Autor: Enrique Hinojosa

MODAL VERBS

CAN 1. Ability: I can swim

2. Permission: Can I go out? / You can go out
3. Prohibition: You can´t stay here
4. Request: Can you close the door, please?
5. Offers: Can I help you?
6. Deduction(neg.): It can´t be ten o´clock now!!

COULD 1. Ability (past): I could swim at the age of 5.

2. Permission(polite): Could I go out? (¿Podría…?)
3. Request (polite): Could you close the door, please?
4. Possibility (50%): He could win the match
5. Suggestion: We could watch the game today
6. Advice: You could go to the library.

MAY 1. Possibility (50%): He may win (Puede que él gane)

2. Permission May I go out? (Tendría permiso…?)
You may go out.

MIGHT 1. Remote possibility: He might win (poco probable)

2. Criticism: You might as well study!!
(También podrías estudiar, ¿no?)

SHALL 1. Suggestion: Shall we go for a walk?

2. Ask for instructions: Shall I close the door?
3. Future: We shall go to the party
4. Prohibitions: You shall not kill
5. Offers: Shall I carry the bags for you?

SHOULD 1. Subjective advice: You should study more

2. Instructions (polite): Should I close the door?
3. Suggestions (polite): Should we have a coffee?
OUGHT 1. Objective advice: You ought to keep silence
TO 2. Prohibitions: You ought not to smoke here

MUST 1. Obligation: You must be here before 11 pm

2. Prohibition: You mustn´t enter
3. Deduction: He must be rich
4. Advice: You must eat vegetables
5. Instructions: You must press the red button

WILL 1. Future: I will not go to the party

2. Predictions: He will be a great dancer
3. Promises: I will love you forever
4. Request: Will you pass me the salt?
5. Conditionals: If it isn´t raining, I will go out

WOULD 1. Conditionals: If you helped me, I would finish

2. Request (polite): Would you open the door?
3. Advice: If I were you, I wouldn´t go
4. Invitations: Would you like to go out?
5. Preferences: I would rather dance than sing
6. Past habits: He would smoke after dinner
(Solía…)

NEEDN´T 1. Absence of You needn´t do the exam

Obligation: (No tienes porqué...)

REQUEST PERMISSION ADVICE

Will you…? (Quieres…?) Can I…? You should …

Can you…? (Puedes…?) Could I…? If I… , I would …
Could you…? (Podrías?) May I…? You could …
Would you…? You ought to …
(Sería tan amable…?) You must ...
1.- Write sentences with modal verbs so that they have the same meaning

I´m sure he has forgotten something

You are not allowed to walk on the grass
Please stop talking (polite)
Do you have to leave so soon?
I don´t believe it´s ten o´clock
You´d better call the police
Perhaps he has lost the address
Why don´t you go to the library?
Please sit down (colloquial)
I was wrong to say that
I´m sure he has heard the news
He wasn´t able to lift the piano
It´s forbidden to enter the house
It´s possible that the phone is broken
He used to smoke his pipe in the evenings
Let me help you
She doesn´t work hard enough
I insist that you do as I say
Do you Know how to make an omelette?
Why don´t we go for a walk?
Perhaps there has been an accident
You are not allowed to look
It´s possible that she visits us tomorrow
I wish I had tried harder
Do you mind if I sit here?
She used to dance for hours
I asked for permission to get up (polite)
I ask for instructions to turn off the TV
It’s not possible that he finishes in time
I advise you to do some exercise
I advise you not to talk so loud in class
He was not able to speak French last year
You are obliged to wait for your sister
Alan used to play golf when he was young
Do you have to finish the project today?
I don’t have the ability of skiing
You don’t have to come tomorrow
I request you to close the door
Do you mind if I open the window?
Do you know how to solve this problem?
It is forbidden to go out of the school
I ask for permission to leave
There are possibilities for her to win
Perhaps she has passed her exam
I advise you not to smoke in the bus
You’d better study the modal verbs
I give you permission to speak
Maybe he got lost
You have to consult the dictionary
Why don’t you ask the teacher?
Why don’t we have a rest?
2.- Fill in the sentences with “can/can’t/could/couldn’t” and a verb:

hear/play/land/understand/help/come/phone/drive/speak/see/read

3.- Rewrite these sentences using “may/might”

4.- Complete the sentences and give some “advice”

5.- What advice would you give someone to be healthy??

6.- Use “must/mustn’t” to express obligation, strong advice or prohibition

7.- Anne wants to pass her exams; write sentences with “must/mustn’t”
8. Write sentences with modal verbs so that they have the same meaning

1 It isn´t necessary to buy a ticket. You don´t need to buy a ticket.

2 I advise him to be more careful.
3 I´m sure that is John´s car.
4 I don´t think he is her brother. They don´t ressemble each other.
5 He wasn´t able to swim when he was five.
6 It´s possible that he will win the race.
7 You are not allowed to play in the garden.
8 It wasn´t necessary for them to repair the car.
9 Do you want me to open the door? (SHALL)
10 It´s possible that she is still at work

9. Rewrite the sentences with MODAL PERFECTS

1 Their plane probably crashed over the jungle (MUST)

2 There is no possibility that Mark was involved in the crime (Couldn´t)
3 Maybe Janet invited him here tonight (might)
4 She isn´t in the office. Perhaps she went home (may)
5 I´m sure she was quite angry when she daid it (must)
6 Perhaps he learned English as a child (may)
7 It wasn´t necessary for me to go out (needn´t)
8 It was a mistake for you to buy that car (shouldn´t)
9 It´s possible that I left my wallet at home (could)
10 It was unnecessary for you to clean the floor ( NEEDN´T)

10. MODAL PERFECTS

1 How did you know about the secret? Someone (tell)................................. you.
2 The money was on the desk. I (take) ........................................ it ,but Ididn´t.
3 I know you were angry, but you (not be) .......................................... so rude.
4 I don´t know who sent these flowers; it (be) .......................................... Jane.
5 You (wear) .......................................... a raincoat. It wasn´t raining.
6 ................... you (not be) ....................... a little more polite last night?
7 They (make) .......................................... a mistake; the two cases were red.
8 You (tell) .......................................... your parents you were going to be late.
9 They (not leave) .......................................... without being seen by anybody.
10 You (apologize) .......................................... for being late.
12 I (not say) .......................................... such a terrible thing. I´m sorry.
13 I came here by taxi, so I (leave) my keys there.
14 I´m sorry. I (let) .......................................... you know what was happening.

11. TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH

1 Ese cuadro no puede ser un Picasso.

2 No deberías fumar tanto. Es malo para tu salud.
3 No deberías haberle gritado a tu amigo.
4 No estoy segura. Puede que hayan ido al cine.
5 Peter no pudo haber sido el asesino. Estuvo cenando conmigo esa noche.
6 Ella no puede haberse marchado porque su maletín está todavía aquí.
7 Debe de haber sido una película muy triste; todo el mundo estaba llorando.
8 El accidente de Juan podría haber sido mucho peor.
9 No tenías que haber venido a verme. Estoy bien.
10 Al final del curso podré hablar inglés mejor.