ENGLISH II

use of modals
Teacher: Correa Silva, Edward Gerardo
 Members
Echegaray Vera, Angela

Huerta Trujillo, Fiorela

Comun Villanueva, Diego

Paredes Alfaro, Giordano

Rodriguez Arratea, Cristhian
Definicion
Modal verbs, or modal verbs, are those verbs in English
that help a sentence have a better meaning thanks to
their function. You can use them when you want to
give another meaning to a sentence. For example, if
you want to ask permission to speak or to find out if
they could come pick you up. So, these verbs that
serve as auxiliary verbs seek to give a specific meaning
to certain actions. Now, what are they and how to use
them?
 CAN:
The modal verb 'can' is used to express ability and to express permission (possibility). It is usually

translated as 'power', although in some cases it is translated as 'know'. (El verbo modal 'can' se

usa para expresar habilidad y permiso (posibilidad). Suele traducirse como 'poder',

aunque en algunos casos se traduce como 'saber')

AFFIRMATIVE: To form the affirmative we use the modal verb followed by another verb without

the preposition 'to'.(Para formar la afirmativa utilizamos el verbo modal seguido de otro

verbo sin la preposición 'to')

Sujeto + can + verbo principal + resto de frase

EXAMPLE:

I can swim. ( Yo sé nadar)

You can take a biscuit. (Puedes coger una galleta).

NEGATIVE: To negate a modal verb we do not need any auxiliary. To do this we add the negation

particle 'not'. (Para negar un verbo modal no necesitamos ningún auxiliar. Para ello

añadimos la partícula de negación 'not')

sujeto + can't + verbo principal + resto de frase

EXAMPLE:

You can't go to the cinema. (No puedes ir al cine)

INTERROGATIVE: To ask with a modal verb we invert the modal verb with the subject. (Para

preguntar con un verbo modal invertimos el verbo modal con el sujeto).

can + sujeto + verbo principal + resto de frase...?

EXAMPLE:

Can you come here? (¿Puedes venir aquí?)

 COULD:
The modal verb 'could' is used to express ability in the past tense and to express politeness. It is usually

translated as 'could', although in some cases it is translated as 'knew'. (El verbo modal 'could' se utiliza para

expresar capacidad en tiempo pasado y para expresar cortesía. Suele traducirse como 'podría',

aunque en algunos casos se traduce como 'sabía'.

Modal verbs are the same for all people and are always followed by an infinitive (without 'to'). Furthermore, they

do not need an auxiliary to form the negative and the interrogative. Los verbos modales son iguales para

todas las personas y siempre van seguidos de un infinitivo (sin 'to'). Además, no necesitan auxiliar

para formar la negativa y la interrogativa.

EXAMPLE: I could talk louder. (Yo podía hablar más alto).

I couldn’t talk louder. (Yo no podía hablar más alto).

Could you talk louder? (¿Podrías hablar más alto?)

 Will
"Will" is a modal used to express the future.
Unlike other modals such as "can" or "must,"
which have multiple uses, "will" is primarily used
to talk about actions or events that will occur in
the future

Main uses:
Predicciones Peticiones
It will rain tomorrow. Will you help me with my homework later?
(Lloverá mañana.) (¿Me ayudarás con mis deberes más tarde?)

Promesas Condiciones futuras

I will help you with your homework. If it rains, I will stay at home.
Te ayudaré con tus deberes.) (Si llueve, me quedaré en casa.)
 Would
"Would" is a versatile modal that adds nuances
of conditionality, courtesy, and desires to
expressions; its meaning may vary depending
on the specific context in which it is used.

Main uses:
Condiciones hipotéticas Peticiones de manera cortes
If I were you, I would take the job. Would you please pass me the salt?
(Si fuera tú, aceptaría el trabajo.) (¿Podrías pasarme la sal, por favor?)

Hábitos en el pasado Expresiones de deseo

When I was a child, I would spend hours I would rather stay home tonight.
reading books. (Preferiría quedarme en casa esta noche.)
(Cuando era niño, pasaba horas leyendo
libros.)
 Structure
Affirmative:
I will travel to Europe next summer.
Modal
Viajaré a Europa el próximo verano. Subject Verb Complement
Verb
I would love to join you for dinner.
Me encantaría acompañarte a cenar.

Negative:
I will not attend the party tonight.
Modal Verb
No asistiré a la fiesta esta noche. Subject Verb Complement
Negative
She said she would not attend the meeting.
Ella dijo que no asistiría a la reunión.

Interrogative:
Will you come to the meeting tomorrow? Modal
Subject Verb Complement
¿Vendrás a la reunión mañana? Verb
Would you like another cup of tea?
¿Te gustaría otra taza de té?
 May and Might:
These modal verbs refer to a probability and when you are not sure that something could
or could happen, the modal verbs may and might are used.
(Estos verbos modales hacen referencia a una probabilidad y cuando no tengas
certeza de que algo pudo o puede suceder se utiliza los verbos modales may and
might.)
STRUCTURE
SUBJECT + MAY/MIGTH + MAIN VERB + COMPLEMENT
Affirmative
Juan may come to work tomorrow
(Puede que Juan venga mañana al trabajo)

Negative
Juan may not come to work tomorrow
(Puede que Juan no venga mañana al trabajo)

Interrogative
May juan come to work tomorrow
(Juan puede venir mañana al trabajo?)
STRUCTURE
SUBJECT + MAY/MIGTH + MAIN VERB + COMPLEMENT

Affirmative
My sister might come home for my birthday
(Mi hermana tal ves pueda venir a casa para mi cumpleaños)

Negative
You migth not arrive at the office on time
(Puede ser que no llegues a tiempo a la oficina)

Interrogative
Migth I ask you something boss?
(Jefe, ¿puedo preguntarle algo?)
 Will
This modal verb is used to refer to things that we think may happen, but we are not
sure, either in the present or in the future.
(Este verbo modal se usa para referirse a cosas que pensamos que pueden
suceder, pero no tenemos la certeza, ya sea en el presente o en el futuro..)
STRUCTURE
AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJECT + WILL + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
James will participate in the tournament
(James participará en el torneo)
NEGATIVE
SUBJECT + WILL NOT/ WON´T+ MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
James won´t participate in the tournament
(James no participará en el torneo)
QUESTION
WILL + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
Will James participate in the tournament?
(¿James participará en el torneo?)
 MUST
The modal verb must is an auxiliary verb that is used accompanied by an infinitive
verb to express obligation or prohibition.
(El verbo modal must es un verbo auxiliar que se utiliza acompañado de un
verbo en infinitivo para expresar obligación o prohibición).
STRUCTURE OF MUST
AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJECT + MUST + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
I must finish this report by tomorrow
(Yo debo terminar este informe mañana)
NEGATIVE
SUBJECT + MUSTN´T + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
You must not skate on that area
(No debes patinar en esta zona)
QUESTION
MUST + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
Must we go to the meeting?
(¿Debemos ir a la reunión?)
 SHALL
Shall is used as an auxiliary to form future tense for the first person singular (I) or
plural (We).
Shall se usa como auxiliar para formar futuro para la primera persona del
singular (I), o del plural (We).
STRUCTURE OF SHALL
AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJECT + SHALL + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
You shall be the first person to know
(Tú serás la primera persona que conozca)
NEGATIVE
SUBJECT + SHALL NOT + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
I shall not waste my time
(No perderé mi tiempo)
QUESTION
SHALL + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB (BASE FORM) + COMPLEMENT
Shall I get a pizza for dinner tonight?
(¿Quedré una pizza para cenar esta noche?)