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Modals or modal verbs or modal auxiliary verbs or modal auxiliaries are special
verbs that behave irregularly in English.
They give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows
it. They never change their form. You can�t add �s�, �ed�, �ing�..
Modal verbs are used to express certain hypothetical conditions, such as advice,
capability, requests, permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, possibility,
probability, willingness etc.
Examples of Modals are: can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must ,
ought to , need , be to , have to , used to etc.
(1) Can Modal
Examples
Permission
Could is a modal verb used to express possibility, past ability, and to make
suggestions and requests.
Examples
Ability in the past 1) I could smell something burning.
The modal verb �may� is used in English grammar to express possibility, permission,
or a request for permission. When used to express possibility, �may� is used to
indicate an uncertain chance that something will happen in the future.
Examples
Possibility 1) She may be at the office.
4)We�ve had great success this year; may we continue to do so for years to come.
2) Candidates shall remain in their seats until all the papers have been collected.
Will is a modal verb used with promises , voluntary actions , to make predictions
about the future. It is used to form future tenses, to express willingness or
ability, to make requests or offers, to complete conditional sentences, or to issue
commands.
Request 1) Will you take the parcel for me , please ?
Would modal is used talk about the past , future in the past , express the
conditional mood, express desire, polite requests and questions, opinion or hope,
wish and regret.
Offer 1) Would you like to sit here ?
3)If I had not stayed with them tonight , they would be offended.
4) If he lost his job he would have no money.
It is used to express obligation, give orders , give advice , speculate about the
truth of something (Deduction) , recommendation , prohibition.
Obligation 1) You must wear a mask when you are in public place.
3) You must eat all the vegetables as they are good for health.
2)You must be tired as It�s two in the night and you are still working.
3) The ground was wet this morning. It must have rained last night.
Ought to is a semi-modal verb because it is in some ways like a modal verb and in
some ways like a main verb. It is only used with reference to the present and the
future. Ought to is rarely used in questions and negatives.
Examples