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Modal Verbs: Usage and Rules

The document discusses the characteristics and uses of modal verbs in English. It covers how modal verbs are used to express ability, obligation, permission, necessity, advice, and probability. The main uses are as auxiliaries to express these meanings and to express probability, where the modal verb stays the same form and the following infinitive indicates tense.

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57 views2 pages

Modal Verbs: Usage and Rules

The document discusses the characteristics and uses of modal verbs in English. It covers how modal verbs are used to express ability, obligation, permission, necessity, advice, and probability. The main uses are as auxiliaries to express these meanings and to express probability, where the modal verb stays the same form and the following infinitive indicates tense.

Uploaded by

carla.martignoni23
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Modals : Reminder

Characteristics of modal verbs: - No auxiliary in the negative form (he can’t – cannot do, he must not –
- No -s 3rd sg (he can, he must…) mustn’t do, …)
- Followed by an infinitive without “to” (he can do, he must do …) - Do not exist in all forms

There are 2 ways of using modals:


I) As an auxiliary to express obligation, permission, ability, etc.
Ability Obligation Permission Necessity Advice
CAN MUST MAY NEED SHOULD HAD BETTER WOULD RATHER
OUGHT TO (= FERAIS/T/.. MIEUX (=PRÉFÉRERAIS/T/…)
DE)
BE ABLE TO HAVE TO BE ALLOWED TO SEMI-MODAL
In the past: Present: can / could can also In the past: “ought to” is more Always in this form / Always in this form /
I could = general must = obligation in be used to express Used as a modal; I formal followed by infinitive followed by infinitive
ability the opinion of the permission (less needn’t have done without “to” without “to”
I was able to = speaker polite) that = I did it, but it
general/specific have to = general wasn’t necessary
ability (=managed to) obligation, no
opinion of the I didn’t need to do
speaker that = it wasn’t
Negative: necessary and I didn’t
You mustn’t = do it
forbidden
You don’t have to =
not necessary
I can play the guitar. You must be there at May I go to the You don’t need to We should do more You had better leave I would rather go
I have been able to five! toilet? call him. exercise. early if you want to there by bus.
play the guitar since I You have to be there be there on time.
was a child. before five or they I won’t be allowed to I didn’t need to go to We ought to do more
won’t let you in. go out at the weekend Lausanne as my exercise.
I could swim very if I haven’t finished singing class had
well as a child. ≠ You mustn’t walk on my homework. been cancelled. (= I
That day, I was able the grass. (= didn’t go)
to swim faster than forbidden) I needn’t have gone
my brother and win You don’t have to to Lausanne, as my
the race. come with us. (= singing class was
unnecessary) cancelled (=I went,
but it wasn’t
necessary).
II) To express probability
The modal verb is always in the same form (invariable tense or negative); the infinitive that follows will indicate the tense (it can be present / past / continuous).

Impossible Possible Sure


He can’t be sick; he was at school this morning. He may/might be sick, I haven’t seen him today. He must be sick; he wasn’t at school this morning.

He can’t have been sick; he was at work that day. He may/might have been sick; he wasn’t at work that He must have been sick; he wasn’t at work that day.
day.

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