NATIONAL FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT
WHAT IS THE MODAL VERB?

• Can
• Could They are Auxiliary
• May verbs that provide
• Might additional and
• Must specific meaning to
• Should the main verb of
• Will the sentence,
• Would
HOW DO WE USE MODALS?
 ABILITY = Saber / poder
• CAN = present
• COULD = past

• EXAMPLES:
• I can’t drive a car but I can ride a motorbike.
• When I was 6, I could swim very well.
• PERMISSION • REQUESTS
• CAN I …? = informal • CAN YOU…? = informal
• COULD I ….? = polite • COULD YOU…? = polite
• MAY I….? = formal • WILL YOU…? = neutral
• ¿Puedo /podría…? • ¿Puedes /podrías…?
 OBLIGATION = Deber
• MUST = Present

EXAMPLE:
• We must treat each other with respect.
• We must study for the test
 PROHIBITION
• MUSTN’T = No debes
• CAN’T = No puedes
(imposible)

EXAMPLES:
• You mustn’t smoke so much, it’s too bad!
• You can’t take photographs in this museum.
 ADVICE = Consejo
• SHOULD debería

Example:

• The government should protect people in need.

• It’s cold in here. You should turn on the heating.
• You shouldn’t tell anybody about this. It’s a secret.
 WILL
• Will Future

Example
________________________
• Joe will travel to NY next week
• We will have an exam next Tuesday
• Tatiana will work in a company next year
 TRANSLATION

• 1. children can´t play on the streets late

• 2. computers can work large amounts of data
• 3. people might use robots for housework
• 4. the next months we could still study online
• 5. students will not use books anymore
• 6. people should eat vegetables not junkfood
• 7. you mustn’t smoke. It is dangerous for your health.
• 8. Paul couldn’t speak Spanish, but could speak Italian.