MODAL VERBS

WHAT ARE MODAL VERBS?

Modal verbs belong to the category of auxiliary

verbs. We dont use them on their own, we have
to use them in conjunction with another (main)
verb.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

We use modal verbs to make assessment,

judgement or interpretation of what we are
speaking or writing about, or to express our
attitude to this.
i.e. She can swim (ability)
You ought to be more polite (obligation)
You must try to stand up and walk (necessity)

Modal verbs are linked to particular

communicative functions:
Requesting: Can you please give me a hand?
Offering: May I help you?
Asking for: Please can I take tomorrow off?

Where do they come in sentences?

Modal verbs come immediately before the main
verb in afirmative and negative statements (can
do). In questions, modal verbs come before the
subject ( May I go?)

Formal characteristics of modal verbs: can, could,

may, might, must, shall, should, will and would
They:
Are not inflected in the third person: He must
go (correct) / NOT: he musts go
Are followed by the bare infinitive: I must go
Are negated by the addition of nt or not: I cant/
I cannot
Are inverted with the subject to form a question:
Should I do it?
Have no past forms

Can, could and be able to

1. Can: something is possible or allowed or
somebody has the ability to do something.
2. We can say: somebody is able to do something,
but can is more usual.
3. Could is the past of can. We use could
especially with: see, hear, smell, taste, feel,
remember, understand (we could smell gas).
4. We also use could to say somebody had the
general ability or permission to do something:
my grandfather could speak five languages.

Could and was able to

1. Could for general ability. But if somebody did
something in a specific situation, use:
was/were able to or manage to
2. The negative couldnt / could not is possible in
all situations.
i.e. My grandfather couldnt swim.
We looked for David everywhere, but we
couldnt find him.
Pete played well, but he couldnt beat Mike.

COULD (DO) and COULD HAVE (DONE)

Use of COULD:
1. Past of can
2. To talk about possible actions now or in the future
(especially to make suggestions): we could go to the
cinema.

Can is also possible in the example but with could, the

suggestion is less sure.

3. Could (not can) for actions which are not realistic: Im so

tired, I could sleep for a week.

4. Could (not can) to say that something is possible now or in

the future. The meaning is similar to might or may.

Could have (done)

1. We use could have (done) to talk about the past: Im so
tired, I could sleep for a week (now) / I was so tired, I
could have slept (past)
2. Something could have happened = it was possible but did
not happen: Dave was lucky. He could have hurt
himself when he fell but its ok.
Couldnt: we use couldnt to say that something would not be
possible now: I couldnt live in abig city. Id hate it. (= it
wouldnt be possible for me).
For the past we ue couldnt have (done): we had a really good
holiday. It couldnt have been better.

MUST and CANT

1. Must: to say that something is certain: Youve been
travelling all day. You must be tired.
2. Cant: to say that you believe something is not possible:
Youve just had lunch. You cant be hungry already.
3. STRUCTURE:
I/ you/he must /cant + be (tired, hungry,..)
be (doing/ going/ joking)
do/ get/ know/ have
4. For the past we use: must have (done) / cant have (done).
Structure: I/you/he + must /cant + have + been (asleep)
been (doing)

MAY and MIGHT

1. May and Might to say that something is a possibility: It may be
true ot it might be true.
2. The negative forms are: may not / might not / mightnt
3. Structure:

I/ you/he + may or might+ (not) + be (true, )

be (doing )
know, work
4. For the past: may have (done) / might have (done): I wonder why
Kate didnt answer the phone. She may have been asleep. (perhaps
she was asleep).
5. Structure: I /you + may or might + (not) have + been / been doing/
known

SHOULD
1. Should do something = it is a good thing to do or the
right thing to do. We can use should to give advice or
to give opinion: You look tired. You should go to bed.
2. We use should with I think/I dont think/ do you think?: I
dont think you should work so hard.

3. You shouldnt do something = it isnt a good thing to do

4. Should is not as strong as must or have to: you should
apologize

5. Should is used when something is not right or what you

expect: that man on the motorbike should be wearing a helmet.
6. We also use should to say that we expect something to
happen: she has been studying hard for the exam, so she should pass.
7. You should have done something = you didnt do it, but it
would have been the right thing to do: You missed a great party
last night. You should have come.

8. You shouldnt have done something = you did it, but it

was the wrong thing to do: Im feeling sick. I shouldnt have eaten so
much (= I ate too much).

9. Should (do) and should have (done): You look tired. You
should go to bed now. / You went to bed very late last night. You should
have gone to bed earlier.