GRAMMAR BANK – UNIT 3

MODAL VERBS
Modal verbs
Structure
Modal verbs share the following characteristics:
- We put an infinitive without to after most - Modal verbs do not use the auxiliary verb
modal verbs (but not ought to). do / does to form negatives, questions or
I must look for my passport. short answers.
She should go to the doctor’s. She shouldn’t work so hard.
BUT I ought to call my friend. ‘Can you drive?’ ‘Yes, I can.’
You couldn’t do me a favour,
could you?
We needn’t pay this bill until next
month.
- Modal verbs do not take -s in the third - Modal verbs can use contractions with
person. negatives.
I can speak English. We should not spend so much
He can speak English. money.
We shouldn’t spend so much
money.
Many modal verbs have several different
meanings, depending on their context.
Modals of ability and permission
can, could, be able to, may, be
allowed to
We use the modal verb can to talk about We can also use may to talk about
ability in the present. permission in the present, but it is more
My boyfriend can ride a motorbike. formal than can.
I can’t hear you. NOT I don’t hear You may see the doctor now.
you.
We use the modal verb could to talk about As can cannot be used in all tenses, we use
ability in the past. be allowed to (which is not a modal verb) to
I couldn’t drive last week, but I talk about permission in other tenses.
can now! I won’t be allowed to go to the
It was so dark I couldn’t see concert next weekend.
anything. You were allowed to stay out late
NOT It was so dark I didn’t see last Saturday.
anything.
As can and could cannot be used to talk We can also use could to talk about general
about ability in all tenses, we use be able to permission in the past. However, we cannot
(which is not a modal verb) in other tenses. use could to talk about permission for a
Soon Peter will be able to speak Spanish particular action in the past. Instead, we
fluently. use the correct form of be allowed to.
People have been able to talk to each other When I was little, I could watch
in internet chat rooms since 1988. cartoons whenever I wanted to.
We use the modal verb can to talk about (general permission)
permission in the present. Yesterday evening, I was allowed
Can we go? I can’t stay out to watch a cartoon. (permission for a
after midnight. particular action in the past)
NOT Yesterday evening, I could
watch a cartoon.
Modals of advice, possibility,
obligation and prohibition
should, ought to, may, might,
could, must, have to, need
We use must or have to (which is not a We use mustn’t to talk about prohibition.
modal verb) to talk about obligation. You mustn’t cheat on your boy- or
You must arrive on time. girlfriend.
You have to look good on a date. Try not confuse mustn’t and don’t have to.
We use needn’t and don’t have to (which The meanings of must and have to are
are not modal verbs) when there is an similar in the affirmative, but completely
absence of obligation. different in the negative.
You needn’t pay for everything on We use mustn’t when there is strong
a date. prohibition and don’t have to when there is
We don’t have to see each other no obligation.
every weekend. You have to call me this
The verb need (without to) is only used in afternoon. (= You must ring me
the negative and interrogative. In the this afternoon.)
affirmative, we can also use need to to You mustn’t call me this
express obligation. afternoon. (= Don’t call me.)
You needn’t call me later. You don’t have to call me this
I need to buy my boyfriend a afternoon. (= It isn’t necessary to
present today. call me.)
NOT I need buy my boyfriend a We use ought to and should to give advice
present today. and make recommendations.
We use may, might and could to talk about You ought to dress smartly.
present or future possibility. You should arrive on time.
My date with Ben could be a
disaster.
NOT My date with Ben can be a
disaster.
We might have nothing in
common.
Modal perfects
We can use some modal verbs with have + We use should have / ought to have + past
past participle to talk about past events. participle to give an opinion about past
We use could have / might have + past events, even though it is now too late.
participle to suggest an alternative past Rosa should have left after ten
action, even though it is now too late. minutes but she stayed the whole
We could have invited her to the evening.
party, but we all forgot. I was worried – he ought to have
She might have enjoyed the day, called me.
but she was ill, unfortunately. We use shouldn’t have + past participle to
We use might, may or could have + past express regret or criticism about past
participle to express a possibility in the events.
past. I shouldn’t have taken Rosa to
He might have gone / may have the café.
gone / could have gone to the You shouldn’t have lied to me!
cinema. We use needn’t have + past participle to say
They might not have received / that something that was done in the past
may not have received / could wasn’t necessary.
have not received our message You needn’t have woken me up
about the party. so early. I’m not going to school
We use must have + past participle to today.
express a certainty or to make a logical We use didn’t need to to say that
deduction about the past. something wasn’t done in the past because
He must have felt terrible when it wasn’t necessary.
he saw how upset she was. They didn’t need to catch the
We use couldn’t have or can’t have + past bus this morning because I gave
participle to express an impossibility in the them a lift.
past.
I couldn’t have / can’t have
made a good impression because
he hasn’t phoned!