MODALS

A REVIEW…
Modals: An overview
 We use modals to express many things in
English.
 In this trimester, we’ve seen the modal
being used in the past.
 In every example, the following verb is a
PAST PARTICPLE.
Modals: To Express Regret
Page 75

 We can use the modal SHOULD to talk

about regrets.
 We use the structure:
subject + should (not) have + past participle

 e.g. I should have gone to the beach last week.

I shouldn’t have spent so much money.
Modals: Degrees of Certainty
Page 87

 We can use past modals to talk about how certain we are that things
happened in the past.
 We use the same structure as with regrets:
subject + modal + (not) have + past participle

 We use MUST to talk about things we are almost certain happened:

She must have left already.

 We use MAY, MIGHT and COULD to talk about things that we think
possibly happened:
Her car may/might/could have broken down

 We use COULD NOT to talk about things that aren’t possible:

She couldn’t have forgotten.
Modals: For Opinions & Advice
Page 89

 We can use modals to give opinions and advice.

 We use the same structure again:
subject + modal + (not) have + past participle

 We use SHOULD (NOT) to give an opinion:

You should have worn sun cream.

 We use COULD and WOULD (NOT) to give advice:

You could have sat in the shade.
I wouldn’t have spent all day in the sun.
Modals: In the Passive Voice
Page 93

 We can use modals to talk about processes in the passive voice.

 We use the structure:
subject + modal + (not) be + past participle

 e.g. One scene may be shot 5 or 6 times.

Many different shots have to be taken.
The shots must be edited to make the final movie.

 Remember, in the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the

OBJECT of the verb NOT the subject of the verb
Modals: For Recommendations & Opinions
Page 101
 We can use modals and the passive voice to give recommendations and
opinions.
 Again, we use the structure:
subject + modal + (not) be + past participle
 We have seen this structure used with the verbs allowed, permitted,
required, passed (when talking about a law) and done (when the subject is
something), but we can use any verb, remembering that we are using the
passive voice.

 We use SHOULD and OUGHT TO when we think something is a good idea:

Students should be required to take exams.
Teachers ought to be rewarded if their students pass.

 We use MUST and HAVE TO when we think something is necessary:

Something must be done to stop students cheating on exams.
Students have to be punished when they are caught cheating.