Thuongmai University, Vietnam

English Grammar
MODAL VERBS

I. DEFINITION:
- Modal verbs are a small class of auxiliary verbs used to express ability,
permission, obligation, prohibition, probability, possibility, advice.
- The word ‘to’ must never be used after a modal verb.

II. COMMON MODAL VERBS:

Will
The verb “will” is used to express:
 Promise: Don’t worry, I will be here.
 Instant decision: I will take these books with me.
 Invitation/Offer: Will you give me a chance?
 Certain prediction: John Smith will be the next President.
 Future tense auxiliary: Tomorrow I will be in New York.
Shall
The verb “shall” is used to express:
 Asking what to do: Shall I get the phone? Or will you?
 Offer: Shall I call a cab?
 Suggestion: Shall I call again on Thursday?
Would
The verb “would” is used to express:
 Asking for permission: Would you mind if I opened the window?
 Request: Would you make dinner?
 Making arrangements: Would you be available at 6 pm tonight?
 Invitation: Would you like to go out sometimes?
 Preferences: Would you prefer the window seat or the aisle?
Should
The verb “should” is used to express:
 Advice: You should visit your dentist at least twice a year.
 Recommending action: You really should go to the new museum on Main
Street.
 Uncertain prediction: I posted the cheque yesterday so it should arrive
this week.
 Logical deduction: I’ve revised so I should be ready for the test.
Ought to
The verb “ought to” is used to express:
 Advice: You ought to have come to the meeting. It was interesting.
 Logical deduction: 30$ ought to be enough for the taxi.
Must
The verb “must” is used to express:
 Obligation/necessity: I must memorize all of these rules about tenses.
  Deduction: She lied to the police. She must be the murderer.
Mustn’t
The verb “musn’t” (must not) is used to express:
 Prohibition: You mustn’t smoke in this restaurant. It’s forbidden.
May
The verb “may” is used to express:
 Possibility: Richard may be coming to see us tomorrow.
 Ask for permission: May I borrow your dictionary?
Might
The verb “might” is used to express:
 Slight possibility: It looks nice, but it might be very expensive.
 The past form of “may” in reported speech: The President said
he might come.
Can
The verb “can” is used to express:
 Ability: David can speak three languages.
 Permission (informal): Can I sit in that chair please?
 Offers: Can I carry the luggage for you?
Could
The verb “could” is used to express:
 Request: Could I borrow your dictionary?
 Suggestion: Could you say it again more slowly?
 Ability in the past: I think we could have another Gulf War.
 Asking for permission: Could I open the window?
Have to/has to
The verb “have to/has to” is used to express:
 External Obligation: You have to take off your shoes before you get into
the mosque.
Don’t/ Doesn’t have to
“Don’t/Doesn’t have to” is used to express:
 Is not necessary: You don’t have to do all the exercises, only the first
one.

III. MODAL VERBS AND FUNCTIONS:

ABILITY

Modals Usage Present form Examples

Can/Can’t General or specific ability Can/ can’t + V I can play the piano.
Be able Am/ is/ are James is able to cook steak.
to (not) able to V
Modals Usage Past form Examples
Be able Specific ability Was/were(not) Tom was not able to dance
to able to V when he was six.
Could General ability Could V I could read when I was 4.
 Could to speak about a specific situation in They could smell smoke.
the past when we use these Vs: see, hear, I could understand him
feel, smell, taste, remember, believe, perfectly.
understand, decide.
Couldn’t General ability. Couldn’t V My sister couldn’t play the
piano when she was five.
Specific ability. I couldn't open the window.
Could You had the ability to do Could + have I could have played the piano
have + something in the past, but + V3 well but I didn't practise
V3 that you didn't do it. enough.
(Modal Something wasn't possible Couldn’t + I couldn't have arrived earlier.
in the past, even if you had have + V3 There was a terrible traffic jam
perfect)
wanted to do it. (= it was impossible for me to
have arrived earlier).
Managed Specific ability: one time, Managed to V Police finally managed
to one situation to catch the culprit.
Modals Usage Future form Examples
Be able General ability Will/won’t able Journalists will be able
to to V to preview
the exhibition tomorrow.
Can/ Specific ability Can/Can’t + V I can help you tomorrow.
Can’t I can’t come to her birthday
party.

PROHIBITION

can't
- To talk about something that is against the rules, particularly when we didn't
make the rules.
What does this sign say? Oh, we can't park here.

must not/ mustn't

- To talk about what is not permitted. It is common on public signs and notices
informing people of rules and laws.
Guests must not make noise after 10 p.m.
- We use mustn't particularly when the prohibition comes from the speaker.
(Teacher to student) You mustn't be late to class.
PERMISSION
Can (informal)
- Ask for permission from someone we know well
- Eg: Can I borrow your pen for a minute?

