What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb, like DO, BE and HAVE. However, they
differ in that regular auxiliaries only express the idea of time and not meaning.
There are also some rules to follow when using Modal verbs.

Modal verbs include CAN, COULD, WILL, WOULD, SHALL, MAY, MIGHT,
MUST, SHOULD and OUGHT TO.

Rules of Modal verbs:

Example: I can, you can, he can,

1. The conjugation is the same for all persons. etc.
Not: he cans

Example: Can you run?

2. They are not used with the auxiliary Do.
Not: Do you can run?

Example: I must take my

3. They are followed by the infinitive without
medicine.
TO.
(Exception: Ought to)

Example: I can’t play the piano.

4. They can be made negative by adding not or
(Exception: may not cannot be
the contraction –n’t.
contracted)

LANGUAGE & GRAMMAR I Silvia Busetto

Note: HAVE TO and NEED TO are half modals and don´t follow the same rules as
full modals, but they do have meaning.

Rules of half modals

1. The conjugation changes for third Example: I have to, he has to,
person singular. I need to, he needs to

Example: I do need to go, can’t you

2. The emphatic DO may be used
understand that?

3. They are followed by TO and the

Example: I have to wear a uniform.
infinitive. (Except the negative of need
He needn’t wear a uniform.
to)

4. The negative of have to cannot be Example: I don’t have to go.

made with a contraction. Not: I haven’t to go.

List of meanings and uses Modals

As mentioned above, Modal verbs and Half Modals express meaning. Here is a list
of Modals and Half Modals with their meanings and uses.

MEANINGS/USES EXAMPLES

CAN
1. I can speak English.
1. Ability
2. Can I borrow your pen.
2. Permission
3. Can you open the window?
3. Request
4. I can come next Monday.
4. Possibility

COULD
1. Could run fast when I was a child.
1. past ability
2. Could you open the window, please?
2. polite request
3. Mary said she could go out tonight.
3. permission in Reported
4. Where’s Mary? I don’t know, she could be in
Speech
her office.
4. possibility
5. If it didn’t rain, we could go to the park.
5. Second Conditional

WILL
1. Certainty 1. He will definitely come to the party
2. Future: 2a. I will call Mary before she leaves.
– spontaneous decisions 2b. I think the economy will get better soon.
– predictions 3. I will return your money tomorrow.
3. Promises 4. You will do as I tell you.
4. Commands 5. If it stops raining we will play football.
5. First conditional

WOULD 1. Would you like some cheese?

1. Polite offers 2. If I had a car I would change my job.
2. Conditionals 3. On Sundays we would go to the park to play

LANGUAGE & GRAMMAR I Silvia Busetto

3. Habits in the past football.

SHALL
1. I shall visit Mary next week.
1. Future
2. I shall help you with your homework.
2. Promise
3. Shall I invite Jim to the party?
3. To ask for advice
4. Shall I open the window for you?
4. Polite offers
5. Where shall I put this box?
5. To ask for instructions
6. You shall go there immediately
6. Order

MAY
1. I may be able to take a day off.
1. Possibility
2. May I use your phone?
2. Permission
3. May I have some more cake, please?
3. Polite request
4. May I help you?
4. Polite offers

MIGHT 1. We might be able to join you in London next

1. Possibility: week.

SHOULD 1. You should read this book, it’s great.

1. Recommendation 2. Perhaps we should consider a different
2. Suggestion option.
3. Probability/Supposition 3. They should be at home by now.
4. Advice 4. You should see a doctor at once

OUGHT TO
1. You ought to do as you are told.
1. Moral obligation
2. You ought to see the Picasso museum.
2. Recommendation
3. They ought to be home by now.
3. Probability

1. You must wear protective glasses in the lab.

MUST
2. I must take my medicine.
1. Obligation
3. They left at 8 o’clock, so they must be at
2. Necessity
home by now.
3. Deduction/supposition
4. You must stay at my house when you come
4. Invitation
to the city.

HAVE TO
1. I have to wear safety goggles in the lab.
1. Obligation

NEED TO 1. I need to take my medicine with my

1. Necessity breakfast.

Negative modals

CAN’T Example: Mr. Simpson can’t be dead, I saw him only 5

Certainty minutes ago.

MUSTN’T Example: You mustn‘t smoke in a hospital.

LANGUAGE & GRAMMAR I Silvia Busetto

 Prohibition

DON’T HAVE
Example: You don’t have to go to the party if you don’t want
TO
to.
Not necessary

Just in case there are some doubts, here is a link that may help you:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/
modal-verbs
Now, this a video which can help you further:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GMU08J98MQ

ATTENTION I would like to point out some aspects we should pay

attention to when speaking about ABILITY & PERMISSION. Look at this
chart:

Note:

be able to
- we use be able to for particular instances, and it often suggests
“managing to overcome difficulties”
She was able to swim across the river although it was very wide.
We were able to pay although we were poor.
- we also use be able to for things which a person will be capable of
doing in the future but not now
If she practises, she will be able to play Chopin.

could

LANGUAGE & GRAMMAR I Silvia Busetto

 - could does not always have a past meaning
You can visit the museum. (= now or in the future)
You could visit the museum. (= now or in the future, but more tentative,
or polite)
It can be very cold at night. (= generally speaking)
It could be very cold at night. (= generally speaking)

‼ There is an important use of Modal Verbs that I would like to

highlight, and that is when we use them to refer to the past.
Look at the following chart first:

Now study the following link:

https://englishclassviaskype.com/blog/how-to-learn-english/past-
modal-verbs/

Well, let´s go for some practice now!

First, try out this quiz: https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-
worksheets/grammar/can-or-could/modal-verbs-quiz/75059
(Once you´ve done it, ask me for the key)
Then, check the following exercises. They include the key!
https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-worksheets/grammar/modals/
modal-verbs-1/20275

LANGUAGE & GRAMMAR I Silvia Busetto