Modals are those auxiliary (helping) verbs which express the ‗mode‘ or ‗manner‘

of the actions indicated by the main verbs. They express modes such as ability,
possibility, probability, permission, obligation, etc.
The following are modal auxiliaries:
shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, must, ought to, used to,
need, dare.
Use of Modal Auxiliaries
(a) Shall and Will
1. „Shall‘ is used with the first person subject (I, we) and ‗will‘, used with all
person subject, to express simple future.
2. „Shall‟ with the first person subject, expresses:
Intention e.g. I shall go home today.
Promise e.g. I shall try to do better.
Threat e.g. I shall kill him.
Determination e.g. I shall do or die.
3. (a) „Will‟ with the second & third person subject, expresses:
Order e.g. You will do it just now.
Threat e.g. You will be punished
Promise e.g. You will have a holiday
Determination e.g. You will work for me.
Intention e.g. Will he go with you?
(b) „Would‟ is used to express:
Determination e.g. I would have my way.
Habitual action e.g. he would sit all day with the book in his hand.
Willingness e.g. I would do my best to satisfy you.
Wish e.g. Would that I were healthy.
(c) „Should‟ is used to express:
Duty e.g. we should keep our word.
Advice e.g. you should take rest.‘
After ‗lest ‘e.g. Work hard lest you should fail.
Polite request e.g. Should I help you to solve this problem?
(d) „May‟ is used to express:
Possibility e.g. he may succeed in his work.
Permission e.g. may I come in?
55Wish e.g. may you live long.
Purpose e.g. he works hard so that he may pass.
(e) Can is used to express:
Power/ability e.g. He can swim, He cannot speak English
Permission e.g. You can go now. Can I use your bicycle?
(f) Might (past tense of May) is used to express:
Suggestion e.g. he might join a college.
Possibility e.g. it might rain.
Purpose e.g. he works hard that he might win a scholarship.
(g) Could (past tense of can) express:
Power/ability e.g. he could run fast when he was young.
Polite request e.g. could you please help me?
(h) Must express:
Compulsion e.g. you must carry out my orders.
(i) Ought to:
It is used to denote duty or moral or social obligation. It is used nearly in the same
sense as ‗should‘. The verb that follow ought always takes to +V1 form.
For example:
We ought to obey our teachers.
We ought not to speak ill of others.
(j) Need:
It is used in the sense of ‗require‘ or ‗want‘. Need not expresses the idea that there
is no compulsion, e.g. You needn‘t leave today, you can leave tomorrow. You
needn‘t pay the whole amount in one installment. Need I wait till he comes?
(k) Dare:
It means ‗to have the courage to do something‘.
e.g. he dare not go there.
(l) Used to +V1:
It expresses a habit in the past‘
Used to +V1 e.g. I used to swim when I was young.
I used to live in Mumbai. (Now I live in Delhi).
We used to go to Shimla in winter but now we don‘t.
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(m) Has to/Have to:
It expresses ‗some compulsion, obligation or necessity in the present or future
tense‘.
Has to/have to +V1e.g. Mohan has to finish his work in time.
I cannot come with you because I have to finish my work in time.
(n) Had to:
It is used to express ‗compulsion, obligation or necessity in the past.‘
The expression ‗had to‘ is the past tense of ‗have to‘
Had to +V1 e.g. yesterday my servant did not come. I had to wash my clothes
myself. The enemy had to accept defeat at last.
(o) Will have to:
It is used to express compulsion, obligation or necessity in the future.
The expression ‗will have to‘ is the future tense of ‗have to‘
Will have to +V1e.g. Next week you will have to deposit your fee.
Solved Examples
1. Complete the passage, with the appropriate answer.
Self-miracle refers to your need to change your life to what you really (a)
…………… create. The simple truth is only you possess the power to improve
your conditions in line with everything you (b)……………….like to carry out.
You(c) …....... live your dreams to be able to improve your life permanently. This
must be done immediately if you wish to attain what you have targeted.
Ans. (a) must
(b) may
(c) need to
1. Complete the passage, with the appropriate answer.
One (a)………………..meditate every day. When I say meditate, one (b)
… ................ not perform yoga exercise. You(c).................................... Honor your
spirit by witnessing the peace with a view of truthfulness and gratitude. With
practice, the noise (d)…............ silence itself. The solutions you seek out are
within. You (e)………………. worry for it. You just……….……. (f) concentrate
within.
2. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful
sentences.
(a) River/when I/could/ I swim/was/young/across/the
(b) Parents/their/children/obey/should
57(c) Dare/how/you/to him/talk/like/this
3. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the
lines. Write the incorrect word and the correction against the correct blank
number.
Remember to underline the word/phrase that you have supplied.
Incorrect Correction
The evil of begging is very common into our society. E.g. into in
There can be no place which you won‘t find a beggar. (a) …………. ………….
Some beggars are quite health. They are able – bodied (b) …………. ………….
and are strong much to earn their living. But they (c) …………. ………….
are idlers and want to living without work. (d) …………. ………….
SUBJECT-VERB

