Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Modal Verbs Review
Modal Verbs Review
Example
Max’s father is a mechanic. He might retire soon, so he thinks Max should work in the garage more often.
Max can already change tires, but he has to learn a lot more about cars.
Max must do what he is told and must not touch any dangerous equipment.
§ Modal verbs are generally only used in the present tense in English but we don’t add an -s in the
third person singular.
Example:
§ Modal verbs do not take an auxiliary verb in negative sentences and questions.
Example:
§ We always use modal verbs with a main verb (except for short answers and question tags). The
main verb is used in the infinitive without to.
Example:
We can use the alternative form to be able to in all tenses (present, past, perfect, progressive and future).
Example: In two years time, Max will be able to do everything in the garage.
§ We use could for general ability and with the verbs feel, hear, see, smell, taste,
remember and understand.
Example:
§ We use was/were able to when we talk about something specific in the past.
We use should/ought to to give advice, make suggestions or say what is a good idea.
To make suggestions about something that has already happened we use should/ought to + have + past
participle.
Example: Max shouldn’t/ought not to have played computer games all day.
We use can/could/may/might to ask permission in simple present. Could is more polite than can,
and may/might is more polite than could.
Example:
Example:
We use must to say what is necessary and give orders or advice in a strong way. With must, the obligation is
usually imposed by the speaker.
Example: His father says, “You must do what you are told.”
We use have to when the obligation is general (e.g. a rule or law), or we are expressing past or future
obligation.
Example:
Example:
We use may/might when we think something is perhaps true, but we are not 100% sure.
We can replace may/might with could in positive sentences, but not with can.
To speculate about something in the past we use may/might (not) + have + past participle.
Example: Max’s grandfather may/might have wanted to retire when he was 50.
We use can’t to express something we are sure is untrue or impossible in the present.
Example: Max can’t be retired, he’s 12 years old. (but not: Max mustn’t be retired .)
We use must to express something we are 100% sure is true in the present.
Example: Max’s grandfather must be retired, he’s 90 years old. (but not: Max’s grandfather can be
retired .)
To speculate about something in the past we use can’t/must + have + past participle.
We use will (not)/shall (not) when we make a prediction about the future, or when we are sure about
something in the future.
7. Offers/Requests
We can often choose between two modal verbs with similar meanings when we ask questions or make
requests. One form is more polite than the other.
*Will/Shall
We use will to make requests/ask somebody to do something. When we want to make a suggestion using
the interrogative form in the 1st person (I, we), we use shall.
Example
Max’s father took over the garage from his father. He did not have to worry about his future either. Max’s
father also had to learn a lot and had to do what he was told. He was not allowed to touch dangerous
equipment. He was expected to work in the garage often. However, Max’s father was not as talented as Max
and was not able to change tire until he was 15 years old.
* We use could and was/were able for the past of can. We use could for general ability and with the
verbs feel, hear, see, smell, taste, remember and understand. We use was/were able to when we talk about
something specific in the past. The negative couldn’t can be used in all three cases.
Example: