Nhựt Minh NGUYỄN Modal Verbs

C. Modal Verbs
I. May/Might
1. May/Might + Vo (có thể, có lẽ): dùng để nói về một điều gì đó có thể là thật hoặc
có thể (có khả năng) xảy ra ở hiện tại (hoặc tương lai)
Ex: 1. He may/might be in his room.
2. I may/might go abroad next month.
3. Take your raincoat with you. It may/might rain.
2. May + Vo = [be] + allowed + to – Vo : diễn tả sự cho phép
Ex: I may go home today. (= I am allowed to go home today.)
3. May + I + Vo…….? : diễn tả ngụ ý xin phép
Ex: 1. May I open the door?
2. May I use your dictionary?
3. May I smoke here?
4. Might + have + V3/-ed (có lẽ, chắc có lẽ ….. đã) : diễn tả một sự hoài nghi, sự
không chắc chắn về một sự việc có thể đã xảy ra trong quá khứ.
Ex: 1. He might have gone away. (= It is possible that he went away.)
2. Mary might have gone to Hong Kong; I’m not sure.
Note: Thông thường, ta dùng “May” hoặc “Might” đều được, trừ khi sử dụng trong
câu có nghĩa không thực, ta phải dùng “Might”.
Ex: If I knew them better, I might invite them to dinner.
II. Must
1. Must + Vo (phải): dùng để diễn tả sự bắt buộc, mệnh lệnh, một việc phải làm.
Ex: 1.You must wipe your feet before coming into the house.
2. Children must obey their parents.
2. Dùng để suy đoán
must + Vo (suy đoán ở hiện tại) hẳn là, ắt là, chắc hẳn là …
must + have + V3/-ed (suy đoán trong quá khứ)
Ex: 1.You have worked hard all day. You must be very tired now.
2. She passed me in the street without speaking to me. She mustn’t have seen me.
3. Must = Have to/Has to (present) = Had to (past) (phải) : diễn tả sự cần thiết
 Must: diễn tả sự bắt buộc, mệnh lệnh của người nói
 Have to/Has to/Had to : diễn tả sự bắt buộc do hoàn cảnh
Ex: 1.You must do what I tell you.
2. Tom has to work very hard because his family is poor.
Note: Để diễn tả sự việc ở tương lai hoặc trong quá khứ, ta dùng “Have to” thay cho
“Must” vì “Must” không có hình thức tương lai và quá khứ.
Ex: 1. I had to go to the doctor yesterday.
2. We will have to be at the meeting tomorrow.
4. Mustn’t + Vo (không được…) : diễn tả ngụ ý cấm đoán
Ex: You mustn’t walk on the grass.
5. Must + have + V3/-ed (hẳn, ắt hẳn….): suy đoán trong quá khứ
Ex: There was nobody at home. They must have gone out.
III. Need
1. As an ordinary verb: sử dụng như động từ thường
Ex: 1. He needs a new bike.
2. He doesn’t need a new mobile phone.

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3. Does he need a new house?

Note:
Need + to – Vo: cần làm gì (active meaning)
Need + V-ing : cần được làm gì (passive meaning)
Ex: 1. I need to buy some books.
2. You hair need cutting.
2. As a modal verb: sử dụng như trợ động từ (thường sử dụng trong câu phủ định và
nghi vấn)
S + needn’t + Vo …. : không cần phải ….
Need + S + Vo ….. ? : có cần phải …………?
Ex: 1. Need he work hard?
2. Need I answer that question?
3. He needn’t get up early every morning.
IV. Shall/Will
1. Diễn tả một hành động trong tương lai
Ex: We will come.
2. Diễn tả sự quyết tâm
Ex: The weather is bad, but he says he will/shall go.
3. Diễn tả lời đe dọa
Ex: You don’t do what I tell you. You won’t/shan’t go to the party.
4. Diễn tả lời hứa
Ex: If you work hard, you will/shall have a holiday on Saturday.
5. Diễn tả lời đề nghị (hỏi xin lời khuyên, sự chỉ dẫn)
Shall + I + Vo ….? / Shall + we + Vo ….?
Ex: 1. Shall I open the window?
2. Shall we begin now?
6. Diễn tả lời yêu cầu/sự thỉnh cầu
Will + you + Vo …..?
Ex: Will you pass me the salt please?
V. Can/Could
1. Diễn tả khả năng, tài năng, sự có thể, sự cho phép, …..
 Ở hiện tại
can + Vo … : có thể (khả năng làm việc gì ở hiện tại)
can’t + Vo …: không thể (không có khả năng là việc gì ở hiện tại)
Ex: 1.I can swim.
2. I can’t speak German.
 Trong quá khứ
could + Vo: có thể
couldn’t + Vo : không thể
Ex: 1. I could swim when I was ten.
2. I was tired last night, but I couldn’t sleep.
2. “Could” có thể dùng ở hiện tại
 Để diễn tả lời yêu cầu lịch sự
Can/Could + you + Vo ….?
Ex: Can/Could you pass me the marker, please?

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 Hỏi xin sự đồng ý/cho phép

Could + I + Vo…?
Ex: Could I come in late tomorrow evening?
3. Dùng để suy diễn
can/could + (not) + Vo : có thể là (không) ….
couldn’t + have + V3/-ed : có thể đã không …
Ex: 1. You’ve just had dinner. You can’t be hungry.
2. Peter didn’t greet me in the street. He couldn’t have seen me.
4. Diễn tả khả năng/cơ hội trong quá khứ để làm việc gì đó nhưng đã không có làm
could + have + V3/-ed
Ex: We could have gone to the cinema last night, but we decided to stay at home.
VI. Should
1. Diễn tả lời khuyên
should + Vo …: nên
shouldn’t + Vo …: không nên
Ex: 1.You should do exercise every morning.
2. You shouldn’t smoke.
Để lịch sự hơn, ta có thể dùng:
S + [think] + S + should + Vo … : nên ..
S + don’t/doesn’t/… + think + S + should + Vo … : không nên…
Ex: I don’t think you should smoke.
2. Diễn tả một người nào đó đã làm sai việc gì/diễn tả một người nào đó đã không
làm việc gì đó nhưng đó đã là một việc nên làm.
should + have + V3/-ed
Ex: 1. I’m feeling sick. I shouldn’t have eaten too much chocolate. (= I ate too much
chocolate.)
2. She shouldn’t have been listening to our conversation. It was private. (= She
was listening to our conversation.)
3. Should = Ought to = Had better + Vo … (nên)
Ex: 1. Do you think I ought to apply for the job? = Do you think I should apply for
the job?
2. You should/had better take a taxi because it is going to rain.
VII. Used to
Used (not) to + Vo (đã từng (không ) ….): dùng đễ diễn tả một hoạt động, một tình
huống là thật, đã xảy ra trong quá khứ nhưng hiện tại không còn nữa
Ex: I used to live in a small town when I was young.
VIII. Notes:
1. “Can/Could + Vo ” và “[Be] + able to + Vo”
 Thông thường, khi “can” và “[be] + able to” chia ở hiện tại thì ta có thể sử dụng
để thay thế cho nhau đều được.
Ex: I can/am able to swim.
 Nhưng “could” và “[be] + able to” chia ở quá khứ thì có sự khác biệt:
- “Could” dùng để chỉ khả năng nói chung (general ability)
Ex: I could sing English songs.

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- “Was/Were + able to” đề cập đến khả năng trong một tình huống đặc biệt/cụ thể
(particular situation)
Ex: 1.The fire spread through the building quickly, but everybody was able to escape.
2. They didn’t want to come with us at first, but we were able to persuade them.
 Dạng phủ định “can’t”, “couldn’t”, “am/is/are/was/were + not + able to” có thể
được sử dụng để thay thế cho nhau trong mọi trường hợp.
Ex: 1. I can’t/am not able to sleep.
2. I am not able to/can’t concentrate on his lecture now.
3. My father couldn’t/wasn’t able to swim.
4. We tried hard, but we were not able to/couldn’t persuade them.

2. “Mustn’t” và “Needn’t”
 Needn’t + Vo……. = Have/Has/Had + not to + Vo...... = Don’t/Doesn’t/Didn’t +
have to + Vo…: không cần phải….
 Mustn’t + Vo … : không được phép….
Ex: 1.You needn’t/have not to take your shoes here.
2. You mustn’t smoke here.
3. Ought to = Should
 Affirmative (+) : ought to + Vo
 Negative (-) : ought not to + Vo (A.E.) = ought not + Vo (B.E.)

