AITOR SÁNCHEZ ABELLÁNDAVID SÁNCHEZ GONZÁLEZ

Revised, Corrected, and completed by Nur Garriga

Modal Verbs

Introduction

They are auxiliaries.They add new meaning to the sentences.They accompany the main verb.They also accompany other auxiliaries (have) PLUS the main

verb in perfect and/or continuous forms).They are used before infinitives (to)

CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, WILL, WOULD, SHALL (most common in BE), SHOULD, OUGTH TO, MUST, CANNOT (CAN’T), MUST NOT (MUSTN’T)

Other verbs used as MODALS: NEED and DARE, HAD BETTER (NOT)

Semi modals: HAVE TO / HAS TO / (NEED TO)NEGATIVE FORMS: Modal Verb + NOT

WILL & SHALL as a MODAL AUXILIARY

WILL to talk about the future and/or polite requests. Will she come round tomorrow? Yes, she will. Will you do me a favour, please? No, I won’t.

SHALL (I / WE) to make suggestions or to offer something. Shall we go for a walk and discuss it? Certainly. Shall I answer the phone for you? Yes, please.

Note: In Legal English SHALL is used for all the persons and it is used as obligation. The client shall cover expenditure on film prints, advertising

and general distribution costs.

WOULD

It is a modal auxiliary. Used to make verbs conditional. I would like to talk to you seriously. (I’d like to talk to…)

Would acts as a past of will in Reported Speech. The forecaster said it would be rainy at the weekend.

Polite requests and offers. Would you open the door, please? Good morning Mr. Barns, here is my office if you would come this way?

Second Conditional. Hypothetical sentences. Would you marry me if we bought the house together?

Repeated Actions and Events in the past. When I was 5, I would watch Little House on Sundays.

DARE as a MODAL AUXILIARY

DARE as a modal auxiliary

Daren’t to express that someone is afraid of something at the moment of speaking. She daren’t look at me!

Indignant or resentful exclamation How dare you touch my daughter!

Equivalent to I suppose / I believe. I dare say he’ll come back sooner than we expect him to. I daresay you are ready for the driver’s license test!

MODALS of ABILITY

We use the modal verb can to talk about ability in the

present.

I can play the piano. He can drive! She can speak Dutch.

We use the modal verb could to talk about ability in the

past.

When I was 5, I could ride a bike.

As can and could cannot be used to talk ability in all

tenses, we use be able to (which is not a modal verb) in

other tenses.

Tomorrow I will be 18 at last! I will be able to have

access to the driver’s test and get my the driver’s

licence. (Context: in Spain).

MODALS of PERMISSION

We use the modal verb can to talk about permission or ask for things at

present. -Can I go outside, please? - Can you pass me the salt, please?

As can cannot be used in all tenses, we use be allowed to or be permitted

to (which is not a modal verb) to talk about permission in other tenses.

I am allowed to go to the cinema tonight.

We can also use could and may to talk about general permission in the

past. However, we cannot use could or may to talk about permission for a

particular action in the past. Instead, we use the correct form of be allowed

to.

When I was 10, I could play computer games when I wanted to. (general

permission)

Yesterday night, I was allowed to go to the disco. (permission for a

particular action in the past).

MODALS of POSSIBILITY

We use may, might, and could to talk about present

or future possibility. I might study architecture. (weak probability) I may pass math’s exam. He could go to handball match. (weak probability)

o The most common modal verb of possibility is might.

o We can substitute may, might and could for maybe,

perhaps or probably (which aren’t modal verbs)

MODALS of ADVICE

We use ought to and should to give advice and make

recommendations.

You should/ ought to study more for the next exam.

Ought to is less common in speech.

We use had better + infinitive to give advice or express an

intention. It has a similar meaning to ought to and should.

You had better call her.

We can also use had better (not) in threats.

You had better not be late, or I will be furious!

MODALS of NECESSITY

The verb need (without to) is only used in negative and interrogative sentences. Also, we can use don’t have to / doesn’t have to / didn’t have to (past) for the same purpose.

In the affirmative, we use need to to express

necessity. You needn’t do the exercises, they are not obligatory.

You need to do the exercises, they are obligatory.

MODALS of OBLIGATION

We use must or have to (the latter is a semi modal) to talk about obligation.

I must do my homework every day if I want to pass

this course and go to university.

Everyone has to wear uniform at state schools in UK.

Must is for personal obligations.

Have to is for general obligations

The past of Must and the past of Have to/Has to is HAD.

MODAL of PROHIBITION

MUSTN’T OR MUST NOT to express we are not allowed to do or to say something.

Smoking is not allowed at university.

You mustn’t smoke at university.

MODALS of CERTAINTY

We use can’t when we believe or guess that something is impossible.

I can’t + (infinitive) act out the dialogue, because I

haven’t studied anything.

We use must when we make logical deductions that are possible.

- She must + (infinitive) be at home by now, it’s 10

pm.

MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES PAST SITUATIONS

Can’t + have + past participle

We use can’t have + past participle to express an impossibility in the past.

 I can’t have made a good impression because he hasn’t phoned me yet.

Could + have + past participle

We use could have + past participle to suggest an alternative past action,

even though it is now too late.

You could have told me that your mum was in hospital! I’m so glad she’s well

now though!

Could / may / might + have + past participle

We use might, may or could have + past participle to talk about something

that was possible in the past.

He might/ may/ could have phoned, but we don’t know because we were in

the garden.

Must + have + past participle

We use must have + past participle to express a certainty or to make a logical

deduction about the past.

She must have known that I badly fancied him – it was so obvious!

Should / Ought to + have + past participle

We use should have + past participle to give an opinion about past events,

even though it is now too late.

I was anxious – he should have called me.

Shouldn’t + have + past participle

We use shouldn’t have + past participle to express regret or criticism about

past events.

You shouldn’t have lied to me! From now on, I won’t trust you anymore.

Needn’t + have + past participle

Lack of necessity or obligation.

- I needn’t have made so many pancakes, nobody is hungry now.

MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES

PAST SITUATIONS

THE END