THESE GRAMMAR NOTES REFER TO THE USE OF MODAL VERBS

MODAL VERBS The Modal Verbs are: can, could, may, might, must, will, would, shall, should, ought to. They are known as modal auxiliary verbs because they help another verb: I can swim. Do you think I should go?

FORM 1. There is no s in the third person singular:

She can swim; he must be tired; it might rain later. 2. There is no DO/DOES in the question:

Shall we go for a walk? Can I help you? What should I do? 3. There is no DONT/DOESNT in the negative:

He cant dance; I wont be a minute; you mustnt steal. 4. Modal auxiliary verbs do not usually have past forms. Other expressions are used instead:

I had to work very hard at school; COULD is used with a past meaning in some cases. 5. They have no infinitives and no ing forms. Other expressions are used instead:

Id love to be able to ski; I hate having to get up on cold mornings. 6. They are followed by infinitive without to:

You must go; Ill help you. Ought to is the exception: you ought to see a doctor. 7. They can be used with perfect infinitives to talk about the past:

You should have told me that you cant swim: you might have drowned!

USE Each modal verb usually has at least two meanings. 1. One use of all of them is to express possibility or probability:

I must post this letter (= obligation); you must be tired (= deduction, probability); could you please help me? (= request); we could go to Portugal (= possibility, suggestion); may I go now? (= permission); Hannah may be at work now (= possibility) 2. Modal verbs express our attitudes, opinions and judgements of events.

Whos that knocking at the door? It could/may/might/must/should/cant/ll be Henry.

OBLIGATION is expressed by must / have to / should / ought to. We dont usually use must in questions, although it is possible: must I ? Have to has all the forms that must does not have: I had to work yesterday (past); you will have to attend that seminar (future); she has never had to commute (present perfect); I hate having to cook (-ing form); if you were a teacher, you would have to be very patient (infinitive). Should expresses weak obligation and is often accompanied by sentences like do you think: do you think I should apply for that job? MUST is used to express an obligation that invo lves the speakers opinion; it is personal: I must get my hair cut (this is me talking to myself); I must write to Anne: I havent written to her for ages! (the speaker personally feels that he must do it); must is also associated with a formal, written style: candidates must answer all questions (instructions on an exam paper). HAVE TO expresses a general obligation based on a law or rule or based on the authority of another person. It is more objective : I have to go to my GP (I have an appointment); in many English-speaking countries you have to drive on the left.

Sometimes the two verbs are interchangeable: I must/have to be back by midnight.

MUSTNT / DONT HAVE TO are very different! Mustnt expresses a negative obligation it is important NOT to do something: you mustnt steal other peoples things; dont have to expresses the absence of obligation: you dont have to come tomorrow (it is not necessary).

You can always use HAVE GOT TO, especially in British English.

EXPRESSING PERMISSION: can / may / be allowed to are used to express permission: you can borrow my bike; may we smoke here? You are not allowed to use mobiles.

MAKING REQUESTS : can / could / will / would You can also use the following: 2

Would you mind filling in this form? Do you mind if I open the door? Would you mind if I opened the door?

MAKING OFFERS: will and shall are used in such cases: shall we go out for a pizza? (shall is used only for I and we)

MAY / MIGHT express possibility in the present or future: take your umbrella as it might rain; we may go to Paris on holiday.

Examples of modals in the past: MODAL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (for the negative add NOT to the modal verb)

You might have left your wallet in the shop (= perhaps you have left it there) Robert must have gone out (now hes not in). She passed me in the street without speaking: she cant have seen me. I rang Helen but she did not reply, so I suppose she may have been in the bath. Sandy did not come to the meeting: he might not have known about it.

Sometimes modal verbs can be structured in the continuous form (instead of being followed by infinitive) when you talk about possible plans: MODAL VERB + BE + -ING FORM

I may/might be going to Belgium in December (I may go = its a possibility). I really should be going now (I should go right now!).