MODAL AUXILIARIES

The modal auxiliaries in English are :

can, could, had better, may, might, must, ought to,
shall, should, will, would.

Modal auxiliaries generally express a speaker’s

attitudes, or ‘moods’. For example, modal can
express that a speaker feels something is
necessary, advisable, permissible, possible, or
probable; and; in addition, they can convey the
strength of these attitudes.

Each modal has more than

one meaning or use
 MODAL AUXILIARIES • Modal do not take a final –s, even when
I could do it the subject is he, she, or it
We can do it Correct : he can do it
You had better do it Incorrect :He cans do it.
They + may do it
He might do it • Modals are followed immediately by the
simple form of a verb
She must do it
Correct : he can do it
It ought to do it
Incorrect :He can to do it.
shall do it
should do it
the only exception is ought, which is
will do it followed by an infinitive (to + the simple
would do it form of a verb)

SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS
Be able to do it A list of some common expressions whose
Be going to do it meaning are similar to those of some modal
auxiliaries. For example, be able to is similar to
Be supposed to do it
can; be going to is similar to will.
Be to do it
Have to do it
Have got to do it An infinitive (to + the simple form of a verb ) is
used in these similar expressions
Used to do it
AUXILIARY USES PRESENT/ PAST
FUTURE
may •Polite request •May I borrow your •-
•Formal permission pen?. •-
•Less than 50% •You may leave the •He may have
certainty room. been at the library.
•Where’s John?
He may be at the
library

might •Less than 50 % •Where’s John? * He might have

certainty He might be at the been at the library
•Polite request library.
(rare) * Might I borrow
your pen?
should •Advisability •I should study •I should have
•90 % certainty tonight. studied last night.
•She should do •She should have
well on the test. done well on the
(future only not test.
present)
Ought to •Advisability •I ought to study to I ought to have
•90% certainty night. studied last night.
•She ought to do
well on the test. She ought to have
(future only, not done well on the
present) test.

Had better •Advisability with •You had better on (past form

threat of bad result. time, or we will uncommon)
leave without you.

Be to •Strong expectation •You are to be here •You were to be

at 9 : 00. here at 9 :00
Have got to •necessity •I have got to go to •I had to go to
class today. class yesterday.

Be supposed to •expectation •Class is supposed •Class was

to begin at 10 supposed to begin
at 10.
must •Strong necessity •I must go to class * I had to go to
•Prohibition today. class.
(negative) •You must not *-
•95% certainty open that door. •Mary must have
•Mary isn’t in class. been sick
She must be sick. yesterday.
(present only)

Will •* 100% certainty •He will be here at

•Willingness 6:00 (future only).
•Polite request •..The phone is
ringing. I’ll get it.
•Will you please
pass the salt?

Be going to •100% certainty. • He is going to be •-

•Definite plan. here at 6:00 (future
only). •I was going to
•I’m going to paint paint my room, but
my bedroom. I didn’t have time.
(future only).
can •Ability/possibility. •I can run fast. •I could run fast
•Informal •You can use my when I was a child,
permission. car tomorrow. but now I can’t.
•Informal polite •Can I borrow you •-
request. pen? •-
•Impossibility •That can’t be •That can’t have
(negative only) true. been true.
Have to •necessity. •I have to go to •I had to go to class
•Lack of necessity class today. yesterday.
(negative) •I don’t have to go •I didn’t have to go
to class today. to class yesterday.
could •Past ability *- •I could run fast
•Polite request •Could I borrow when I was a child.
•Suggestion your pen? •-
•Less than 50% •..I need help in •You could have
certainty math. talked to your
•Impossibility ..You could talk to teacher.
(negative only) your teacher. •He could have
* That couldn’t be been at home.
true. •That couldn’t have
been true!
Be able to * ability * I am able to help * I was able to help
you. I will be able him.
to help you.

would. •Polite request •Would you please *-

•Preference pass the salt? •I would rather
•Repeated action Would you mind if have gone to the
in the past I left early? park.
•I would rather go •When I was a
to the park than child, I would visit
stay home. my grandparents
•- every weekend.
Used to * Repeated action *- * I used to visit my
in the past. grandparents
every weekend.
shall *polite question to •Shall I open the
make suggestion. window?
* future with “I” or •I shall arrive at
“we” as subject. nine. (will =more
common)
Use the appropriate modal auxiliaries and the verbs in the bracket!
1.It looks like rain. We (shut)………the window.
2.Ann, (hand, you)……..me the dish? Thanks.
3.I returned a book to the library yesterday. It was two weeks overdue, so I (pay)….a fine
of $1.40. I (return)……the book when it was due.
4.Spring break starts on the thirteenth. We (go,not)…..to classes again until the twenty-
second.
5.( make,I)…..an appointment to see Dean Witherspoon?
6.Neither of us knows the way to their house. We (take)….a map with us or we’ll
probably get lost.
7.The baby is only a year old, but she (say,already)……a few words.
8.You (tell,not)…..Jack about the party. It’s a surprise birthday party for him.
9.Excuse me. I didn’t understand. (Repeat,you)……what you said?
•In the united state, elementary education is compulsary. All children (attend)…..six
years of elementary school.
•When I was younger, I (run)…..ten miles without stopping. But now I (run,not)….more
than a mile or two.
•There was a long line in front of the theater. We (wait)….almost an hour to buy out
ticket.
•I don’t feel like going to the library to study this afternoon. I (go)….to the shopping mall
than to the library.
•Annie, you (clean)……this mess before Dad gets home. He’ll be mad if he sees all this
stuff all over the living room floor.
•The teacher called on Sam in class yesterday, but he kept looking out the window and
didn’t respond. He (daydream)…….
REPORTED
SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH refers to using a noun clause to
report what someone has said. No quotation marks are
used. The changes in the verb forms in the quoted speech
to reported in the following example