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Practice
Choose the best answer for each of the following sentences.

1. He is brushing up on his English so that he may ……….. a better job.

A. getting B. got C. gets D. get
2. He …………… the position if he had applied for it.
A. got B. can get C. could have got D. can’t get
3. The baby ……………. be hungry because he has just had some milk.
A. isn’t B. may not C. can’t D. doesn’t
4. He doesn’t want anything to drink, so he …………… be thirsty.
A. not B. doesn’t C. is not D. mustn’t
5. You had ……… leave now as rush hour traffic has probably already started.
A. not better B. better to not C. not to better D. better not
6. You haven’t finished your report yet, …………?
A. do you B. have you C. did you D. haven’t you
7. I ………….. go to the post office this morning.
A. ought B. have C. must D. used to
8. I don’t think it will rain; however, if it ……….., turn off the machine.
A. do rain B. do rains C. doesn’t rain D. does rain
9. The black leather jacket ………………… be John’s.
A. not B. can’t C. not must D. not can’t
10. I …………….. like to see his daughter right now.
A. will B. shall C. would D. should
11. I’d rather ……………………. shopping tomorrow.
A. going B. go C. went D. to go
12. Here’s the application form, you …………….. fill it out.
A. can B. will C. shall D. should
13. You …….. tell a lie.
A. had not better B. had better not
C. not had better D. had better not to
14. Before he died, he …………………. to take a walk with his wife daily.
A. used B. should C. might D. ought
15. His car is here, so he ……………… be here.
A. can B. ought C. must D. need
16. He …………… be able to help, but I can’t promise.
A. might B. need C. can D. must
17. Tom is sitting at his desk. He’s reading his chemistry text because he has a test
tomorrow. He ……………
A. could study B. will study
C. should be studying D. must be studying
18. When Mr. Lee was younger, he …………………. work in the garden for hours, but
now he has to take frequent rest because he has emphysema.
A. has got to B. should be able to C. can D. could

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19. Whenever my parents went out in the evening, I ……….. the job of taking care of my
younger brother.
A. would get B. must have got
C. should get D. had better get
20. Yesterday I ………….. to a furniture store. I bought a new lamp there.
A. could go B. could have gone
C. went D. ought to have gone
21. Jimmy and Marie were mischievous children. They …………… tricks on their
teachers, which always got them into a lot of trouble.
A. could play B. could have played
C. used to play D. may have played
22. “Did you enjoy the picnic?”
“It was OK, but I’d rather ……………….. to a movie.”
A. go B. have gone C. be going D. went
23. “It …………. rain this evening. Why don’t you take an umbrella?”
“That’s a good idea. May I borrow yours?”
A. had better B. must C. could be D. might
24. “…………. ask you some questions?”
“OK. Go ahead.”
A. Shall I B. Will I C. Should I D. May I
25. You are in poor health. You ………………. smoke.
A. will B. must C. won’t D. mustn’t
26. He was a good swimmer, so he ………… swim to the riverbank when the boat sank.
A. could B. can C. would D. was able to
27. Peter ……… like to meet Mary.
A. does B. would C. should D. had
28. My father …………… play the piano when he was young.
A. could B. can C. is able to D. was able to
29. “Shall I tell John about it?”
“No, you ………… I’ve told him already”
A. mustn’t B. needn’t C. wouldn’t D. shouldn’t
30. The sea was so rough that we …………….. swim.
A. can’t B. won’t C. wouldn’t D. couldn’t
31. I can’t find my umbrella. I …….. have left it in the restaurant last night.
A. might B. can C. must D. ought to
32. Let’s go and see Lucy, ………….?
A. will you B. shall we C. don’t they D. do they
33. If he knew our address, he ……….. come to visit us.
A. may B. can C. might D. shall
34. It’s a pity you didn’t ask because I …………….. you.
A. need have helped B. couldn’t have helped
C. will have helped D. could have helped
35. Albert painted his bedroom black. It looks dark and dreary. He ………..a different
color.
A. had to choose B. should have chosen
C. must have chosen D. could have been choosing

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Nhựt Minh NGUYỄN Modal Verbs