MODALS

 Can
 Could
 Will
 Shall
 Be able to
 May
 Might
 Must
 Should
 Ought to
 Would
 Be allowed to
1. PREDICTION:
2. WILLINGNESS:
3. ABILITY:
4. PERMISSION:
5. POSSIBILITY:
6. NECESSITY:
7. DEDUCTION:
8. OBLIGATION AND ADVICE:
1. PREDICTION: WILL – BE GOING TO –
SHALL (predictions and things supposed to be real)

° It will be cold tomorrow.

° I won’t finish this before Friday.
° The phone’s ringing. That will be Harry.
° Don´t leave now. The shop will close at 6.

WILL (predictable situation)

° He’ll look better in a suit. (I think he’s going to

change clothes)
WILL (predictions based on past experience or knowledge) –
GOING TO (prediction on what we think or feel now)

° There will be delays because of bad weather.

° Too much coffee will give you a headache.
° Oh, no. I think it’s going to rain.
° He’s going to get a headache for drinking all that coffee.

GOING TO (a decision already made or when something is

starting to happen)

° We´re going to spend Christmas at home.

° Tom and Angela are going to get married in May.
° Close your eyes. I'm going to give you a big surprise.
SHALL (I - WE) (show strong determination = British
English)
° I / we shall get married no matter what my parents
said before.
° I shall / will finish this by next week.

(to make offers and suggestions) (more formal)

° Shall I close the door?
° Where shall we go for lunch today? Shall we go to
the new Chinese restaurant on West Street?
° Shall we meet at 10 a.m.?
2. WILLINGNESS: WILL

WILL (we are definitely willing now)

° I will give you one more chance.
° There are advisers here who will help and guide you.

WON’T (isn’t willing to)

° He’s ill, but he won’t go to the doctor’s.

WON’T (about things / machines as if they were

people who are not willing to do something)
° The door isn’t locked, but it won’t open.
NOTE:

WOULD not WILL with verbs expressing preferences

(like , love, prefer)
° I would prefer an early class.
° I’d love to go on a cruise.
° Would you like some tea or would you prefer some
coffee?

For offers and it’s quite formal.

° Would you like some coffee?
° When would you like to go to the movies?
3. ABILITY: CAN – COULD – BE ABLE TO

CAN (general ability) – COULD (general ability in the past and future =
conditional sentences)
° Can you play chess?
° Ostriches can run very fast.
° Their son could swim before he could walk.
° She can’t speak three languages.
° I could read when I was 5 years old.
° I couldn’t sleep last night.

CAN and COULD with verbs for mental processes and senses.
° I couldn’t decide.
° Can you remember her name?
° We could hear a cat, but we couldn’t see it.
° I can smell onions.
BE ABLE TO
AM/IS/ARE ABLE TO (instead of CAN for general ability
in formal situations)
° Is the child able to tie his shoelaces without help?
° Are you able to rise a child on your own?

WAS/WERE ABLE TO (not COULD for achieving

something difficult in the past)
° We had a flat tyre, but we were able to fix it and carry on.
° I was able to finish the race in less than an hour.

COULDN’T (to say something difficult was not achieved)

° My computer broke down. We couldn’t fix it.
BE ABLE TO not CAN or COULD (in 4 of the phrasal modal
structures) (NOT in continuous)

Infinitives
° They want to be able to practice any sport.
° She wants to be able to learn a new language.
Gerunds preceded by prepositions
° She left without being able to talk to the teacher.
° Tom and Sharon talked after being able to meet.
After modals
° I won’t be able to finish.
° They will be able to get the tickets by 3.00 p.m.
In the perfect tense
° He hasn’t been able to study.
° We have been able to come over our aunty.
4. PERMISSION: CAN – COULD – MAY – MIGHT – BE
ALLOWED TO

CAN – COULD (to ask for permission) COULD (more polite)

° Can/ Could I borrow your dictionary?
° Can/ Could the dog come into the house?

CAN or COULD (not MAY or MIGHT) (to make suggestions

about possible actions or when we ask people to do things)
° Can you show me where it is?
° Could you take this away?
° Can you speak more slowly, please?
° You could save money for your next trip to Ireland.
CAN not Could (to give or refuse permission)
° Could we leave early today? Yes, you can.
° Can I play in class? I’m sorry but you can’t.

MAY (when we ask for or give permission (or not))

(formal situations)
° May we come in? Yes. You may.
° May I take this chair? No, you may not.
° May I use one of these telephones?

MIGHT (to ask for, but not to give permission)

° Might I take one? Yes.
° Might you organize those files? No, I'm leaving.
CAN not MAY (to talk about laws and rules)
° You can’t park here. Only taxis can park here.
° You can’t smoke in here. It’s a non-smoking area.

MAY not MIGHT (in formal rules)

° No food or drinks may be brought inside.
° Pedestrians may not enter this way.
° She may not wear those skirts in the office. They’re too short.

