MODAL VERBS

Can you run?

May I come in please?
You should wear mask in the market.
I have to go to school tomorrow,
because I have my test.
• Examples….
The verbs:
– CAN, I can sing.
– COULD – polite + (present + past,
– MAY - permission politely
– MIGHT- future possibilty -in future they
might bulid rocket on the space centre.
– MUST – you must drink plenty of water when
you’re sick.
– HAVE TO- obligation
– SHOULD – suggestion ,
.are called Modal verbs
 CHARACTERISTICS
ลักษณะเฉพาะ
• With modal verbs we don’t’ use
• –s / es, -ing -ed with action verbs

•He can cook.  •They should see the doctor.

He can cooks.  
They should seeing the
•We must study now  doctor . 
•We must studied now. 

.
 CHARACTERISTICS

• MODAL VERBS are used with the action verbs to express-

•Ability -
• Possibility -
•Certainity -
•Advice -
•Necessity -
•Prohibition -
 ABILITY
• PRESENT ABILITY – CAN

Peter CAN READ but his sister

Rose, CAN’T.
 ABILITY
• PAST ABILITY – COULD

Mrs. Turner COULD PLAY tennis before

she had the accident.
 POSSIBILITY
• MAY / MIGHT / COULD
“it is possible” / “perhaps”
Question -Why is the baby crying ?
-
Ans 1. He MAY be hungry!
Ans2. He MIGHT be hungry!
Ans3. He COULD be hungry!
 POSITIVE CERTAINTY
• MUST
• Meaning -yes
– I’m sure”

He MUST BE lost!

I know that you must be hungry

 NEGATIVE CERTAINTY
• CAN’T
• Meaning  “definitely not” / “I’m sure not”

He CAN’T BE at home!
 ADVICE
• POSITIVE ADVICE – SHOULD
• NEGATIVE ADVICE – SHOULDN’T
• Meaning  “I advise you to / not to”
(“t’aconsello que / que no)

You SHOULD BE more

careful!!
 OBLIGATION / NECESSITY
• There are 2 types of necessity / obligation:
– INTERNAL - The speaker decides that
something is necessary; some personal
circumstances make the obligation necessary.
– EXTERNAL - Somebody else other than the
speaker has made the decision; some external
circumstances make the obligation necessary
(laws, regulations, agreements and other
people’s orders).
 INTERNAL OBLIGATION /
NECESSITY
• MUST / HAVE TO
• Meaning  “it is necessary” / “I’m obliged to”

You MUST LISTEN to me

carefully!

You HAVE TO LISTEN to

me carefully!
 EXTERNAL OBLIGATION /
NECESSITY
• HAVE TO
• Meaning  “it is necessary” / “I’m obliged to”
I HAVE TO WEAR a
uniform every day at
work.
 OBLIGATION / DUTY
• 3rd Person Obligation – MUST
• It is mainly used in WRITTEN:
– Orders
– Rules
– Instructions
• Meaning  “it is obligatory to”
OBLIGATION
 LACK OF OBLIGATION / NECESSITY
• DON’T / DOESN’T HAVE TO
• (don’t/doesn’t need to & needn’t)
• Meaning  “it isn’t necessary to do something”

The farmer DOESN’T HAVE TO

BUY any vegetables (= It isn’t
necessary for the farmer to buy
any vegetables)
 PROHIBITION
• MUSTN’T
• Meaning  “it is forbidden to do something” /
“you are not allowed to do something” /”it is
against the rules” /”you can’t do something”
•

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