ENGLISH MODAL AUXILIARIES

MODAL AUXILIARIES

What are Modals?

Modal auxiliaries are helping verbs which are used to indicate modality (likelihood, ability, permission,
certainty and obligation). They give information about the tense and function of the main verb in the
sentence. They exist only in relation to the main verbs, without which, they make little sense in the
sentence.

Can
Dare Could

Need May

Used Might
Modals

Ought Shall

Must Should

Would Will
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Characteristics of Modals

How are Modals Used?

In affirmative sentences, the modal auxiliary is placed between the subject and the main verb.

Modal
Subject Aux. Verb

They must call the authorities.

The students ought to bring their own materials.

In negative sentences, the modal auxiliary is placed between the subject and the negative adverb.

Subject Modal Negative Verb

Aux. Adverb

You should not procrastinate.

It may not rain today.

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Rules of Modals

▪ They do not agree in number with the subject except for the modals ‘need’ and ‘dare’.
She needs to go. She can go.
They need to go. They can go.

▪ With the exception of ‘ought’, ‘need’ and ‘dare’, the modal auxiliaries are followed by infinitive
forms of verbs without the preposition ‘to’.
She needs to listen. Do you dare to dream?
I can help. Rishab ought to study.

The modal auxiliary ‘ought’ + ‘to’ is used to duty, necessity, fitness, and moral
obligation.
The modal auxiliary ‘need’ + ‘to’ is used to show requirement.
The verb ‘dare’ when followed by ‘to’ becomes a modal auxiliary and is used to
show a challenge.

▪ They have no non-finite forms (‘-en’, ‘-ed’ or ‘-ing’ forms).

▪ All tense forms are not represented by the modal auxiliary.

Types of Modals
There are three types of modal auxiliaries:
▪ Single concept modals – having just one meaning
▪ Double concept modals – having two meanings
▪ Past modals – modals in the past tense

Single Concept Modals Double Concept Modals Past Modals

Will May Would have

Might Must Could have

Should Would Might have

Ought to Shall Should have

Had better Can May have

Could Must have

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Single Concept Modals

Modal Meaning Usage

Will Future I will buy a new car.

Diminished possibility (more unlikely

Might It might rain today.
than likely)

Should Advice, Suggestion Ranjit should practise daily.

Ought to Obligation You ought to help in times of need.

He had better leave if he wants to catch

Had better Advice, warning
the 5 pm bus.

Double Concept Modals

Modal Meaning Usage

May Permission May I borrow your car?

Increased possibility (more likely than

It may rain today.
unlikely)

Must Compulsion You must complete the work.

Mahesh is absent today. He must be

Assumption
sick.
Mother would send her children to
Would Past habit (used to)
school.

Future possibility They would visit us some day.

▪ Similar to ‘will’
Shall I shall call you tonight.
▪ Used with first person pronouns

Polite expression Shall I help you?

Shall I take leave?

Modal Meaning Usage

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Could Past ability Tushar could eat 10 rotis at a time.

Present probability (unsure) It could move if we all pushed hard.

Gavin can help you with

Can Present ability
your homework.

Permission Can I try one of these?

Past Modals

▪ These modals help to refer to actions which took place in the past.
▪ The structure of such sentences is as follows:

Modal + Have + Past Participle

You should have asked for help.

They ought to have informed us.

Modal Meaning Usage

Must have Assumption He must have forgotten about us.

May/might have Guessing/speculating Raj may have bought these oranges.

Possibility (likely not to have been

Could have Yash could have apprised us of the matter.
fulfilled)

Would have Possibility The guests would have left.

Should have/ Hypothetical situation which may

He ought to have helped you.
ought to have have been ideal