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What are modal verbs

Modal verbs are special auxiliary verbs in English that provide additional information about the main verb, indicating modality such as ability, obligation, or possibility. They do not change form, are followed by a bare infinitive, and can be made negative using 'not'. Examples include 'should', 'will', and 'would', each serving various communicative functions.

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9 views

What are modal verbs

Modal verbs are special auxiliary verbs in English that provide additional information about the main verb, indicating modality such as ability, obligation, or possibility. They do not change form, are followed by a bare infinitive, and can be made negative using 'not'. Examples include 'should', 'will', and 'would', each serving various communicative functions.

Uploaded by

Rosalba Reyes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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"...
 Examples: He can speak Chinese. She should be here by 9:00.
 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
 You use "not" to make modal verbs negative, even in Simple Present and
Simple Past.
 Examples: He should not be late.
 They might not come to the party.
Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.
Examples: He will can go with us. Not Correct
She musted study very hard. Not Correct

LIST OF SOME MODAL VERBS


7. should

Use Examples

advice You should drive carefully in bad weather.

obligation You should switch off the light when you leave the room.

8. will

Use Examples

wish, request, demand, order (less polite than would) Will you please shut the door?

prediction, assumption I think it will rain on Friday.

promise I will stop smoking.

spontaneous decision Can somebody drive me to the station? - I will.

habits She's strange, she'll sit for hours without talking.


9. would

Use Examples

wish, request (more polite than will) Would you shut the door, please?

habits in the past Sometimes he would bring me some flowers.

* These are no past forms, they refer to the future.

Would" is most commonly used to create conditional verb forms. It also serves as the
past form of the modal verb "will." Additionally, "would" can indicate repetition in the
past.

Examples:

• If he were an actor, he would be in adventure movies. conditional

• I knew that she would be very successful in her career. past of "will"

• When they first met, they would always have picnics on the beach. Repetition

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