENT PERFECT…)

- NO -ing (GERUND) OR -ed (PARTICIPLE) FORMS

- MODAL + INFINITIVE without TO (except OUGHT TO)
MODALS OF ADVICE
We use them to express a recommendation ( affirmative or negative)

● SHOULD / SHOULDN’T + INFINITIVE - You should study a week before an exam / You
shouldn’t eat too many sweets
● OUGHT (not) TO + INFINITIVE - You ought to study a week before an exam / You
ought not to eat too many sweets
MODALS & SEMI MODALS OF OBLIGATION
We use them to express that something is COMPULSORY (a RULE) or a NECESSITY

● MUST (PRESENT - MODAL VERB) + INFINITIVE - We must be punctual at our

school.
● HAVE/HAS TO (PRESENT - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - Students have to bring
their material / My sister has to wear a uniform at her school.
● NEED TO/NEEDS TO (PRESENT - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - Students need
to bring their material / My sister needs to wear a uniform at her school.
● HAD TO (PAST - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - When I was young, I had to go to bed
at 10 p.m.
● NEEDED TO (PAST - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - When I was young, I needed to
go to bed at 10 p.m.
● WILL HAVE TO / WILL NEED TO (FUTURE - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE -
When you are at university, you will have to / will need to study very hard.
NO OBLIGATION
We use SEMI MODALS HAVE TO and NEED TO IN THE NEGATIVE FORM to express
something is NOT NECESSARY, or it is VOLUNTARY. * IN THE PRESENT You can also use
the MODAL VERB NEEDN’T+INFINITIVE.

● DON’T /DOESN’T HAVE TO/NEED TO (PRESENT) + INFINITIVE- At IES Algarb

students don’t have to /need to wear a uniform / my brother doesn’t have to/need to wear a
uniform at Can Guerxo.
● NEEDN’T (PRESENT) + INFINITIVE- My brother NEEDN’T wear a uniform at Can
Guerxo.
● DIDN’T HAVE TO / NEED TO (PAST) + INFINITIVE - When my father was a child, he
didn’t have to /didn’t need to go to school in the afternoon.
● WILL NOT or WON’T HAVE TO/ NEED TO ( FUTURE)+ INFINITIVE - In 2050,
we will not / won’t have to /need to use petrol in cars.
MODALS & SEMI MODALS OF PERMISSION
We use CAN/COULD & BE ALLOWED TO to express that we have (or not) permission to do
something. *In the negative, BE NOT ALLOWED TO is a synonym of MUSTN’T

● CAN / CAN’T (PRESENT - MODAL VERB) + INFINITIVE - I can go out until 12 a.m.
on Saturdays but I can’t have sleepovers at home.
● AM/IS/ARE (not) ALLOWED TO (PRESENT - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - I
am allowed to go out until 12 a.m. on Saturdays but my friend Sara isn’t allowed to have
sleepovers at home.
● COULD / COULDN’T (PAST - MODAL VERB) + INFINITIVE - When my sister was
young, she could go to the disco, but she couldn’t drive my father’s car.
● WAS/WERE (not) ALLOWED TO (PAST - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - When
my sister was young, she was allowed to go to the disco, but my cousins weren’t allowed to
drive their father’s car.
● WILL BE ALLOWED TO / WILL NOT (WON’T) BE ALLOWED TO (FUTURE -
SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - In 2050, we will be allowed to use our phones in class but
we won’t be allowed to make personal calls.
MODALS & SEMI MODALS OF PROHIBITION
We use them to express a negative rule, no permission to do something or a prohibition

● MUSTN’T + INFINITIVE - Students mustn’t use their phones in class.

● CAN’T + INFINITIVE - Students can’t use their phones in class.
● AM/IS/ARE NOT ALLOWED TO + INFINITIVE- Students aren’t allowed to use their
phones in class / I am not allowed to bring my pet to school / My sister is not allowed to go out
at night.
● WAS/WERE NOT ALLOWED TO (PAST - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - When I
was young, I was not allowed to go to watch TV after 10 p.m.
● WILL NOT /WON’T BE ALLOWED TO (FUTURE - SEMI MODAL) +
INFINITIVE - When you are at university, you will not/won’t be allowed to use a calculator
in maths exams.
MODALS & SEMI MODALS OF ABILITY
We use CAN/COULD & BE ABLE TO to express our ability to do something

● CAN / CAN’T (PRESENT - MODAL VERB) + INFINITIVE - I can speak English but I
can’t speak Japanese.
● AM/IS/ARE (not) ABLE TO (PRESENT - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - I am able
to jump in one foot but my brother isn’t able to write with his left hand.
● COULD / COULDN’T (PAST - MODAL VERB) + INFINITIVE - When my sister was
young, she could draw beautiful pictures, but she couldn’t ride a bike.
● WAS/WERE (not) ABLE TO (PAST - SEMI MODAL) + INFINITIVE - When I was a
child, I was able to rollerskate but my parents weren’t able to rollerskate.
● WILL BE ABLE TO / WILL NOT (WON’T) BE ABLE TO (FUTURE - SEMI
MODAL) + INFINITIVE - In 2050, we will be able to travel to the moon on holidays but we
won’t be able to travel to the Sun.
SUMMARY
MODALS
● + INFINITIVE
● NO “TO” INFINITIVE!! ( **except OUGHT TO)
● NO -s 3rd PERSON SINGULAR!!
● NO PAST / FUTURE!!
● NO GERUND / PARTICIPLE!!
OBLIGATION
● MUST + INFINITIVE
NO OBLIGATION
● NEEDN’T + INFINITIVE
PROHIBITION
● MUSTN’T + INFINITIVE
PERMISSION & ABILITY
● CAN + INFINITIVE
● COULD + INFINITIVE
ADVICE
● SHOULD + INFINITIVE / **OUGHT TO + INFINITIVE
 SUMMARY - SEMI MODALS - WITH MODAL MEANING BUT NORMAL VERBS
(BE, HAVE, NEED) THAT CAN BE USED IN ALL TENSES, PRESENT, PAST AND FUTURE. WITH “TO” INFINITIVE!!
OBLIGATION

● HAVE/HAS TO ( PRESENT) - HAD TO (PAST) - WILL HAVE TO (FUTURE)

● NEED/NEEDS TO (PRESENT) - NEEDED TO (PAST) - WILL NEED TO (FUTURE)

NO OBLIGATION

● DON’T/DOESN’T HAVE TO (PRESENT) - DIDN’T HAVE TO (PAST) - WILL NOT/WON’T HAVE TO (FUTURE)
● DON’T/DOESN’T NEED TO (PRESENT) - DIDN’T NEED TO (PAST) - WILL NOT/WON’T NEED TO (FUTURE)

ABILITY

● AM/IS/ARE (not) ABLE TO (PRESENT) - WAS/WERE (not) ABLE TO (PAST) - WILL (not)BE ABLE TO (FUTURE)

PERMISSION (AFFIRMATIVE/NEGATIVE) / PROHIBITION (NEGATIVE)

● AM/IS/ARE (not) ALLOWED TO (PRESENT) - WAS/WERE (not) ALLOWED TO (PAST) - WILL (not) BE ALLOWED
TO (FUTURE)