BE ALLOWED TO (not MAY or MIGHT) (we emphasize

getting permission on a special occasion)
° That day was the first time I was allowed to make my own
breakfast.
° After my birthday I was allowed to buy some beers.
° I was allowed to vote after I turned 18 years old.
5. POSSIBILITY: MAY – MIGHT – CAN – COULD

MAY or MIGHT (when something is possible now or later)

(Negative: may not, might not, mightn’t)
° Taking these pills may/might cause drowsiness. You
may/might fall asleep at the wheel.
° You would bring an umbrella. It may / might rain in a few
hours.

MAY not MIGHT (when a possible situation is common or

usual in present or future)
° Peppers may be green, yellow or red.
° Measles may cause a fever and small red spots.
° Spoilt children may be rude.
MIGHT not MAY (a description of what was possible in the past)
° In those days people might spend their entire lives in the villages where
they were born.
° She might be more careful before the accident.

CAN – COULD (for general statements where the situation can, could be
possible)
° Some dogs can be dangerous.
° The old house could be quite cold, even in summer.
° I think it could be sunny later.

COULD not CAN (when we speculate about things. It’s possible that... Is
it possible that…?)
° Your bag could be in the car.
° It could rain this weekend.
° Tom is late. Could he be stuck in traffic?
MAY or MIGHT (not CAN or COULD) (to make a concession
before a clause with but)
° She may be seventy, but she still likes to dance.
° We might have lost a battle, but not the war.
° It may be old, but it works.

MAY NOT or MIGHT NOT (we mean «possible not»)

° It may/might not be true.
° This bill may/might not be right. The price is too high.

CAN’T or COULDN’T («not possible»)

° That story can’t be true. (I'm sure it is not)
° This bill can’t be right. We only had two coffees.
° The accident couldn’t be true because you didn’t drink.
6. NECESSITY: MUST – HAVE TO – HAVE GOT TO –
NEED TO – NEEDN’T

MUST (something is necessary especially in orders and rules)

(personal choice)
° Plants must have sun light.
° Your basic needs are the things you must have to live a normal
life.
° You must come to class on time.
° All visitors must sign in.

MUSTN’T – MUST NOT (to tell people not to do things or to say

something is a bad idea)
° You mustn’t come late.
° Empty boxes must not be stacked in front of the emergency exit.
MUST (to encourage someone to do something we think is
important or emphasize a strong feeling or opinion)
° We must get together to study.
° I must disagree with that. We must not accept new
regulations that restrict our civil rights.

HAVE TO (we are not in control of what is necessary or

required) (external)
° My mother has to have an operation on her knee.
° I have to wear glasses for reading.

DON’T HAVE TO (there is no necessity to do something)

° It’s free you don’t have to pay.
° The gate was open so we didn’t have to wait outside.
HAVE GOT TO (quite informal) (only used in present)
° We have got to find you.
° Has she got to buy a new car?
° Tom hasn’t got to study.
° Selena has got to work hard.

NEED TO (similar to have to) (to say something is

necessary or not) (lower level)
° Jim needs/has to leave soon.
° We don’t need to/have to wait for the bus.
° I’ll need to/have to take an umbrella.
DON’T / DOESN’T NEED TO (not needed)
° Students don’t need to pay to use the library.
° Sarah doesn’t need to buy new books for her school.

DIDN’T NEED TO (not needed in the past)

° I didn’t need to study. I watched TV instead.
° They didn’t need to wear high heels to work.

NEEDN’T or NEED NOT (without to) (to say that

something is not necessary on a particular occasion)
(informal)
° You needn’t pay me now.
° It’s still early so we needn’t rush.
7. DEDUCTION: MUST – HAVE TO – HAVE GOT TO -
CAN’T – COULDN’T

MUST (a particular idea is certain based on evidence)

° You’re shivering – you must be cold.
° Look at that car! Ali’s parents must have a lot of money.

HAVE TO – HAVE GOT TO (instead of MUST) (informal)

° I didn’t order ten books. This has to be a mistake.
° They aren’t mine. They’ve got to be yours.

CAN’T or COULDN’T (not MUSTN’T) (negative deductions)

° You can’t be 21!
° This bill is over $ 50 – that can’t be right.
8. OBLIGATION AND ADVICE: SHOULD – OUGHT TO

SHOULD (express an obligation, to talk about what is expected

or what is a good idea)
° At election time, everyone should vote.
° You’re a student, you should be studying.
° Nurses shouldn’t smoke.
° Teachers should be more patient.
° Children should learn to say «Please» and «Thank you»

(we ask for and give advice or warnings)

° What should I do?
° You should take your medicine.
° You shouldn't go swimming right after eating.
OUGHT TO instead of SHOULD (with no difference
in meaning)
° Neighbours ought to / should help each other.
° You ought to / should be more careful.
° She ought to / should pick up more words in order to
improve her level.

Negative: OUGHTN’T TO or OUGHT NOT TO

° You oughtn’t to wait till the afternoon.
° Politicians ought not to be dishonest.
° She ought not to be cruel to animals. I hate that.
 THANKS
HAVE A NICE DAY