QUOTED SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

a. She said, “I watch TV a. She said that she watched
every day.” TV every day.
b. She said, “I am watching b. She said that she was
TV.” watching TV.
c. She said, “I have watched c. She said that she had
TV.” watched TV .
d. She said, “I watched TV.” d. She said that she had
watched TV.
e. She said, “I will watch TV
every.” e. She said that she would
watched TV.
f. She said, “I am going to
watch TV.”
g. She said, “I can watch TV.”
h. She said, “I may watch TV.”
i. She said, “I might watch TV.”
j. She said, “I must watch TV.”
k. She said, “I have to watch
TV.”
l. She said, “I should watch
TV.”
m. She said, “I ought to watch
TV.”
n. She said, “ Don’t watch TV.”
o. She asked, “Do you watch
TV?”
f. She said that she was going to
watch TV.
g. She said that she could watch TV.
h. She said that she might watch TV.
i. She said that she might watch TV .
j. She said that she had to watch TV.
k. She said that she had to watch TV.
l. She said that she should watch TV.
m. She said that she ought to watch
TV.
n. She told me not to watch TV.
o. She asked me if I watched TV
 GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. If the reporting verb (the main verb of the sentence, e.g., said )is in the past,
the verb in the noun clause will usually also be in a past form.

2. This formal sequence of tenses in noun clauses is used in both speaking and
writing. However, sometimes in spoken English, no change is made in the
noun clause verb, especially if the speaker reporting something
immediately or soon after it was said.

Immediate reporting
A: What did the teacher just say? I didn’t hear him.
B: He said he wants us to read Chapter Six.

Later reporting :
A: I didn’t go to class yesterday. Did Mr. Jones make any assignments?
B: Yes. He said he wanted us to read Chapter Six.

3. Also, sometimes the present tense is retained even in formal English when
the reported sentence deals with a general truth. She said that the world is
round.
4. When the reporting verb is simple present, present perfect, or future, the noun
clause verb is not changed.
she says, “ I watch TV every day.” ……She says she watches TV every day.
Change the following sentences from direct speech to reported speech  :
 Example :

Direct Speech:  Jane  : "I play tennis every Saturday."

Reported Speech :  Jane said she played tennis every Saturday.
    
     1.    Direct speech :        David : "There is an excellent band playing later on."         
            Reported Speech : 
  
     2.    Direct speech :        Christine : "I saw Amy at the bank on Monday."
            Reported Speech :   
 
     3.    Direct speech :         The driver : "I'm going to turn right at the traffic lights."
            Reported Speech :  
  
     4.    Direct speech :         Jonathan: "I've returned the dictionary to the library".
            Reported Speech :  

     5.    Direct speech :     The doctor : "I'll send you the results as soon as they arrive."
            Reported Speech :  
  
     6.    Direct speech :          Caroline : "Will you come to my party on Saturday?"
            Reported Speech : 
     
     7.    Direct speech :          Shop assistant:  "Are you looking for something special?"
            Reported Speech :   
  
     8.    Direct speech :      Jack :  "I'll lend you my grammar book if you think it will help.
            Reported Speech :    
 
Indirect speech -> Direct speech

1. Matilda asked her father why he did not like reading.

2. Mr Wormwood answered they had got a nice TV.
3. Matilda went to the library and asked where the children's
books were.
4. Mrs Phelps said she could find her a nice one with pictures.
5. Matilda said she was sure she could find something herself.
6. One day Mrs Phelps asked her what she would read next.
7. Matilda said she had finished all the children's books.
8. Mrs Phelps asked her how old she was.
9. Matilda answered she was four years and three months old.
10. Mrs Phelps asked her if she knew she could take the books
home with her.
11. Matilda answered it was very nice of her to tell her.
12. She said she would visit the library once every week.
13. Mrs Phelps told her not to forget to return the old ones.
14. Matilda asked Mrs Phelps if someone had borrowed 'Kim' from
Rudyard Kipling.
15. Mrs Phelps answered that she had had it for a few days.
REPORTED
SPEECH
 DIRECT   AND   INDIRECT   SPEECH 
 
         
                              

sarah What did he say?

Hello! Sarah speaking.
Hello Sarah! It's me, Bob.
I'm going to see my mother tomorrow.           
                                              
      
• DIRECT : Bob said, 'I'm going to see my
mother tomorrow.' 
       
• INDIRECT : Bob said (that) he was going to
see his mother the next day.  

• Bob announced that ...   

• Bob declared that...  
• Bob added that...    
• Bob told me that...             
• Bob said that... 
• Bob said to me that...  
• Bob told me that...  
PRONOUNS AND POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
Bob said, 'I'm going to see my mother.'  =>        Bob said (that) he was
going to see his mother.     
'You have bought yourself a lovely dress.'    =>   He told her (that) she had
bought herself a lovely dress.

TIME, LOCATION
'I'm going to see my mother tomorrow.'      =>    Bob said (that) he was
going to see his mother the next day.
Mark:  'I went to London last week.'    =>    He added (that) he had gone to
London the week before.
Sue:   'I must leave now!'    =>    She told me (that) she had to leave then.

Peter: 'I don't like this house.'   =>    Peter said (that) he didn't like that
house.   
Peter: 'I can't live here.'   =>   Peter told us (that) he couldn't live there.