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MODAL AUXILIARIES

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29 views8 pages

MODAL AUXILIARIES

Uploaded by

ayakuncahyaning23
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MODAL AUXILIARIES

By: RIZKI ISFAHANI, M.Pd


The Form of Modal Auxiliaries
The verb listed below are called “modal auxiliaries”. They are helping verbs that express a wide range of meanings
(ability, permission, posibility, necessity, etc.). Most of the modals have more than one meaning.
Auxiliary + the Simple Form of a Verb

can a) Olga can speak English. Can, could, may, might, should, had better, must, will,
could b) He couldn’t come to class. and would are immediately followed by the simple form
may c) It may rain tomorrow. of a verb.
might d) It might rain tomorrow. • They are not followed by to.
should e) Mary should study harder. INCORRECT: Olga can to speak English.
had better f) I had better study tonight. • The main verb does not have a final –s
must g) Billy! You must listen to me! INCORRECT: Olga can speaks English.
will h) I will be in class tomorrow. • The main verb is not a past form.
would i) Would you please close the door? INCORRECT: Olga can spoke
English.
• The main verb is not in its –ing form.
INCORRECT: Olga can speaking English.
Auxiliary + to + the Simple Form of a Verb

have to j) I have to study tonight. To + the simple form is used with these auxiliaries:
have got to k) I have got to study tonight. have to, have got to, be able to, and ought to.
be able to l) Kate is able to study harder.
ought to ) Kate ought to study harder.

m
EXERCISE. Looking at grammar.
Make sentences with the given verbs + come. Add to where necessary. Use this model:
Leo tonight.

Example: can Leo can come tonight.


may
should
ought
will not
could not
Expressing Ability: Can and Could
a) Bob can play the piano. Can expresses ability in the present of future.
b) You can buy a scewdriver at hardware store.
c) I can meet you Ted’s tomorrow afternoon.
can’t The negative form of can may be written can’t, cannot, or
d) I cannot understand that sentence. can not.
can not
e) I can go. In spoken English, can is usually unstressed and pronounced
f) I can’t go. /kǝn/ = “kun”.

Can’t is stressed and pronounced /kaen?/, with the final sound


being a glottal stop.* The glottal stop replace the /t/in spoken
English. Occasionaly native speakers have trouble hearing the
difference between can and can’t and have to ask for
clarification.
g) Our son could walk when he was one year old. The past form of can is could.
h) He couldn’t walk he was six months old. The negative of could is couldn’t or could not.
i) He can read. Ability can also be expressed with a form of be able to.
j) He is able to read. Examples (i) and (j) have the same meaning.
k) She could read. Examples (k) and (l) have the same meaning.
l) She was able to read.
EXERCISE. Looking at grammar.
Complete the sentences with can or can’t.

1. A dog swim, but it fly.


2. A frog live both on land and in water, but a cat .
3. A bilingual person speak tree languages, but a trilingual person .
4. People with a Ph.D degree use “Dr.” in front of their name, but people with
a master’s degree .
Expressing Possibility: May, Might, and Maybe;
Expressing Permission: May and Can
a) It may rain tomorrow. May and might express possibility in the present or future. They
b) It might rain tomorrow. have the same meaning. There is no difference in meaning
c) - Why isn’t John in class? between (a) and (b).
may
- I don’t know. He be sick today.
might
d) It may not rain tomorrow. Negative: may not and might not
e) It might not rain tomorrow. (Do not contract may and might with not.)
f) Maybe it will rain tomorrow. In (f) and (g): maybe (spelled as one word) is an adverb. It
means “possibly.” It comes at the beginning of a sentence.
COMPARE: INCORRECT: It will maybe rain tomorrow.
g) Maybe John is sick. (adverb) In (h): may be (two words) is a verb form: the auxiliary may +
h) John may be sick. (verb) the main verb be.
Examples (g) and (h) have the same meaning.
INCORRECT: John maybe sick
i) Yes, children, you may have a cookie May is also used to give permission, as in (i).
after dinner. Can is often used to give permmission, too as in (j).
j) Okay, kids, you can have a cookie after dinner. NOTE: Examples (i) and (j) have the same meaning, but may is
more formal than can.

k) You may not have a May not and cannot (can’t) are used to deny permission (i.e.,
cookie. You can’t have a to say “no.”).
cookie.
EXERCISE. Looking at grammar.
Complete the sentence with can, may, or might. Identify the meaning expressed by the
modal: possibility or permission.
In a courtroom for a speeding ticket
1. No one speaks without the judge’s permission. You may / can not speak until the judge
asks you a question. Meaning: permission

2. The judge reduce your fine for your speeding ticket, or she not. It depends.
Meaning:

3. You not argue with the judge. If you argue, you will get a fine. Meaning:

4. You have a strong case, but I’m not sure if you will convince the judge. You win or
you lose. Meaning:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION ☺

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