1. Rachel _____ have brought the bicycle, but she didn’t have enough
money. (could/should)
2. This is a hospital, and you ______ not talk loudly here. (must/could)
3. Uma ____ apply for the job she got in London. (might/would)
 4. Yusuf ____ speak fluent French when they used to stay in Paris.
(must/could)
5. Take the raincoat as it _____ rain later. (might/would)
6. You _____ visit the doctor immediately as your symptoms are quite
severe. (must/ can)
7. _____ you give me a bottle of water? My throat is parched.
(could/shall)
8. I ____ like to talk about the great freedom fighters on Independence
Day. (would/must)
9. One ___ help the old and needy people. (ought to/can)
10. ____ you like some sweets that I made yesterday? (would/can)
Answers for Exercise 1

1. Rachel could have brought the bicycle, but she didn’t have enough
money. (could/should)
2. This is a hospital, and you must not talk loudly here. (must/could)
3. Uma might apply for the job she got in London. (might/would)
4. Yusuf could speak fluent French when they used to stay in Paris.
(must/could)
5. Take the raincoat as it might rain later. (might/would)
6. You must visit the doctor immediately as your symptoms are quite
severe. (must/ can)
7. Could you give me a bottle of water? My throat is parched.
(could/shall)
8. I would like to talk about the great freedom fighters on Independence
Day. (would/must)
9. One ought to help the old and needy people. (ought to/can)
10. Would you like some sweets that I made yesterday?
(would/can)

Exercise 2 – Fill in the blanks

1. Suman ____ swim. You _____ not allow her to go to the swimming
pool.
2. Ira ____ attend the party as she was quite sick.
3. We _____ to save our Earth’s resources so that our future
generations can use them too.
4. People ____ take care of their parents when they grow old.
5. Tina ___ come to my birthday party this Friday.
6. ____ you like to accompany me on the next trek?
7. Traffic rules _____ be more strict so that people don’t break them.
8. Children _____ always listen to their parents.
9. I know you ____ achieve your goals soon. My best wishes are with
you.
10. Priti _____ easily win today’s match; hadn’t she hurt her knees.
1. i) can’t, must ii) shouldn’t, will iii)will not, can not

2. i) couldn’t ii )must not iii)shouldn’t

3. i) need ii)ought iii) could

4. i) ought to ii)should iii) might

5. i) will ii)might iii)can

6. i) would ii)should iii)could

7. i)must ii)might iii)need

8. i)should ii)must iii) can

9. i)will ii)might iii)could

10. i)could ii)might iii)must

Answers for Exercise 2

1. Suman can’t swim. You must not allow her to go to the swimming
pool.
2. Ira couldn’t attend the party as she was quite sick.
3. We ought to save our Earth’s resources so that our future
generations can use them too.
4. People ought to take care of their parents when they grow old.
5. Tina will come to my birthday party this Friday.
6. Would you like to accompany me on the next trek?
7. Traffic rules must be more strict so that people don’t break them.
8. Children should always listen to their parents.
9. I know you will achieve your goals soon. My best wishes are with
you.
10. Priti could easily win today’s match hadn’t she hurt her knees.