Could (more formal than can):

- Eg: Could I please have a glass of beer?
- Could is the past tense of can. However, when asking for
permission, could does not have a past tense meaning.)
- Could has the same meaning as may when making requests. It is equally polite
to say, “Could I open the window?” or “May I open the window?”

May
- The most formal way to ask for and give permission
- Eg: May I ask a question please?

Would (polite): Would you mind if I asked you something?

Be able to / be allowed to
- We can use [S + be able to / be allowed to] instead of can to express permission
or possibility.
- Eg: We were allowed to eat all that we wanted.
You won’t be able to finish before the deadline.
- We do NOT use it + be able to/be allowed to. Eg: You are not allowed to
use your mobile phones. (NOT It isn’t allowed to use …)

It is (not) permitted to
- We can use it + be (not) permitted to +infinitive to express permission or
prohibition in formal or official situations, to say what the rules or laws are.
- Eg:
It is not permitted to take photos of the archive documents.
Picnics are not permitted in the park.

Be supposed to / be meant to
- We can also use be supposed/meant to + infinitive to express obligation or
permission, to say what we should or shouldn’t do.
- Eg:
We are supposed/meant to check in one hour before take-off.
What are you doing? You aren’t supposed/meant to be here.

OBLIGATION
Must:
- Usually means that the obligation comes from the speaker, it’s like a personal
obligation.
 - Eg: I must give up smoking. (I need to, I say so)

Have to:
- Normally means that the obligation is external
- Eg: I have to give up smoking. (I’m obliged. My doctor says so)

‘ve got to (informal): I’ve got to be there before ten.

Mustn’t / don’t have to

- Are completely different.
- Mustn’t: is used to express prohibition.
Eg: You mustn’t reveal where you get the information. (=you have the
obligation not to do it)
- Don’t have to: is used to show that there is no obligation. You can do something
if you want to but it's not compulsory.
Eg: You don’t have to arrive before 7. (=you can do it, but it’s not necessary,
there’s no obligation)

NECESSITY

Need to, have to, don’t need to, don’t have to

- We use need to/have to or don’t need to/don’t have to + infinitive to say that
something is/ is not necessary.
- Eg:
We need to/have to confirm our reservations before Friday.
You don’t need to/don’t have to believe in God to be a good person.

Don’t need to / needn’t + infinitive: To say that it is unnecessary to do something.

- Don’t need to: when talking about a general necessity (in general)
Eg: The doctor said I don’t need to wear glasses. (in general, all the time)
- Both don’t need to or needn’t + infinitive when talking about a specific
necessity (on one specific occasion).
Eg:Tell him he doesn’t need to/needn’t wash the dishes. I’ll do it later. (on one
specific occasion)

Didn’t need to / needn’t have

- When something was not necessary but we did it, we can use both didn’t need
to + infinitive and needn’t have + past participle.
Eg: Thanks, it’s very beautiful, but you didn’t need to buy/ needn’t have
bought anything. (=you did it)
- However, when something was not necessary and we did not do it, we can only
use didn’t need to.
Eg: I didn’t buy any groceries because Sarah told me I didn’t need to buy
anything. (NOT needn’t have bought)
ADVICE

Should/ Shouldn’t
- Advice in the present: Should/ shouldn’t + Base Verb
 You should eat healthy food.
 You should not smoke = You shouldn’t smoke.
- Advice in the past:
 Should + Have + Past Participle (something that would have been a good
idea, but that you didn't do it)
Eg: I should have studied harder! (= I didn't study very hard and so I failed
the exam. I'm sorry about this now.)
 Shouldn't have + past participle (means that something wasn't a good
idea, but you did it anyway.)
Eg: I shouldn't have eaten so much cake! (= I did eat a lot of cake and
now I don't feel good.)
 Should have + past participle + by now
 If everything is normal and okay, we think has already happened.).
Eg: His plane should have arrived by now (= if everything is fine,
the plane has arrived).
 To talk about something that would have happened if everything
was fine, but hasn't happened.
Eg: Lucy should have arrived by now, but she hasn't.

Would
- In this situation, the speaker is giving hypothetical advice as if he/she were the
listener.
 If I were you, I would return the book.
 If I were you, I would not wear that jacket.
- It is not always necessary to include “If I were you”.
 I wouldn’t eat that.
 I would choose the red shoes.

- Normally, would is used to talk about yourself, and should is used to talk about
someone else.
 I would study tonight if I were you.
 You should study tonight.

