Maroš Struhár

will and would

shall and should

may and might

can and could

must and have to

ought to and had better

Can is one of the most commonly used modal verbs in English. It can be used to express ability or opportunity, to request or offer permission, and to show possibility or impossibility.

Examples:I can ride a horse. ability We can stay with my brother when we are in

Paris. opportunity She cannot stay out after 10 PM. permissionCan you hand me the stapler? request Any child can grow up to be president. possibility

Could is used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests . Could is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of can.

Examples:Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city.

possibilityNancy could ski like a pro by the age of 11. past

abilityYou could see a movie or go out to dinner. suggestionCould I use your computer to email my boss? requestWe could go on the trip if I didn't have to work this

weekend. conditional

Will is used with promises or voluntary actions that take place in the future. Will can also be used to make predictions about the future. For more information on using will and associated exercises, visit the Simple Future section of our Verb Tense Tutorial.

Examples:I promise that I will write you every single day.

promiseI will make dinner tonight. voluntary actionHe thinks it will rain tomorrow. prediction

Would is most commonly used to create conditional verb forms. It also serves as the past form of the modal verb will. Additionally, would can indicate repetition in the past. For more information on the grammar behind the modal verb would, visit the following tutorials: Conditional Tutorial, Future in the Past, and Would Always.

Examples:If he were an actor, he would be in adventure

movies. conditionalI knew that she would be very successful in her

career. past of "will" When they first met, they would always have picnics

on the beach. repetition

Must is most commonly used to express certainty. It can also be used to express necessity or strong recommendation, although native speakers prefer the more flexible form have to. Must not can be used to prohibit actions, but this sounds very severe; speakers prefer to use softer modal verbs such as should not or ought not to dissuade rather than prohibit.

Examples:This must be the right address! certaintyStudents must pass an entrance examination to study

at this school. necessityYou must take some medicine for that cough. strong

recommendation Jenny, you must not play in the street! prohibition

Have to is used to express certainty, necessity, and obligation.

Examples:This answer has to be correct. certaintyThe soup has to be stirred continuously to

prevent burning. necessity They have to leave early. obligation

May is most commonly used to express possibility. It can also be used to give or request permission, although this usage is becoming less common.

Examples:Cheryl may be at home, or perhaps at work.

possibilityJohnny, you may leave the table when you have

finished your dinner. give permissionMay I use your bathroom? request permission

"Might" is most commonly used to express possibility. It is also often used in conditional sentences. English speakers can also use "might" to make suggestions or requests, although this is less common in American English.

Examples:Your purse might be in the living room. possibilityIf I didn't have to work, I might go with you. conditionalYou might visit the botanical gardens during your visit.

suggestionMight I borrow your pen? request

Shall is used to indicate future action. It is most commonly used in sentences with I or we, and is often found in suggestions, such as Shall we go?

Shall is also frequently used in promises or voluntary actions. In formal English, the use of "shall" to describe future events often expresses inevitability or predestination. Shall is much more commonly heard in British English than in American English; Americans prefer to use other forms, although they do sometimes use shall in suggestions or formalized language.

Examples: Shall I help you? suggestion I shall never forget where I came from. promise He shall become our next king. predestination I'm afraid Mr. Smith shall become our new director.

inevitability

Should is most commonly used to make recommendations or give advice. It can also be used to express obligation as well as expectation.

Examples:When you go to Berlin, you should visit the

palaces in Potsdam. recommendationYou should focus more on your family and less on

work. adviceI really should be in the office by 7:00 AM.

obligationBy now, they should already be in Dubai.

Expectation

Ought to is used to advise or make recommendations. Ought to also expresses assumption or expectation as well as strong probability, often with the idea that something is deserved. Ought not (without "to") is used to advise against doing something, although Americans prefer the less formal forms should not or had better not.

Examples:You ought to stop smoking. recommendation Jim ought to get the promotion. It is expected because

he deserves it. This stock ought to increase in value. probabilityMark ought not drink so much. advice against

something (notice there is no "to")

Had better is most commonly used to make recommendations. It can also be used to express desperate hope as well as warn people.

Examples:You had better take your umbrella with you

today. recommendationThat bus had better get here soon! desperate

hope You had better watch the way you talk to me in

the future! warning

Use one of the modal verbs in brackets to fill each gap.

1 They (can/might) ________________ be away for the weekend but I'm not sure.

2 You (may/might)________________ leave now if you wish. 3 (Could/May)________________ you open the window a bit,

please? 4 He (can/could)________________ be from Sheffield, judging

by his accent. 5 (May/Can)________________ you swim? 6 Listen, please. You (may not/might not)________________

speak during this exam. 7 They (can't/may not)________________ still be out! 8 You (couldn't/might not)________________ smoke on the bus. 9 With luck, tomorrow (can/could)________________ be a

cooler day

1 Yesterday I .... finish my Geography project.2 She will .... wait in line like everyone else.3 All employees.... on time for work. 4 We.... forget to take the chicken out of the freezer.5 If you are under 13 you.... to get your parents'

permission. 6 Your daughter may.... try on a few different sizes. 7 The doctor .... get here as soon as he can. 8 Do you.... work next weekend? 9 Bicyclists.... remember to signal when they turn. 10 Angela, you.... leave your clothes all over the floor like

1 might 6 may2 may 7 can't3 Could 8 couldn't4 could. 9 could5 Can

1 Roma 6 Vienna 2 Skopje 7 Athens3 Madrid 8 Paris4 Riga 9 Bucharest

5 Lisabon 10 Helsinki

1 had to2 have to3 must be4 mustn´t5 have 6 have to7 must8 have to9 must10 mustn´t