Modal Verbs of Obligation & Prohibition

MUST/HAVE TO/SHALL SHOULDNT /COULDNT

What are modal verbs?

They are: Can Could May Might Must Shall Should Will Would
Ought to

They are used to express opinions of the speaker: obligation, permission, possibility, probability, necessity, ability and desire
Modal verbs are sometimes referred to as Modal Auxiliary verbs because they help other verbs

How do we use modals?

S
Subject

V
Verb

Example: We must wear the seatbelt

There is NO (E)S in the 3rd person singular in present: She musts study. There is no DO in questions and negatives: You dont should tell him but You shouldnt tell him Do you can swim? but Can you swim?

Form
Da ponovimo: There is no s in singular There is no do / does in the question There is no dont / doesnt in the negative

He can ski

He cans ski or He can skis Would you like to come with me? Do you would like to come with me? They cant be serious They dont can be serious

Form
Modal verbs do not have infinitives or ing forms
to can / caning to must /musting

Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without to She must study We should have gone the other way He could play football in his youth (general ability)

Form
Modal verbs do not have all the tenses

Modal verbs use other verbs to complete the tenses e.g. Must is completed with have to

You must come early You had to come early yesterday

HAVE TO
Have to is not an actual modal verb, but it is used like a modal.

I have to work tomorrow. She has to work tomorrow.

It is used in all tenses.

I had to work last night.

"Have to" is less formal than Must and is common in

conversation.

Form
MODAL MUST POSITIVE Strong/formal obligation *Motorcyclists must wear Must we wear helmets? helmets *All employees must Do we have to wear wear proper safety helmets? equipment QUESTION

HAVE TO

Rules/necessary things/ not as strong as must Children have to go to school

Do we have to have a passport?