MODAL VERBS

What are Modal Verbs? -they are special helping verbs

Modal Verbs are words that express different kinds of things.

 Ability-to do something OR having a skill in something

 Possibility-a thing that may happen OR maybe true
 Permission-allowed to do something
 Obligation-having to do something because of rules/law/promises.
 Advice-help in making a choice

Most Common Modal Verbs in English

Modal Use Example

Can Ability Julie can swim.
Can’t (100 not true) Permissions (informal) Can I come with you?
Could Possibility That story could be true
Past Ability (you don’t have the Charlie could swim when he was
skill anymore) younger.
Permissions Could I use your phone?
May Possibility 50% My dad may come to our school.
Permission (formal) May I borrow your dictionary?
Might Slight possibility Less than 50% We might win a prize
Should Advice You should take an umbrella.
Shall Future Tense auxiliary I shall be in London tomorrow
Offers/suggestions Shall I order some food?
Will Future Tense auxiliary The ticket will cost about $40.
Invitation/offers Will you join us for coffee?
Would Conditional I told you that I would see you
tomorrow.
Must (choice) Obligation You must go to school every day.
Mustn’t (no choice) Prohibition You mustn’t smoke in at school.
*****Have to**** obliged or forced to act by a In Canada, you have to drive on
Only modal that can separate, external power (for the right.
change tenses. example, the Law or school John has to wear a tie to work.
Past:(had to) rules) You have to get 80% TO PASS
Present: LEVEL 2.
I/You/We/They:Have
to
He/She/It: has to
Future: Will have to

**Don’t have to**-

you have a choice
Modal Verbs are special verbs because they behave differently from regular verbs

3 basic rules to follow when using modal verbs.

Present
1. Use modal verb as is-Never change it Past
Future
She can swim.

2. Use base verb after modal. Never use “to”

They might travel.

They might to travel. X

3. Use “not” after modals. Never use “don’t”, “doesn’t”, isn’t, aren’t, wasn’t, won’t

She would not clean.

She don’t would clean. X Have to does not follow this rule.
You don’t have to
He doesn’t have to

How to make sentences using modal verbs

SUBJECT + MODAL VERRB + VERB (BASE)

Positive Negative Questions
I I Can’t Can I
Can
You You Couldn’t Could You
Could
We We Might not Might We. work?
Might
They work. They. May not work. May They
May
He He Shouldn’t Should He
Should
She She Will-won’t Will She
Will
It It Shall not Shall It
Shall
Would Wouldn’t Would

Use contractions (can’t, ALWAYS USE

shouldn’t) for speaking. Verb base
ALWAYS USE
Verb base Writing -I cannot work.
When
Where
Why
What
Who
How
How much
ALWAYS USE
How often
Verb base
How to make sentences using HAVE TO and Need to - ALWAYS USE Verb base
Need to

Past Present Future

Positive
I I I
You You You
We We Have to. Work We.
They had to work. They Need to They. Will have to work.
work. He Will need to
He needed to He She
She She has to work It
It It needs to
Negative
I I I
You You You
We We don’t need to We.
They didn’t have to work. They don’t have to work. They. Won’t have to work.
work. Didn’t need to work work. He won’t need to
He He doesn’t have to She
She She doesn’t have to It
It It doesn’t need to
Question
I I I
you You you
we Do we we
Did they have to work? they have to work? Will they have to work?
He need to work Need to work? He need to work
she he she
it Does she have to work? it
It need to work?

Information Question
When
Where
Why
What
Who
How
How much
How often

PAST PRESENT FUTURE