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Modal Verbs

The document discusses modal verbs in English grammar. It defines modal verbs and lists their main characteristics. It provides examples of common modal verbs like can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should and must and explains their uses and meanings. It also compares the uses of modal verbs in the present and past tense.

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19 views

Modal Verbs

The document discusses modal verbs in English grammar. It defines modal verbs and lists their main characteristics. It provides examples of common modal verbs like can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should and must and explains their uses and meanings. It also compares the uses of modal verbs in the present and past tense.

Uploaded by

leilalilyana950
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GRAMMAR: Modal Verbs and Their Meaning

What are modal verbs?


Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special
verbs which behave irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work,
play, visit..." They give additional information about the function of the main verb that
follows it. They have a great variety of communicative functions.

Here are some characteristics of modal verbs:

 They never change their form. You can't add "s", "ed", "ing"...
 They are always followed by an infinitive without "to" (e.i. the bare infinitive.)
 They are used to indicate modality allow speakers to express certainty, possibility,
willingness, obligation, necessity, ability

List of modal verbs


Here is a list of modal verbs:

can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must

The verbs or expressions dare, ought to, had better, and need not behave like modal
auxiliaries to a large extent and my be added to the above list

Use of modal verbs:


Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:

1. Permission
2. Ability
3. Obligation
4. Prohibition
5. Lack of necessity
6. Advice
7. possibility
8. probability

Examples of modal verbs


Here is a list of modals with examples:

Modal Verb Expressing Example

Strong obligation You must stop when the traffic lights turn
red.
must
logical conclusion / Certainty He must be very tired. He's been working all
day long.

1
must not prohibition You must not smoke in the hospital.

ability I can swim.

can permission Can I use your phone please?

possibility Smoking can cause cancer.

ability in the past When I was younger I could run fast.

could polite permission Excuse me, could I just say something?

possibility It could rain tomorrow!

permission May I use your phone please?


may
possibility, probability It may rain tomorrow!

polite permission Might I suggest an idea?


might
possibility, probability I might go on holiday to Australia next year.

lack of necessity/absence of I need not buy tomatoes. There are plenty of


need not
obligation tomatoes in the fridge.

50 % obligation I should / ought to see a doctor. I have a


terrible headache.

should/ought
advice You should / ought to revise your lessons
to

logical conclusion He should / ought to be very tired. He's been


working all day long.

had better advice You 'd better revise your lessons

Modals in the present and past:


Generally speaking modals in the past have the following form:

 modal + have + past participle

2
Example:

 Present:
You should see a doctor.
 Past:
You should have seen a doctor

Except for modals that express obligation,ability and lack of necessity:

 Obligation:
Present = I must / have to work hard. -- Past = I had to work hard.
 Ability:
Present = I can run fast. -- Past = I could run fast when I was young.
 Lack of necessity:
Present = You don't have to / needn't take your umbrella. -- Past = You didn't have to /
didn't need to take your umbrella.

Modals in the Present Modals in the Past

Obligation You must / have to stop when the traffic You had to stop.
lights are red.

Advice You should see a doctor. You should have seen a doctor

Prohibition You mustn't smoke here. You mustn't have smoked there.

Ability I can run fast. I could run fast. now I am old.

Certainty He has a Rolls Royce. He must be very He must have been rich. He had a
rich. big house and an expensive car.
He can't be American. His English is He can't have written that poem.
terrible. He was illiterate.

Permission Can I go out? She could drive her father's car


when she was only 15.

Possibility It may / can / could / might rain. It's I guess it may / can / could /
cloudy. might have been Lacy on the
phone.

Lack of You don't have to / needn't buy any You didn't have to / didn't need to
necessity tomatoes. There are plenty in the fridge. buy tomatoes.

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