MODAL VERBS

MODALS
MODAL VERBS AND
HOW TO USE THEM
WHAT DOES MODAL
EXPRESS?
HOW DO WE USE MODALS?

Example: Mary could play the piano.

 CAN, (CANNOT/CAN’T)
One of the most commonly used modals in English. It can express
ideas such as ability or capacity, permission or request.
Examples:
 She can speak French. (capacity or ability)
 He can come in now. (permission)
 Can you lend me your pen, please? (request)
 COULD (COULDN’T)
It expresses possibility, past ability as well as suggestions and requests.
Examples:
 Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city. (possibility)
 John could run very fast when he was younger.
(past ability)
 We could go to an ice-cream parlor or stay home and watch a movie.
(suggestion)
 Could I use your cell phone for a moment? (request)
 MAY
  Itis most commonly used to express possibility. It can also be used
to give or ask for permission.
Examples:
 Maria may be at school or at home. (possibility)
 May he leave the room with me? (asking for permission)
 Yes, he may leave the room with you.
(giving permission)
 MIGHT
 Used mostly to express possibility and to make
suggestions or requests.
Examples:
 It might rain tomorrow. (possibility)
 You might want to take a break. (suggestion)
 MUST (MUSTN’T)
 It can be used to talk about certainty, that is, something you are almost sure is true.
Moreover, it can be used to talk about obligation, prohibition, necessity or strong
recommendation.
Examples:
 She must be sick. She never gets late to school. (probability)
 Students must pass an entrance examination to study at this school. (necessity)
 You must drink a lot of water to protect your voice. (strong recommendation)
 Sarah, you must always do your homework. (obligation)
 SHALL
 Indicates future action. It is most commonly used in sentences with
"I" or "we,”. It can also be used in offers, suggestions, and requests
for instructions or advice.
Examples:
 Shall we go to the cinema? (suggestion)
 Shall I go to the doctor? (asking for advice)
I shall be there at 4 o’clock. (future)
 Shall I make you a cup of tea? (offer)
 SHOULD
(SHOULDN’T)
 This modal is more commonly used to give recommendations or advices. It can
also be used to talk about obligation as well as expectation.
Examples:
 When you have many classes, you should take a bottle of water with you.
(recommendation)
 You should focus more on your assignments. (advice)
 I should be at work before 7pm. (obligation)
 At this moment, they should already be in New York. (expectation)
 OUGHT TO
 Itis used to advise or make recommendations. It can also express
assumption, expectation, or strong probability when the context implies that
something is deserved.
Examples:
 She ought to stop eating red meat. (recommendation)
 Sam ought to get a promotion. (expectation – because he deserves it)
 Thoseapartments ought to increase in value due to the construction of the
new mall. (assumption)
 MODALS IN THE PAST
 Modals in the past are modals referred to actions happened in the
past.
Modal + have + Verb in the Past Participle
Example:
They should have invited her to their wedding.
 MODAL USES EXAMPLES
PERFECT
MUST HAVE Logical Peter has arrived late.
+ P.P. conclusion on a He must have been in
past event a traffic jam.
MAY/MIGH Deduction on a Joe may/might have
T HAVE + past event taken the wrong train.
P.P.
 MODAL USES EXAMPLES
PERFECT
COULD HAVE + P.P. Possibility to do You could have played
something, gone better.
unfulfilled
COULDN’T HAVE + Certainty that something
He couldn’t have passed
P.P. couldn’t have happenedbecause he hadn’t
studied enough.
WOULD HAVE + P.P. Desire to do something, I would have visited you,
but impossible to do it for but I forgot your address.
external causes
 MODAL USES EXAMPLES
PERFECT
SHOULD/OUGHT TO Lament on something that You should/ought to have
HAVE + P.P. should have been done warned me earlier.
SHOULDN’T HAVE + Critique on something He shouldn’t have told
P.P. that shouldn’t have them.
happened
NEEDN’T HAVE + P.P. Something that wasn’t You needn’t have bought
necessary doing it.
 FACTS ABOUT MODALS
 Modals are different from other verbs because they don’t take an –s, ed, or
–ing ending.
e.g. “He can drive.” not He cans drive
 Modals are different from other verbs because we don’t use an infinitive
after a modal. We use the base form.
INFINITIVE – He wants to leave.
BASE FORM – He must leave.
 Toform the negative, put NOT after the modal.
e.g. “He should not drive.”
TRY THIS!
Fill in the blanks with MAY, MIGHT, OR MUST

1. She knows she _____ be there. 1. She _____ be at home this time.
2. You _____ leave if you wish. 2. _____ God give you long life!
3. We _____ finish it on time. 3. You ______ pay your taxes.
4. There ____ be rain today. 4. _____ we play tennis, Dave?
5. They _____ be really rich to live in 5. We fail, _____ but let’s not think about
such a house. it.
 CAN, COULD, MAY, & MIGHT EXERCISE
Use one of the modal verbs to fill each gap.

1. They (can/might) be away for the weekend but I’m not sure.
2. (Could/may) you open the window a bit, please?
3. He (can/could) be Japanese, judging by his accent.
4. (May/Can) you play the piano?
5. With luck, tomorrow (can/could) be a sunny day.
6. You (can/might) be right but I’m going back to check anyway.
7. Students (may/might) study in the library from 1 to 5 in the afternoon.
8. (May/Could) you lend me 1,000 pesos ‘til Monday?
 SHALL, SHOULD, WILL & WOULD
EXERCISE:
1. When you grow up, you (shall/should) be 1. When I was ten, I (will/would) go to
a great basketball player. school everyday.
2. Mom thinks you (should/shall) clean your 2. I (will/would) buy new shoes if I had
room. enough money.
3. I think I (shall/should) make chicken curry 3. My dog and I (would/will) go for walks
for dinner. when she was younger.
4. Tomorrow, you (should/shall) climb to the 4. I (would/will) get a tan if I worked at the
top of Mt. Everest. pool.
5. (Shall/Should) we be ready by 10 in the 5. I think I (will/would) go to the beach this
morning? Sunday.