MODAL

VERBS
 1. What is a modal verb?
Index 2. Rules
3. Negative form & questions
4. Ability
5. Certainty and uncertainty
6. Obligation
7. Opinions and advice
8. Surprise, surprise!
 What is a modal verb?
It’s a type of auxiliary verb used to express ability,
possibility, permission or obligation. The same modal
verb can be use in different ways with different
meanings. They are used with other main verbs.
 2.
Rules
 ★ Two modal verbs cannot be put together
○ He can will meet you tomorrow

★ They are followed by the infinitive without to

RULES ○ He must to meet you tomorrow

★ Modal verbs do NOT have a third person

○ He cans meet you tomorrow

★ They do NOT form tenses with -ing, -ed…

○ I’m sorry I canned not meet
you yesterday

★ Modal verbs use inversion in questions

○ Do can you meet me tomorrow?
 3.
Negative form &
questions
NEGATIVE → NEGATIVE: Made by putting not immediately
FORM & after the modal (often shortened).
QUESTIONS ★ You mustn't drive after drinking alcohol.

→ QUESTIONS: Modal in front of the subject.

★ Could he play the piano when he was 12?

 QUESTIONS NEGATIVE

Can I… ? I cannot (can’t)

NEGATIVE Could I... ? I could not (couldn’t)

FORM & Will I… ? I will not (won’t)
QUESTIONS
Would I… ? I would not (wouldn’t)

May I… ? I may not

Might I… ? I might not

Shall I… ? I shall not

Should I… ? I should not (shouldn’t)

Must I… ? I must not (mustn’t)

 4.
Ability
 → They’re used to talk about ability we use can or
can’t.
ABILITY
“I can swim” “You can’t swim” “Can you swim?”

→ Sometimes be able to can be used instead of can.

“Will you be able to help me move the furniture

from one house to another?”

→ Can and can’t are also used for permission.

“Can I go to the bathroom?”

 5.
Certainty and
uncertainty
CERTAINTY
AND 100% certainty will
UNCERTAINTY 95-100% deduction must, can’t

80% expectation should

30-70% uncertainty may, might, could

0% certainty won’t
 6.
Obligation
 → We use must or have to to explain that something
is necessary.
“I must finish my homework”
“I have to finish my homework”
OBLIGATION
→ When changed to the negative form, must and
have to don’t mean the same.
Mustn’t→ describes an action that is prohibited.
“You mustn’t cross the road when the red light is
showing.”
Don’t have to→ describes an action which is not
necessary.
“You don’t have to do the project today, it is due
next week.”
 There is no real difference between must and have to
when writing, but you have to take in account that:
OBLIGATION → We use have to when the situation makes
something necessary, like official rules:*
“At our school, we have to wear a uniform.”
→ We use must when the speaker personally feels
that something is important:
*You can use have “You must be here by 8.00, or the bus will leave
got to instead of without you.”
have to in
everyday speech.
 7.
Opinions and
advice
 → We use should and shouldn’t to give an opinion
about what is the best thing to do. When we speak to
other people our opinion becomes advice.
OPINIONS AND
ADVICE “I think hooligans should be arrested”(opinion)

“I think you shouldn’t sacrifice your cat” (advice)

→ Ought to / Ought not = Should / Shouldn’t

“I think you ought to talk to your teacher about it.”

→ Had better is used for strong opinions. Had is

usually contracted.
“You’d better talk to your mom about it.”
 8.
Surprise, surprise!
 1 ____ you help me?

❏ Can
❏ Might
Surprise! ❏ Should
Homework!

2 They ____ practice more if they

want to win the championship.

❏ May
❏ Should
❏ Would
 3 You ____ not drink and drive.

❏ Would
❏ Must
Surprise! ❏ May
Homework!

4 You ____ take your umbrella,

perhaps it ____ rain.

❏ Would / may
❏ Should / must
❏ Should / will
 5 I ____ like to go to New York
someday.

❏ Would
Surprise! ❏ Will
Homework! ❏ May

6 They ____ to work less.

❏ Ought
❏ Should
❏ Might
 7 It ____ be dangerous to drive if
you are tired.

❏ Ought
Surprise! ❏ Can
Homework! ❏ Shall

8 ____ you help me move the

furniture?

❏ Might
❏ Should
❏ Will
 Complete the sentences:
Surprise! a) Soldiers _____ to obey orders.
Homework! b) I think you ____ take your umbrella.
c) Sorry, I ____ to go now.
d) I’m not sure, but I ____ be able to help you.
e) Francesca isn’t at home, so she ____ be on
her way here.
f) We ____ better not leave any windows open.
g) It _____ be a star, it’s too bright.
 Rewrite each sentence so that it has a similar meaning
and contains a modal verb and the word in bold.
a) It would be a good idea for you to see a dentist.
Surprise! (ought) You ought to see a dentist
Homework! ________________________________________________________.
b) It’s not necessary for us to go to school tomorrow.
(have)
c) I’m sure that isn’t John, because he’s in Paris. (be)
d) Perhaps Ann is at home. (be)
e) You ought to wear a warm coat today. (had)
f) It’s possible that I’ll be late. (may)
g) I wouldn’t go skiing if I were you. (think)
h) It is forbidden to leave your bike here. (can’t)
 BY:
Yaye Blázquez
Rocío Medina
Jose Mª Balbuena

Thanks for
your attention!