Had better, had better not (a bit stronger)

- To talk about actions we think someone should or shouldn’t do.
- Shortened form ‘d better
- Negative form: had better not V.
- There is often a negative result if the action is carried out.
Eg:
You’d better turn the volume down before your dad gets room.
You had better not tell her you broke the vase –she’ll get very mad.

SPECIAL CASES – MODAL PERFECT

Should/ shouldn’t have + past participle (ABILITY)

Could/ couldn’t have + past participle (ADVICE in the past)

Can’t have + past paritciple

- To express past impossibility (a situation could not have happened in the past)
- Eg: She can’t have been asleep. Her eyes were open.
- CAN’T HAVE vs COULDN’T HAVE
 Can be used interchangeably – but can’t is stronger, like impossible.
 Eg:
He couldn’t have done it. (Impossible that he did it. He was not able to)
He can’t have done it. (Impossible that he did it. I know this!)

May/ Might have + past participle

- To make a guess about something that happened in the past (uncertainty).
- We don't know if what we're saying is true or not true. We're just talking about
our opinion of what maybe happened.
Eg: Why is John late?
 He may/ might have got stuck in traffic.
 He may/ might have overslept.
- NOTE: May have is more formal than might have. Could have is also possible
in this context but less common.

Must have + past paritciple

- when we feel sure about what happened. (certainty)
- Eg: The thief must have had a key. The door was locked and nothing was
broken.

Would have + past participle

Two common structures:
1. To talk about something you wanted to do but didn’t (using with BUT)
I would have gone to the party, but I was really busy.
I would have called you, but I didn’t know your number.

2. Part of the third conditional.

 If I had had enough money, I would have bought a car (but I didn't have enough
money, so I didn't buy a car).

IV: EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Choose the best answer.

1. You ………..(should /can) listen to the new information.
2. You ………..(need/ may) park here.
3. People ………..(mayn’t/ shouldn’t) waste food.
4. ………..(will/ would) it snow tomorrow?
5. ………..(may/could) I have a cup of tea, please?
6. You ………..(ought to/ might) do more exercise.
7. You ………..(couldn’t/ mustn’t) drink alcohol if you are under 18.
8. ………..(can/should) you play the piano?
9. ………..(could/would) you like to travel with your family?
10. I ………..(won’t/ shouldn’t) play badminton tomorrow.
Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences without changing their meaning using the
given words.
1. Perhaps Susan know the address. (may)
Susan ………………………………………………………………………….
2. The report must be on my desk tomorrow. (has)
The report …………………………………………………………………………………….
3. It was not necessary for Nancy to clean the flat. (didn’t)
Nancy …………………………………………………………………………………………
4. It’s possible that Joanna didn’t receive my message. (might)
Joanna ……………………………………………………………………..
5. I managed to finish all my work. (able)
I …………………………………………………………………………………..
6. The best thing for you to do is to sit down sit down. (better)
You ………………………………………………………………………..

Exercise 3: Choose the best answer.

needn’t (x2) mustn’t (x2) must (x2) could can (x2) can’t shouldn’t might
1. There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You ……………buy any.
2. This is a hospital. You …………… smoke here.
3. He had been working for more than 11 hours. He ……………be tired now.
4. When I was a child, I ……………speak a little German.
5. The teacher said we…………… read this book for our own pleasure as it is optional.
But we …………..read it if we don’t want to.
6. ………you stand on your head for more than a minute? No, I…………
7. If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you …………worry. We will help you
become a fluent speaker but you have to work hard.
8. Take an umbrella. It ………….rain later.
9. People ………..walk on the grass.
10. Drivers …………stop when the traffic lights are red.

Exercise 4: Fill in the blanks using these modals: “must, mustn’t, don’t have to”
I …………(1) go to school from Monday to Friday. We …………(2) wear a uniform, so
I normally wear sports clothes. We ……………(3) arrive late, and we …………(4) go to
every class. In class, we …………(5) shout, play or sing. We …………(6) have lunch
at school, so I sometimes go home. When school finishes, I …………(7) take after my
little sister. When my parents come home, I …………(8) stay in, so I usually go out with
my friends. When I get home, I …………(9) do my homework. I …………(10) go to bed
late, except on Fridays, when I …………(11) go to bed before midnight.

Exercise 5: Complete the following sentences using: might, might not, must,
mustn’t, can, can’t
1. Don’t stand up in the boat! You …………………. fall in the river!
2. You really …………………. start spending more time on your work.
3. That’s a really stupid idea! You …………………. be serious, surely!
4. Don’t be silly. You …………………. expect me to believe you!
5. I learn to fly! You …………………. be joking!
6. Sue says she’s stuck in traffic and she …………………. be late.
7. Tell Peter he. …………………. stay the night here if he wants to.
8. You …………………. realize it, but this is very important to me.
9. We’re not sure but we …………………. go to Prague for Christmas this year.
10. Bill cooked the lunch, so you …………………. expect anything special!

