MODALS

shall will
might

should can may

would must
could have
Primary functions of
Modal Verbs
• Ability • CAN
• Permission • MAY (might)/
• Prohibition CAN (could)
• Prediction • MUSTN’T /
• Duty (escapable CANNOT
obligation) • WILL / SHALL /
• Obligation MAY
(inescapable)
• SHOULD
• Request; Offer • MUST
• Possibility • CAN / WILL
• Absence of
Secondary Functions of
Modal Verbs
• In their secondary
function, the modal verbs
(except shall) can be used
to express the degree of
certainty/uncertainty.
ALMOST CERTAIN • MUST
• WILL
• WOULD
• OUGHT TO
• SHOULD
• CAN
• COULD
• MAY
VERY UNCERTAIN • MIGHT
What is special about
them?
Modal Verbs
behave very
differently from
normal verbs.
 Here are some
important differences:
1. Modal verbs are always followed by a verb
in its base form.

EXAMPLES:
He can speak Chinese.
Compare: I speak Chinese.
He speaks Chinese
You may take the book to school.
She may take the book to school.
Compare: You take the books to
school.
She takes the books to
2. Modal verbs do not take
"-s" in the third person in
the present simple.
EXAMPLES:
• He speaks Chinese.
• He can speak Chinese.
(NOT- He cans speak…)
• She eats a sandwich at
9:30
3. You use "not" to make
modal verbs negative, even in
Simple Present and Simple
Past.

• EXAMPLES:
He should not be late.
They might not come to the
• 4. Many modal verbs
cannot be used in the past
tenses or the future
tenses.
• EXAMPLES:
• He will can go with
us. WRONG
• She must studied very
 5. Questions are
formed by inverting
the modal and the
subject.
Ex. Can he play the
guitar well?