MODAL VERBS

Basic rules. Modal verbs…

1. …don’t change. They are the same for every person.
• I must, she can, we should, he should…

2. …are followed by a bare infinitive (infinitive without to)

• They can go, you must be, he should clean…

3. …don’t need an auxiliary verb for negative or interrogative.

• I can’t/cannot eat, you mustn’t stay, may he go?, she couldn’t leave…

Exceptions: semi-modals (have to, need to)

I don’t need to go / He needn’t go
She doesn’t have to listen
 ABILITY (saber/poder)
• COULD (past)
• When I was 3, I could read.

• CAN (present)
• They can speak Chinese.

• BE ABLE TO (past*, present, future)

• They were able to swim.
• I am able to read.
• We will be able to fly in the future.

• COMMON MISTAKE: I will not can go = I won’t be able to go.

 PERMISSIO
N
• CAN (more frequently used)
• Can I go to the toilet?

• COULD (formal)
• Could I open the window, please?

• MAY (++ formal)

• May I come in, please?
 ADVICE
• SHOULD (debería)
• She should stop smoking.
• She shouldn’t eat junk food.
• Should I exercise more?

• OUGHT TO (95% used in affirmative sentences)

• They ought to study more.
 PROBABILITY
• MUST (100% SURE - deduction) /POSSIBILITY
• Look at their luxurious house. They must be rich.

• MAY (60%)
• She knows how to do that exercise. She may help you.

• MIGHT (50%)
• The forecast is uncertain about the weather here. It might rain tomorrow.

• COULD (45%)
• I don’t know her. She could be her sister.

• CAN’T (IMPOSSIBLE - deduction)

• Look at their old car. They can’t be rich
 OBLIGATION/
NECESSITY
• MUST (deber) (present). Obligación + fuerte.
• You must pass this exam to go to university.
• We must hand in the application at 10 a.m.

• HAVE TO (tener que) (past, present, future) [semi-modal]. Obligación - fuerte.

• She has to get her hair cut.
• They will have to study hard if they want to pass.
• You had to be with your relatives in that difficult moment.

• NEED TO (necesitar) (past, present, future) [semi-modal]

• You need to have an updated passport if you want to visit Marocco.
 PROHIBITIO
N
• MUSTN’T (no debes. Está prohibido)
• You mustn’t smoke in hospitals.

• CAN’T (no puedes. Usado para permiso, esté permitido o no)

• You can’t enter that restaurant without a T-shirt.
 OFFER/
POLITE REQUEST
• WOULD
• Would you mind signing the contract, please? (¿Te importaría…?)

• COULD
• I could give you a hand with the Maths exam. (Te podría echar una mano…)

• MAY
• May I bring you a dessert? (¿Le puedo traer un postre?)
• DON’T HAVE TO (no tienes que)
LACK OF OBLIGATION
• Tomorrow is Sunday. I don’t have to go to school!

• DON’T NEED TO or NEEDN’T (no necesitas)

• You needn’t / don’t need to bring anything for the party.

NEED can be used as a regular verb (puede conjugarse):

• 1) You don't need to go to school on weekends
Or as a modal verb:
• 2) You needn't go* to school today

*Need/Needn’t (when MODAL) is always followed by a bare infinitive and most of the time used in negative (needn’t).

Difference: 1] is used for an ordinary or common

situation (like an external rule) and 2] is used for a
specific or particular situation.
 MUST vs. HAVE TO
MUST (from the speaker: opinion, feelings). HAVE TO (from “outside”).
Present Past, present, future.
• Objective obligation imposed by others;
• Necessity or requirement.
responsibility; regulation, order.
• Students must pass the exams in order to graduate.
• I have to go to work.
• He has to look after his children.
• Strong recommendation or order. • I have to pay a bill.
• You must eat more fruit (should) • I have to read this book.
• You must stay calm ( should)

• Notice:
• Objective personal obligation • I must stop smoking (I want to)
• I must go to bed on time. • I have to stop smoking (doctor’s orders)
• I must go to the gym this week. • Do you have to wear a uniform? (is there a
• I must stop smoking. regulation?)
• I have to go to church (my religions says so)
Let’s do some practice…
 MODAL PERFECTS
Although there are some simple modal verbs we use to talk in the past (had to,
could…) we have to use a modal perfect whenever we want to talk about the past (in
case we cannot use a simple one)

Modal + have + participle (3rd column)

SHOULDN’T HAVE + PARTICIPLE
• You shouldn’t have talked to the teacher like that.
• No deberías haberle hablado así a la profesora.

• CRÍTICA ANTE UN HECHO PASADO QUE NO DEBERÍA HABER

OCURRIDO
SHOULD / OUGHT TO HAVE +
PARTICIPLE
• You should have phoned me.
• (Deberías haberme llamado, pero no lo hiciste)

• CRÍTICA ANTE UN HECHO PASADO

MUST HAVE + PARTICIPLE
• She is very happy. She must have passed the exam
• ( Está muy feliz. Debe haber aprobado el examen)

• DEDUCCIÓN O CERTEZA DE QUE ALGO HA OCURRIDO.

MIGHT / MAY HAVE + PARTICIPLE
• Paul might have failed the exam.
• (Paul podría haber suspendido el examen. No estoy segura pero no lo veo muy contento)

• SUPOSICIÓN POR LO SUCEDIDO

COULD HAVE + PARTICIPLE
• You could have come to the party.
• (Podías haber venido a la fiesta, y no lo hiciste)

• HABILIDAD PARA HACER ALGO QUE NO SE HIZO

COULDN’T HAVE + PARTICIPLE
• She couldn’t have stolen the bike.
• (Ella no puede haber robado la bici)

• CERTEZA DE QUE ALGO NO PUDO HABER OCURRIDO.

NEEDN’T HAVE + PARTICIPLE
• You needn’t have made that cake.
• (No era necesario que hicieras el pastel, podría haberlo hecho yo)

• ACCIÓN PASADA INNECESARIA.

Some practice…
HAD BETTER
HAD BETTER / ‘D BETTER
• You had better phone me after the meeting.

SUBJECT + HAD BETTER (NOT) + INFINITIVE

• She’d better come back home now. = Debería volver / Es mejor que / Será mejor que / Más vale que ella
vuelva a casa ahora
• You’d better not eat that salad; it hasn’t been washed. = No deberías comerte / Será mejor que no te
comas esa ensalada, no está lavada.

• DAR CONSEJO O EXPRESAR ADVERTENCIA