MODAL VERB FUNCTION
ABILITY (can- could-be able to)
CAN  Ability in the present.
 When we decided now about
something we’ll do in the near
future.
WILL BE ABLE TO Ability in the future.
COULD= USED TO BE ABLE TO Ability in the past. (repeated actions)
We can use was/were able to with
no difference in meaning.
WAS/WERE ABLE TO (managed to Ability in the past (single past
do) action). All tenses.
To show that someone had the
ability to do something in a
particular situation in the past.
COULD With the verbs: see, hear, smell,
COULDN’T/ WASN’T/ WEREN’T taste, feel, understand, guess and
ABLE TO remember.
OBLIGATION/DUTY/NECCESITY (must- have to- should/ought – need)
MUST (personal—internal) To refer to the present or future.
It is you duty/you are obliged to do
sth.
HAVE TO (external) It is necessary to do sth.
When somebody else other than the
speaker decides that something is
necessary.
*MUST AND HAVE TO Have different meanings in
questions.
HAVE GOT TO Has the same meaning as have to,
and is often used in everyday
speech.
HAVE TO When we need to use other tenses.
SHOULD/OUGHT Less emphatic than must.
Express duty and advice.
NEED  As a main verb (followed by to-
infinitive).
_As a modal verb (mainly in
questions and negations).
EXAMPLE
 She can play the guitar.
 They can draw.
_ I can bring your jacket tomorrow.
 You will be able to get a job.
 They will be able to teach in four
years.
 When I was a child, I could/ was
able to play with my dolls.
 When I was a kid, I could run very
fast.
 The police weren’t able to catch
the speeding car.
 Despite the unstoppable fire,
firefighters were able to put it
out.
 I could remember that day.
 Could you hear what I was
saying?
 I must study for exam (the
speaker decides).
 I must get up early.
 You have to wear uniform
(somebody else has made the
decision).
 My mum says I have to visit my
grandmother at 6 pm.
 Must I tidy my room? (Do you
insist that I tidy my room?)
 Do I have to tidy my room? (Is it
necessary for me to tidy my
room?)
 I have got to make a chart about
modal verbs for grammar. (the
teacher decides)
 She has got to print photocopies
because her sister needs it.
 We had to call for the doctor
when Aunt Lucy fainted last
night.
 When she missed the bus, her
father had to take her to school.
 You should take your medicine.
 You ought to stop eating fast
food.
 Using this method, we needn’t to
insert the comment by the
normal way. (verb)
_ You needn’t go to the supermarket,
I have already bought in that place.
(modal verb)
 ABSENCE OF NECESSITY
(needn’t/don’t have to/don’t need to-didn’t need to-needn’t have done)
NEEDN’T/ DON’T HAVE TO/ DON’T It isn’t necessary to do sth.
NEED TO + PRESENT INFINITIVE
(PRESENT OR FUTURE)
DIDN’T NEEED TO/ DIDN’T HAVE It was not necessary to do sth.
TO Suggest that an action did not
happened in the past because we
knew then that it was not necessary.
NEEDN’T + BARE PERFECT It was not necessary to do sth, but it
INFINITIVE was done.
This structure shows than an action
happened in the past, even thought
it was not necessary.
PROHIBITION (mustn’t- can’t)
MUSTN’T/CAN’T It is forbidden to do sth/you are not
allowed to do sth/it is against the
rules/ law to do sth.
LOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS (must-can’t/couldn’t) (sure)
MUST I’m sure/certain that something is
true.
Must is used in affirmative sentences
and expresses positive logical
assumptions.
CAN’T/COULDN’T I’m sure that something isn’t true,
real, etc.
They are used in negations and
expresses negative logical
assumptions.
PROBABILITY (should-ought) (probably)
SHOULD/OUGHT To express that something is likely to
happen in the present or future.
POSSIBILITY (can-could/may-might) (perhaps)
CAN + PRESENT INFINITIVE General possibility-it is theoretically
possible.
This structure is used in affirmative
sentences to show that something is
possible theoretically or in general,
that is, when we are not referring to
a specific situation.
COULD/MAY/MIGHT + PRESENT It is possible/ it is likely/ perhaps.
INFINITIVE It is used to show that something is
likely to happen in a specific
situation.
CAN/COULD/MIGHT In questions but we do not use may.
COULD/MIGHT + PERFECT INFINITIVE It was possible, but it didn’t happen.
(refers to the past)
 You needn’t collect them. Mrs.
Shaw is giving them a lift home.
 You don’t have to wash the
dishes. I’ll do them later.
 Tom didn’t need to go to school.
 She didn’t have to buy the cake,
Ann bought one.
 You needn’t have lend me a rule.
I’d already bought one.
 You needn’t have bought any
bread. I’d already bought some.
 You mustn’t smoke inside any
building.
 You can't park here, this is a bus
stop.
 She must be very rich, she’s got a
huge house and an expensive car.
 They’re wearing light clothes. It
must be summer.
 I’m certain he doesn’t know the
secret. He can’t know the secret.
 It is Sunday. He can’t be at
school.
 This is the exam week, they
should be studying hard.
 It’s late. She ought to be at
home.
 It can snow tomorrow.
 This road can get very busy. (In
general, not in a specific
situation).
 Tomorrow is the Miley’s party.
She might visit at her because
she is her friend.
 The road can get very busy
tomorrow afternoon because
there is a demonstration.
 (A) I got a bouquet of flowers,
but there was no card.
(B) Who can the flowers by from?
 Yesterday, I left the car unlocked.
It could/might have been stolen,

