modal verbs-
TRANSCRIPT
MODALMODAL VERBSVERBS
Can/ Be able to / Can’tCan/ Be able to / Can’t
CANCAN Different uses: Different uses:
Abilities or capacities (to know or to Abilities or capacities (to know or to be able to). be able to).
Mary can swim very fast.Mary can swim very fast. Request, ask or give permissionRequest, ask or give permission
Can you call me tonight?Can you call me tonight? Can I go to the toilet?Can I go to the toilet?
It can also be used for suggestions. It can also be used for suggestions. You can eat ravioli if you like pasta. You can eat ravioli if you like pasta.
Be able toBe able to It expresses abilities like It expresses abilities like cancan and it is used and it is used
in all the verbal tenses where in all the verbal tenses where cancan is not is not
used.used. I was able to finish my homework on timeI was able to finish my homework on time
Can’tCan’t Different uses: Different uses:
Impossibility in the presentImpossibility in the present Mary can’t swim very fastMary can’t swim very fast
Lack of ability (not to know) or capacity (not to Lack of ability (not to know) or capacity (not to be able to):be able to):
I can’t eat a whole cake by myselfI can’t eat a whole cake by myself ProhibitionProhibition
You can’t drive without a licenceYou can’t drive without a licence Disbelief / ImpossibilityDisbelief / Impossibility
That can’t be the price – it’s much too cheap.That can’t be the price – it’s much too cheap.
CouldCould
It is the past of It is the past of cancan and it is used to and it is used to express: express: Ability or capacity in the pastAbility or capacity in the past
She could run fast when she was a childShe could run fast when she was a child
Polite requestPolite request Could you help me with these suitcases?Could you help me with these suitcases?
Polite suggestionPolite suggestion You could exercise and eat healthier foodYou could exercise and eat healthier food
Possibility – ProbabilityPossibility – Probability Mark could join us the cinema. Mark could join us the cinema.
May/ mightMay/ might
Both of them express possibility, Both of them express possibility, but but mightmight is more remote. is more remote. It may/ might rain tomorrowIt may/ might rain tomorrow
In questions, may is the polite In questions, may is the polite way of asking for things. way of asking for things. May I have a coffee, please?May I have a coffee, please?
Permission:Permission: You may leave now.You may leave now.
WouldWould
In questions, it is a formal way In questions, it is a formal way of asking for things. of asking for things. Would you open the window, Would you open the window,
please?please? With the verb “like” is used to With the verb “like” is used to
make offers and invitations. make offers and invitations. Would you like something to Would you like something to
drink?drink?
Must / Have toMust / Have to
Both express obligation, but Both express obligation, but mustmust is is only used in the present and only used in the present and have tohave to in the other tenses. Authority people in the other tenses. Authority people use use mustmust, while , while have tohave to is used by is used by everybody. everybody. You must bring your books to classYou must bring your books to class I have to buy the tickets today. I have to buy the tickets today.
Must is also used to express a Must is also used to express a logical deduction about present fact. logical deduction about present fact. She’s got a great job. She must be very She’s got a great job. She must be very
happy. happy.
Need to / Needn’t Need to / Needn’t
Need to is not a modal, but it is used Need to is not a modal, but it is used in affirmative sentences, like in affirmative sentences, like have tohave to, , to express obligation and necessity. to express obligation and necessity. I need to cook dinner tonight. I need to cook dinner tonight.
Needn’t, on the contrary, is a modal Needn’t, on the contrary, is a modal and indicates lack of oblication and and indicates lack of oblication and necessity, like necessity, like don’t have todon’t have to You needn’t bring anything to the party.You needn’t bring anything to the party.
Musn’t / Don’t have toMusn’t / Don’t have to
Mustn’tMustn’t shows prohibition. shows prohibition. You musn’t exceed the speed limitYou musn’t exceed the speed limit
Don’t have toDon’t have to means means not have not have toto, i.e., lack of obligation and , i.e., lack of obligation and necessity, like necessity, like needn’tneedn’t I don’t have to get up early I don’t have to get up early
tomorrowtomorrow
Should /Ought toShould /Ought to
Both of them express advise or Both of them express advise or opinion, but opinion, but shouldshould is used more is used more frequently, since frequently, since ought toought to is is quite strange in negative and quite strange in negative and interrogative. interrogative. You should/ought to improve your You should/ought to improve your
pronunciationpronunciation
ShallShall
It is used in the interrogative to It is used in the interrogative to offer oneself to do something offer oneself to do something and to make a suggestion. and to make a suggestion. Shall I help you with your Shall I help you with your
luggage?luggage?
