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The document discusses different types of verbs in English grammar. It explains that verbs can be main verbs or auxiliary verbs. Main verbs express actions or states of being and change form based on subject and tense. Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs and are used together with main verbs. The three primary auxiliary verbs are be, do, and have. Modal auxiliary verbs include can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, used to, must, ought to, need, and dare. The document provides examples and definitions of usage for each modal verb.

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Ismail Khan
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27 views

Null 1

The document discusses different types of verbs in English grammar. It explains that verbs can be main verbs or auxiliary verbs. Main verbs express actions or states of being and change form based on subject and tense. Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs and are used together with main verbs. The three primary auxiliary verbs are be, do, and have. Modal auxiliary verbs include can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, used to, must, ought to, need, and dare. The document provides examples and definitions of usage for each modal verb.

Uploaded by

Ismail Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Modal Auxiliary

Verbs
Verbs - An Overview
Verbs belong to the class of words (Part of
Speech) that are used to show :
an action (do, throw, run),
existence (be),
possession (have),
or state (know, love, sleep) of a subject.
To put it simply a verb shows what something
or someone does.
Types of Verbs

Verbs can be divided into two categorize on


the basis of role in a sentence.
1) Main Verbs
2) Auxiliary Verbs or Helping Verbs
1) Main verbs
They are sometime called Full Verbs or Principal
Verbs or non-auxiliary verbs.
Main verbs have meaning on their own
(unlike helping verbs).
E.g.: He is writing a letter.
The main verb expresses ‘the main action’ or
‘state of being’ of the subject in the sentence
1) Main verbs
It changes form according to the subject
(singular, plural, 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd
person).
 Ali writes a letter.
 We write a letter.
 I write a letter.
 You write a letter.
 He writes a letter.
The main verb changes its form according to the
tense (perfect tense, past tense, simple tense etc).
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs

Auxiliary means functioning in a supporting capacity.


They are also known as helping verbs.
They are used together with a main verb.
Types of Auxiliary verbs:
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have

b. Modal Auxiliaries: can, could, may, might,


must, shall, should, will, would etc
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
English has three primary auxiliary verbs: To be, to do and to
have.
‘Be’ is the most common verb in the English.
It can be used as an auxiliary and a main verb.
 Base form =  be
 Infinitive form = to be
 Present / first form =  am/is/are
 Past / Second form =  was/were
 Past Participle/ third form =  been
 The ‘-ing’ form (Present Participle/Gerund) = being
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
 To do: It can be used as an auxiliary and a main
verb.
It is often used in questions.
 Base form =  do
 Infinitive form = to do
 Present/ First form =  do/does
 Past / Second form =  did
 Past Participle/ third form = done
 The ‘-ing’ form (Present Participle/ Gerund) = 
doing
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
To have
Have is one of the most common verbs in the
English language.
 Base form =  have
 Infinitive form = to have
 Present form/ First form = have / has
 Past form / Second form = had
 Past Participle /Third form = had
 The ‘-ing’ form ( Present Participle / Gerund
= having
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
b. Modal Auxiliaries
All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are
called modals.
Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals only exist in
their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main
verb in a sentence.
The modal verbs are:
 can, could, may, might, shall, should, will,
would, used to, must, ought to, need, dare etc
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Ability  I can swim.


(in the present)

Inability /
 We cannot fix it.
Can Impossibility

Permission  Can I smoke here?

Request  Can you help me?


b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
1. Permission Could I borrow your
dictionary?
2. Polite
Request Could you say it again more
slowly?
Could 3. Suggestion
We could try to fix it ourselves.
4. Future
possibility During Monsoon , the sea could
be a dangerous place to swim.
5. Ability in
the past
I could drive a car when I was
in school.
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Possibility  We may have an English class


next week?

Permission  May I come in sir?


May Prayer/ wish/  May you live long!
blessing

Curse  May he fail in the exam!

To offer help  May I help you in cooking?


b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Possibility I might go to London tomorrow.

Might
Past of ‘May’ He said that he might go for the
in Indirect seminar.
Speech
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Future Tense He will go to the university
tomorrow.

Offer I will do that for you if you like.


Will
Polite Request Will you help me in my
assignment?

Determination/ I will not listen to his


willingness explanation.
Modal Uses Example
Habitual We would play cricket daily.
Action in Past Would you lend me your pen?
Polite Request Misbah would probably be fit
Possibility before World Cup.
Would you mind if I brought a
Permission colleague with me?
Would "Would three o`clock suit you?" -
Making "That’d be fine."
Arrangements Would you like to play golf this
Invitation Friday?
"Would you prefer tea or coffee?" -
Preferences "I’d like tea please.”
 She told me that she would like to
Past of will take admission.
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Threat They shall be punished for their


wrong doings.
Shall
(More Prohibition You shall not ask question during
the class.
common
in the UK Suggestion Shall we go for a picnic this
than the weekend?
US)
Offer Shall I help you with your luggage?
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Advise/ You should learn you lessons on


Suggestion time.

Recommending I think we should check


Should action everything again.

Uncertain Profits should increase next year.


prediction
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Obligation We must respect all religions.

Conjecture She must have forgotten the keys.


Must /Guess

Compulsion You must reach the class on time.

Prohibition You mustn´t drive without a license.


b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

 
Saying what’s  We ought to employ a professional
right or writer.
correct
Ought to
Moral  We ought to look after our old
obligation parents.

Probability  They ought to win the game today.


b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Past Habit  They used to study together in


(would) school.

Used to
Existence of  There used to be a hotel at the
something corner of the street.
in the past
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Necessity
(to-infinitive)  You need to work hard for
(Need as a your exam.
Need main verb)
(Need is
a semi-
modal Absence of
obligation or  You need not to go too early.
verb.)
necessity
(need as a
models verb)
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example

Courage How dare you touch my bag?

Dare
Challenge You dare not object to my
argument.
Comparison of Modal Auxiliaries
Making Prediction
Least certain -------------------------------------------------------------- Most
Certain
Could would can will

Making Polite Requests


Most Polite -------------------------------------------------------------- Most Direct
(Formal) Could would can will (Informal)

Requesting Permission
Most Polite -------------------------------------------------------------- Most Direct
(Formal) Might Could May can (Informal)
END

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