MODAL VERBS

Can, could, shall, should,

Will, would, may, might,
must
 What are
modal
verbs?
A modal verb is a type of verb
that indicates likelihood,
ability, requests, suggestions,
or any other modality.
Modals may express
permission, ability,
prediction, possibility, or
necessity.
 Can /Can’t
for ability and possibility

 We use can to show that  Some turtles can live for

hundreds of years.
something is possible.
 We also use can to show
 He can run 10km in one hour.
that we know how to do
something.
 We use can’t to show that
 Pigs can’t (cannot) fly.
something is not possible,
or that we don’t know how to do
it.
Using “can” with other verbs
Subject Can / can’t Verb
I play
You read
He paint
She can work
It can’t (cannot) cook
We run
They play
 Questions with “can”
Can Subject Verb Complement

I play tennis?
you read Spanish?
he paint portraits?
Can she work tomorrow?
It play music?
we cook pizza?
they tonight?
 Using “can” for permission

We use “can” to give permission, or to show that we have

permission to do something. “Can” for permission is very
common in spoken English.

 Can you come to the basketball match on Sunday?”

 I can’t come this weekend. My parents said I have to

study for the exam.
 Three ways to use “can”
Possibility Ability Permission

 Humans can fly  Lucas can play  Sorry, but you

to the moon. the drums very can’t go to the
 It can be difficult well. museum on
to drive when it  I can’t reach Sunday. We are
is raining. that book! I’m going to visit
too short. your
grandmother.
Possibility, ability or permission?
Look at the examples and decide!

 Ask your mom if you can come to the concert with

us.
 You can visit the hospital between 4pm and 7pm
only.
 I can’t finish my homework tonight because I am
going to tennis training.
 Could
Possibility or past ability, suggestions, requests, conditional.

 Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the

city. (possibility)

 Nancy could ski like a pro by the age of 11. (past ability)

 You could see a movie or go out to dinner. (suggestion)

 Could I use your computer to email my boss? (request)

 Possibility Suggestion Ability Requests

Present/past/future Past/ future Past Present

  Danny could be  We could have  I could play the • Could I have a

the team leader gone to a different guitar when I was a coffee?
/Danny couldn't restaurant. child. • Couldn't you
be the team leader  We could go to a  I couldn’t play the explain this just
 Danny could have different restaurant guitar when I was a one more time?
been team leader / next time. child.
Danny couldn't
have been team
leader
 Danny could be the
next team leader /
Danny couldn't be
the next team
leader
 Shall
Make offers , make suggestions, make a promise, describe the
future very formally.

Examples:

• Shall we help you with your bags? (offer)

• Shall we go to the park later? (suggestion)

• I shall never forget the help you gave me. (promise)

• Mr. Lopez shall begin his talk at 2:30pm. (future event)

We form sentences with ‘shall’ in the
same way as we do with ‘will’.
Singular Plural
I shall help We shall help

You shall help You shall help

He/she/it shall help They shall help

 The negative form is created by adding ‘not’
Singular Plural

I shall not help. We shall not help.

(I shan’t help) (we shan’t help)
You shall not help. You shall not help.
(you shan’t help) (you shan’t help)
He/she/it shall not help. They shall not help.
(he, she, it shan’t help) (they shan’t help)

The contraction form ‘shan’t’ is

something we generally use in
spoken English but rarely in its
written form.
Make the question by inverting the subject and ‘shall’
we only normally use ‘shall’ in questions with I and we

Singular Plural
Shall I help? Shall we help?

Shall you help? Shall you help?

Shall he/she/it help? Shall they help?

 Should
To give advice, make recommendations or a suggestions, duty or
responsibility.

 You should try the new Vietnamese restaurant!

 We should leave now so we don’t miss the bus.

 The city should fix these potholes!

 I should be working right now.

 You should be wearing your seatbelt.

The negative form (should not)
subject + shouldn’t + verb + complement

 You shouldn’t eat too much sugar.

 The test shouldn’t take longer than an hour.

 We shouldn't leave without saying goodbye.

 You shouldn't talk like that to your grandmother.

 You shouldn’t wash white clothes with brightly colored

clothes.
 Asking a question
Should+ subject+ verb+ complement

 Should we bring anything to the party?

 Should I sign up for a gym membership?

 When should I submit my assignment?

 Where should we go for our next vacation?