ABILITYABILITY REQUESTREQUEST POSSIBILITYPOSSIBILITY INABILITYINABILITY
CAN Mary can swim very fast Can you call me tonight?
BE ABLE TOI was able to finish my homework on time
CAN'T I can't eat a whole cake by myself
COULDShe could run fast when she was a child (past)
Could you help me with the suitcases? (polite)
Mark could join us at the cinema
MAY/MIGHT It may/might rain tomorrow
MAY May I join this team? (polite)
WOULD Would you open the window, please? (formal)
MUST
HAVE TO
NEED TO
NEEDN'T
DON'T HAVE TO
MUSTN'T
SHOULD /OUGHT TO
SHALL
CAN
BE ABLE TO
CAN'T
COULD
MAY/MIGHT
MAY
WOULD
MUST
HAVE TO
NEED TO
NEEDN'T
DON'T HAVE TO
MUSTN'T
SHOULD /OUGHT TO
SHALL
PROHIBITIONPROHIBITION DISBELIEFDISBELIEF SUGGESTION/ SUGGESTION/ OFFEROFFER
OBLIGATION/ OBLIGATION/ NECESSITYNECESSITY
You can't drive without a licence
That can't be the price - it's much too cheap
You could exercise and eat healthier food (plite)
Would you like something to drink?
You must bring your books to class (strong)
I have to buy the tickets today
I need to cook dinner tonight.
You mustn't exceed the speed limit
Shall I help you with your luggage?
CERTAINTY OF CERTAINTY OF TRUETRUE
LACK OBLIGATION/ LACK OBLIGATION/ NECESSITYNECESSITY
ADVICE/ OPINIONADVICE/ OPINION
She's got a great job. She must be very happy.
You needn't bring anything to the party
I don't have to get up early tomorrow
You should/ ought to improve your pronunciation
CAN
BE ABLE TO
CAN'T
COULD
MAY/MIGHT
MAY
WOULD
MUST
HAVE TO
NEED TO
NEEDN'T
DON'T HAVE TO
MUSTN'T
SHOULD /OUGHT TO
SHALL
MODAL PERFECTSMODAL PERFECTS
Must have + participleMust have + participle It expresses a logical conclusion It expresses a logical conclusion
about a past fact. about a past fact. Rob has arrived late. He must have Rob has arrived late. He must have
been in a traffic jam. been in a traffic jam.
May/might have + participleMay/might have + participle We use it to make a supposition We use it to make a supposition
about something in the past. about something in the past. She may/might have taken the wrong She may/might have taken the wrong
bus. bus.
Could have + participleCould have + participle Ability to do something in the past Ability to do something in the past
which in the end was not donewhich in the end was not done You could have asked the doctor You could have asked the doctor
before taking the medicine. before taking the medicine.
Couldn’t / Can’t have + participleCouldn’t / Can’t have + participle Certainty that something did not Certainty that something did not
happenhappen He couldn’t have gone to the concert He couldn’t have gone to the concert
because he was doing the test. because he was doing the test.
Would have + participleWould have + participle Desire to do something in the past which Desire to do something in the past which
in fact could not be done. in fact could not be done. I would have gone to the party, but I was too I would have gone to the party, but I was too
busy. busy.
Should/ought to + participleShould/ought to + participle Criticism or regret after an eventCriticism or regret after an event
You should/ought to have warned me earlierYou should/ought to have warned me earlier
Shouldn’t have + participleShouldn’t have + participle Criticism or regret after an event, Criticism or regret after an event,
showing that it shouldn’t have happenedshowing that it shouldn’t have happened He shouldn’t have forgotten about her He shouldn’t have forgotten about her
birthdaybirthday
Needn’t have + participleNeedn’t have + participle An unnecessary past actionAn unnecessary past action
You needn’t have brought anything to You needn’t have brought anything to my party. my party.
Should /Had betterShould /Had better
Should/ had betterShould/ had better Had better is used in a more Had better is used in a more
colloquial way of expressing what colloquial way of expressing what someone has to do, to give advise someone has to do, to give advise or opinions. or opinions. You’d better go to the doctor. You’d better go to the doctor.
It also it is used to express a It also it is used to express a warningwarning You’d better tidy your room nowYou’d better tidy your room now