Quotes sometimes remind us

what
we should already know
Do you agree or disagree
with these quotes?
MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS

OR

MODAL AUXILIARIES

OR

MODALS
- can
- could
- be able to
- be allowed to
- may
- might
- must
- have to
- should
- ought to
 Ability: -can, could, to be able to

 Possibility: -can, could, may, might

 Permission: -can, may

 Request: -can/could, will/would, may

 Obligation: -have to, must

 Deduction: -must, can’t
 Prohibition: -mustn’t, can’t, may not
-not to be allowed to
 Advice: -should, must, ought to

 Invitation: -shall, would like to

 FUNCTIONS
A MODAL HELPS THE PRINCIPAL VERB EXPRESS:
• Ability
• Possibility
• Permission
• Certainty
• Advice
• Obligation
• Necessity
• Lack of necessity
• Prohibition
• Recommendation
• Deduction
 CHARACTERISTICS
• They do not take an -s:
-He can cook, (not: He cans cook), (not: He can cooks).

• No auxiliary “do/does/did” necessary:

-They shouldn’t be lazy, (not: They don’t should be lazy).
-Could you go to Paris?, (not: Did you can go to Paris?).

• The verb in front is an infinitive without “to”:

-You must study hard, (not: You must to study hard).
• The tense is the present or the future for all modals:
-We can go to Miami next year!
-We can’t call you right now.

• Only “could” works in the present, future or past:

-I could choose to study French or German, let me think.
-Tom could play with us tomorrow. I’ll ask the coach.
-I could eat a family pizza myself when I was a teen.
• “must not” has synonyms:
“mustn’t” = “can’t” = “am not/isn’t/aren’t allowed to”
-You can’t talk during exams. = You mustn’t talk during
exams. = You aren’t allowed to talk during exams.

• “must not” changes meaning, “don’t have to” &

“doesn’t have to” keep the meaning clear:
-Some university students must wear a uniform, not all.
-Most university students mustn’t wear a uniform.
-Most university students don’t have to wear a uniform.
-She must study extremely hard. She wants to become an
astronaut.

-She mustn’t study extremely hard. She doesn’t want to

become an astronaut.

-She doesn’t have to study extremely hard. She doesn’t

want to become an astronaut.
• “must” asks questions using “have to”:
-Does the project have to be in hard paper or digital?
-Do you really have to make that sound when you eat?
-Doesn’t the teacher have to explain?
 FUNCTIONS (again)
MODALS HELP OTHER VERBS EXPRESS:
• Ability
• Possibility
• Permission
• Certainty
• Advice
• Obligation
• Necessity
• No necessity
• Prohibition
• Recommendation
• Deduction