*ASKING FOR PERMISSION
CAN/COULD/MAY/MIGHT I…?
*GIVING PERMISSION
CAN (informal)/MAY (formal)
*REFUSING PERMISSION
CAN’T/MUSN’T/MAY NOT
*TALKING ABOUT PERMISSION
CAN/BE ALLOWED TO
MAY/BE ALLOWED TO
COULD/WAS-WERE ALLOWED TO
REQUESTS (can-could-will-would-may-might)
CAN/COULD/WILL/WOULD YOU…?
MIGHT/MAY/CAN/COULD I…?
OFFERS (I’ll-shall/can/could)
I’LL
SHALL/CAN/COULD I/WE…?
SUGGESTION (shall-can-could)
PERMISSION
=Do you/would you mind if …?
_Could and may are more polite than
can. Might is formal. May and might
are used to ask for permission when
we do not know the other person
very well. We normally reply with:
“certainly”, “of course”, “why not?”,
“no, I’m afraid you can’t”.
You are allowed to do sth.
*May is usually used in writing.
_We do not use could or might to
give permission.
You are not allowed to do sth.
May not=formal.
To refer to laws and regulations.
In questions.
To say that we had permission to do
something in the past.
BUT: we use was/were allowed to, to
say that we had permission to do
something in a particular situation in
the past.
We use this structure to ask
someone to do something for us.
Can and Will are informal. Would
and could are more polite.
To ask for something politely. Might
is formal and is not often used.
I’m willing to do something
(informal)
Would you like me/us to…? /Do you
want me/us to…?
but luckily it wasn’t.
 Yesterday she ran into him. She
could have been confessed her
feelings, but she didn't.
 “Can I use your rule for a
minute?”
“Of course”.
 “Might I see the boss, please?”
“Certainly”.
*You may make a phone call here.
_Could I borrow your dictionary?
Yes, you can/ yes, you may.
 You may not come to class.
 Children can’t/mustn’t enter this
area.
 All citizens over the age of 18
can/are allowed to vote. (law)
 The society are allowed to access
to public health.
 May I use your phone? (Will you
allow me to use your phone?)
 Are we allowed to use the office?
(What is the rule).
 I could/was allowed to go to
parties when I was young. (I was
allowed to go to parties in
general).
 She wasn’t allowed to go to the
party when she was a child.
 Can you buy me some sweets?
 Could you send me the report,
please?
 Can I have a piece of that cake,
please?
 Sorry. Can we take a photo
together, please?
 You look tired. I’ll do the washing
up for you.
 You look busy. I’ll help you.
 Shall I give you a hand with
the preparations?
 Can I help you with this?
 SHALL I/WE…? Why don’t we …?/How about…?/
I/WE CAN/COULD What about…? /Let’s…
_We use shall in questions when we
are asking for suggestions or
instructions.
 We could have the meeting on
Tuesday instead.
 We could go to the cinema
tomorrow, what do you think?

ADVICE (should-ought-must)
SHOULD/OUGHT + PRESENT = I advise you to/you had better do
INFINITIVE sth.
*We use must to give strong advice
 It's very cold, you should dress
warmly.
 You ought to go rest, you look
very tired.

SHOULD/OUGHT TO + PERFECT
INFINITIVE
CRITICISM
=It would have been better if you
had…
We use this structures to criticize
someone else’s actions.
 You shouldn’t left the car
unlocked.
 You should have paid
attention to class but you
didn't.

LOGICAL ASSUMPTION STRUCTURE

PRESENT (and future)
MV + INFINITIVE  She loves her job but I’m sure she needs a day off as well.
(PRESENT INF.) She must need a day off.
 Perhaps he will be home soon.
He may be home soon.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS (future continuous)
MV + BE + ING  Jordan didn’t have homework so perhaps he is playing football now.
(PRESENT CONTINUOUS Jordan could be playing football now.
INFINITIVE)  I’m sure she isn’t driving now, her car broke down this morning.
She can’t be driving now, her car broke down this morning.
 Perhaps she is visiting a friend.
She may be visiting a friend.
PAST SIMPLE (past perfect)
MV + HAVE + V3  It’s possible I lost my earring on the bus yesterday.
(PERFECT INF.) I may have lost my earring on the bus yesterday.
 I’m certain she went to bed early, her lights were off at 10.
She must have gone to bed early.
 I’m sure Molly didn’t steal the jewels, she was with me that night.
Molly can’t have stolen the jewels.
 It’s likely they have gone to the cinema.
They might have gone to the cinema.
PAST CONTINUOUS (present perfect continuous- past perfect continuous)
MV + HAVE BEEN + ING  Maybe Nora was having a shower when I called her.
(PERFECT CONT. INF) She might have been having a shower.
 It’s possible she has been delayed in traffic.
She may have been delaying in traffic.