Exercise 6: Rewrite the sentences using the given words.

1. I think you should give up smoking immediately. (had)
I think you …………………………………………………………………………
2. I am sure you were surprised when you heard all the news (must)
You …………………………………………….. when you heard the news
3. It’s very inconvenient if you can’t drive. (able)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Someone almost certainly broke the window on purpose. ( must)
The window ……………………………………………………………………….. on purpose
5. I am sure that the cat is in the house somewhere. (must)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. It is possible that one of the men died on the mountain. (may)
One of the men ………………………………………….………….. on the mountain.
7. It’s necessary for me to bring my passport. (have)
I ………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. It wasn’t necessary for you to do all this work (needn’t)
You ………………………………………………………………….. all this work
9. I am sure that John is not the thief. (can’t)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. I’m sure you are very tired after working so hard. (must)
You ………………………………………………………………. after working so hard.

Exercise 7: Complete the sentences using: “be able to, can, could”
1. The businessman from England spoke so fast that I…….. understand him.
2. I would like to……..ski so quickly.
3. I’m pretty sure Dad is at home. He ……….working at this time in the evening.
4. Please, have patience. I’ll……… help you soon.
5. I didn’t have the key so I ………….get inside.
6. My best friend………….. become a great athlete, but he didn’t practice enough.
7. Jimmy …………take the driving test last year because he was only 17.
8. It is a difficult question but he ………..answer it.
9. It ………..be him. He told me he’d gone to Australia

Exercise 8: Complete the sentences using “Must” or “Can’t”

1. You’ve been traveling the whole day. You ………..be tired.
2. Carol……..get bored on the job. She does the same things every day.
3. You are going on holiday next week. You…….be looking forward to it.
4. Bill and Sue travel a lot, so they……..be short of money.
5. They haven’t lived here very long. They……..know that many people.
6. The house is near the motorway. It………be very noisy.
7. Congratulations on passing your exam. You…….be very pleased.
8. The restaurant……………be good. It’s always empty.
9. It rained every day during their stay, so they ……….have had a nice holiday.
10. You just had lunch. You………be very hungry.
Exercise 9: Choose the best answer.
1. You ......out last night. I called several times but nobody answered the phone.
a. must be b. must have been c. could have been d. should have been
2. Micheal’s score on the test is the highest in the class; .........last night.
a. he must have studied hard b. he should have studied hard
c. he must study hard d. he must had to study hard
3. Look! The yard is wet. It ......last night.
a. must rain b. couldn’t have rained c. must have rained d. should have rained
4. We ....you more help, but we were too busy.
a. might have given b. might give c. should give d. could give
5. You ....your pass at the entrance unless you are asked to do so.
a. mustn’t show b. needn’t show c. haven’t to show d. B and C

ANSWER KEYS
Exercise 1
1. should 2. may 3. shouldn’t 4. Will 5. May 6. ought to
7. mustn’t 8. Can 9. Would 10. won’t
Exercise 2
1.Susan may know the address.
2.The report has to be on my desk tomorrow.
3.Nancy didn’t need to clean the flat.
4.Joanna mightn’t have received my message.
5.I was able to finish all my work.
6.You had better sit down.
Exercise 3
1. needn’t 2. mustn’t 3. must 4. could 5. can/ needn’t
6. can/ can’t 7. shouldn’t 8. might 9. mustn’t 10. must
Exercise 4
1. must 2. don’t have to 3. mustn’t 4. mustn’t 5. mustn’t
6. don’t have lunch 7. must 8. don’t have to 9. have to 10. must
11. don’t have to
Exercise 5
1. might 6. might
2. must 7. can
3. can 8. might not
4. can’t 9. might
5. must 10. mustn’t
Exercise 6
1. I think you had better give up smoking immediately.
2. You must have been surprised when you heard the news.
3. It is very inconvenient if you aren’t able to drive.
4. The window must have been broken on purpose.
5. I am sure that the cat must be in the house somewhere.
6. One of the men may have died on the mountain.
7. I have to bring my passport.
8. You needn’t have done all this work.
9. I am sure that John can’t be the thief.
10. You must be tired after working so hard.

Exercise 7
1. couldn’t 2. be able to 3. can’t be 4. be able to
5. wasn’t able to 6. could have 7. couldn’t 8. was able to 9. can’t
Exercise 8
1. must 2. must 3. must 4. can’t 5. can’t 6. must
7. must 8. can’t 9. can’t 10. can’t
Exercise 9
1. b. must have been
2. a. he must have studied hard
3. c. must have rained
4. a. might have given
5. d. B and C