MODAL

AUXILIARY
VERBS
 IMPORTANT
This is the structure to use with ALL
the modal verbs:

VERB
MODAL
verb SIMPLE C.
+/- FORM

MODAL VERB
verb C. ?
S. F.
+/-
BASIC 3
Modal verbs used for:

*ABILITY
*POSSIBILITY
*PERMISSION
CAN / CAN´T
PRESENT ABILITY
I can speak 4 languages.
I can´t ride a bike.

GENERAL POSSIBILITIES
It can be very cold in winter.
Dogs can be very dangerous.

ASKING & GIVING PERMISSION (INFORMAL)

Mom, can I go to the party?
Yes, you can go to the party.
COULD / COULDN´T
PAST ABILITY
When I was 5 years old, I could climb trees, but now I can´t.
I couldn´t go to the concert last weekend.

POLITE REQUESTS (FAVORS)

Could you close the door, please?
Could you turn off the TV?

POSSIBILITIES (SPECIFIC EVENTS)

That dog could be dangerous.
-Where´s John? -He could be in his office.

ASKING & GIVING PERMISSION (FORMAL)

Could I ask you a question?
MAY / MAY NOT
ASKING & GIVING PERMISSION (MORE FORMAL)
-Teacher, may I leave early?
-Yes, you may leave early.

POSSIBILITIES (SPECIFIC EVENTS)

It may rain in the afternoon, the sky is cloudy.
I may pass the exam if I study.
BASIC 4
Modal verbs used for:

*OBLIGATION
*NECESSITY
*PERMISSION
*ADVICE
 MUST / MUSTN´T
(personal) OBLIGATION / RULES
You must wear a seatbelt when you drive.

STRONG NECESSITY
Animals must drink water to survive.

STRONG RECOMMENDATION
You got a 5 in your previous exam, you must study for the
final exam.

*LOGICAL DEDUCTION
Mary won the lottery. She must be really happy.

MUSTN´T - PROHIBITION
You must not text while driving.
 HAVE TO / HAS TO
Don´t have to / doesn´t have to (there´s no obligation)
Semi-modal

SOMETHING THAT IS NECESSARY

She has to go to the restroom.
I finished my exams, I don´t have to study any more.
Do you have to read that book for your school?

(external) OBLIGATION
You have to do your homework.
My brother doesn´t have to do housework.
Does she have to wash the dishes?
PAST PRESENT FUTURE

BE ALLOWED TO
To express that something is PERMITTED / PERMISSION
I am 18 now, I am allowed to drink alcohol.
We are not allowed to smoke inside the hospital.
Is she allowed to enter there?
SHOULD / SHOULDN´T
GIVE & ASK FOR ADVICE / RECOMMENDATION.
You look terrible! You should go to the doctor.
You shouldn´t drink any more beer.

Express that something is a GOOD or a BAD IDEA.

You should take English classes!
You shouldn´t go outside during the quarantine.
Should I wear the blue or the red sweater?
 OUGHT TO /ot/
GIVE ADVICE
You ought to call your mother more often.
You ought not to drink so much. (possible, not common)
Should I call my exgirlfriend? (for questions, use “should”)

SHOULD vs OUGHT TO
Most of the times they have the same meaning, but SOMETIMES
there are some differences:
*Should is more common than Ought to that is more formal.
*Ought to is sometimes used for moral obligations.

Some books say:

*Should expresses a subjective opinion / Ought to expresses an
objective view.
*Should expresses a personal view of the speaker / Ought to
expresses the accepted view of society.
 NEEDN´T
Expresses something that is NOT NECESSARY.

You needn´t go shopping, there´s enough food in the house.

You needn´t take the dog for a walk, I did that in the morning.
She needn´t wash the car, it is clean.
BASIC 5
Modal verbs used to
express:

* Past NECESSITY
* Past OBLIGATION
* Past POSSIBILITY
* Past ABILITY
PAST PRESENT FUTURE

BE ALLOWED TO
To express that something was PERMITTED in the past /
PAST PERMISSION

I wasn´t allowed to drink when I was 15 years old.

When we were kids, we were allowed to play all day.
Was she allowed to go to that concert?
COULD / COULDN´T
PAST ABILITY
When I was 5 years old, I could climb trees, but now I can´t.
I couldn´t go to the concert last weekend.

POLITE REQUESTS (FAVORS)

Could you close the door, please?
Could you turn off the TV?

PAST POSSIBILITIES
A lot of crime could be prevented.

ASKING & GIVING PERMISSION (FORMAL)

Could I ask you a question?
HAD TO
PAST OBLIGATION / PAST NECESSITY
-Why didn´t you go to the party yesterday?
-I couldn´t go because I had to do my homework.
*Past of “must”

DIDN´T HAVE TO
DIDN´T NEED TO
Something that was NOT NECESSARY in the PAST.
You didn´t have to wear a tie, it was a casual party.
We didn´t need to go to the supermarket, we had plenty of food.