MODAL VERBS

CERTAINTY? PROBABILITY?
POSSIBILITY? NECESSITY?
PERMISSION? ABILITY?

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 CERTAINTY
• MAY-MIGHT-COULD
– sth. is possible and it is quite likely to happen
(or NOT)
– present or future meaning
• You could win a million pounds!
• It might/may be a bomb (perhaps)
– MIGHT (strongly stressed in speech, the
probability is reduced..)

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 CERTAINTY
• MUST-CAN´T
– sth. is certainly true or logical (must)
• She isn´t answering the phone. She must be out.
– sth . is logically impossible (can´t)
• We haven´t walked far. You can´t be tired yet.

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 CERTAINTY
• SHOULD-OUGHT TO
– sth. will happen - we expect that
• He should/ought to be here soon
• It’s half past six. I should be cooking the meal.

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 ABILITY
• CAN- COULD- BE ABLE TO
– someone has an ability
• Natasha can play the piano
– in some structures we ALWAYS use BE ABLE
TO
• to-infinitive: It’s nice to be able to go to the opera
• after a modal:She might be able to help us
• present prefect:It’s been quiet today. I’ve been able to
get some work done.

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 ABILITY
• COULD / WAS/WERE ABLE TO
– Ability or opportunity in the PAST
• Natasha could/was able to play the piano when she was four
– in negative sentences or questions, we can use either
form
• It was foggy. The plane wasn´t able to/couldn´t take off.
– THAT ability or opportunity resulted in a PARTICULAR situation =
WAS/WERE ABLE TO
• The drivers were able to stop before they crashed into
each other.

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 ABILITY
• COULD
– normally used with verbs of seeing and
thinking

– We could see the village in the distance.

– I couldn´t understand what was happening.

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 PERMISSION
• CAN-MAY-COULD-

– used to ASK for permission

• Can I use your pen?
• Could we borrow your ladder,please?
• May I see the letter?

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 PERMISSION
• CAN/MAY
– used to GIVE permisssion (not COULD)
COULD
– MAY is formal and is not often used in speech

• You CAN wait in my office if you like

• You MAY telephone from here (a written notice)

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 PERMISSION
• CAN’T/MAY NOT
– used to REFUSE permisssion (not
COULDN’T)
COULDN’T
– MUST NOT can also be used in this sense

• Could we picnic here? I’m afraid you can´t

• Luggage must not be left unattended

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 PERMISSION
• RULES
– used to TALK about rules made by someone
else
– CAN talks about the present
– COULD talks about the past

• Each passenger can take one bag on to the plane.

• In the 1920s you could drive without taking a test.

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 PERMISSION
• Be allowed to
– for a general permission in the past, we use
either COULD or WAS/WERE allowed to
– to say the permission resulted in a particular
past action that really happened - WAS/WERE
allowed to
• I was allowed to leave work yesterday.
• I could always /was allowed to stay up late asa child

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 NECESSITY/OBLIGATION
• MUST • HAVE TO
– THE SPEAKER feels – THE SITUATION makes
that something is something necessary
necessary – I have to exercise (The
– You must exercise doctor told me)
(I’m telling you) – We have to be quiet
– We must be quiet (I’m (That’s the rule)
telling you )

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 NECESSITY/OBLIGATION
• MUST • HAVE TO
– when we use the PAST or the
FUTURE
X • Ema had to go to the dentist
yesterday.
– In other structures such as INF-,
after a MODAL & Present
Perfect
• Ema has a toothache. She might
have to go to the dentist.

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 NECESSITY/OBLIGATION
• MUSTN’T • DON’T HAVE TO
– sth. is prohibited – sth. is not necessary

• You mustn´t leave now • You don’t have to leave now

(against the rules) (You have a choice)

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 NECESSITY
DIDN’T NEED TO
• sth. was not necessary
– Mark didn´t need to hurry.
He had lots of time. He
drove slowly.
NEEDN’T HAVE (past
participle)
• sth. we did which we
know was not
necessary
– Mark needn’t have hurried. After
driving at top speed, he arrived
half an hour early .

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