= “ MEANINGS OF MODAL VERBS Here is a quick reference to the meanings of modal verbs. For basic grammar information, see Unit 3, Overview: for key difficulties with meaning, see the Watch out, Unit 4, p.63 Modal Meaning / Use Example can ability ‘Can you play the piano? theoretical possibility Anyone cam make a mistake. permission, Can I leave early, please? requests Can you give mea hand? offers Can T help you out? can’t / cannot inability Tean’t play the piano. possibility Can't you come any carier? (= isn't it possible) prohibition You can’t leave until I say 50 deduction ‘This bill can’t be right can’t have deduction She's gone to the wrong door ~ she can’t have seen the sign. ‘could past ability The shop had nothing that I could afford. possibility There could be trouble ifthe government tris to force this measure through. requests Could you give me a hand asking for permission Could I leave a bit early today? permission in the past. When I was young, I could stay up late at weekends if | promised t0 be good. deduction That could be John’s car I can hear — he said he was coming. idiomatic You could at least tll me what they said. (= I think you should...) couldn't past inability Tcouldn’t walk wntil 1 was nearly two. impossibility Teouldn’t cat another thing! requests Couldn't you try again? prohibition in the past My mum used to insist that we eouldn’t go out until we’ tidied our bedroom. deduction I eouldn’t be Joe, could it? I thought he was away om business idiomatic Tcouldn’t agree more! (= I strongly agree) could have possibility in the past Your actions eould have had! serious consequences. couldn't have may may have / may not have annoyance impossibility in the past, idiomatic possibility expressing hopes permission offers possibility prohibition concession possibility in the past concession You could have told me! (= 1 Tcould have murdered him! ish you had told me) ‘was very angry with him) He couldn't have taken your car by mistake because he didn’t have the keys. It couldn’t have been better. (= It was perfect) We may go to France next year May you both be very happy: You may go when you've finished. May I be of any assistance? ‘They may live next door but we harily ever see them. We may not go to France this year You may not go until you've finished I may not be very intelligent but Ican work out the answer to that question. They may not have lft yet He may have written books on the subject, but that doesn't mean he’s @ ‘world expert.MEANINGS OF MODAL VERBS Modal Meaning / Use Example might We use might as the He sal he might come with us, past form of may afier Past rense verbs possibility This expedition might be quite dangerous. suggestions You might try phoning directory enguiis requests Might I borrow some money? inoyence You might a leat say you're sory! concession He might seem rue, but he's nt relly sight not We use might not as He said he might not come with us the past form oF may not afer Past tense verbs possibilty You might not lke concession He might not wear glasses, but his eyesight i not perfect ether. tight have possibilty in the past They might have been trying to contact us ennoyance ou might have told me! (= 1 wish you'd told me) concession She might have worked hard, but you wouldnt know it fom her ress. might not have possibility in the past They might not have noticed the sign. concession She might not have done al the work, but she certainly got good results ims deduction What’ that noise? It must be raining, obligation You must take your shoes off tn here necessity The wires mus ouch or it won't work mustn't prohibition You wusti’t worry — youl be fine must have deduction in the past. I must have lefty wallet i the ca. necessity in the past Inonler to qualify forthe job, you must have had several years" mustn't have necessity in the past You mustn't have had any driving convictions or you won't get the jo. Seat “prediction (Vand wa) think we shall gat back early nat week intention (Land we) We shal give our final decision tomorrow offers (land we) Shall | give you a hand? official orders All he candidates shall remain i thei seats until heen ofthe examination, asking for advice What shall we do now? shan’t prediction We shan’t gt back much before ten. intention I shaw’ let him do that again shall prediction We shall have finished by this evening, (= Future Perfect) shan’s have We shan’t have another opportunity if we don’t win today. (continued) 6GRAMMAR ‘Modal Meaning / Use Example _ should / ought to. (those uses marked * are also appropriate to ought 10) giving your opinion* ‘The traffic should / ought to be lighter today. expressing doubt 1 shoulal think it will rain today. advice* You should / ought to go out more often. “obligation* (duty) People should / ought to treat each other better. instructions All visitors should report to reception conditional (see Unit 5, Section 3.4) Ifanyone should phone / Should anyone phone, tell them FIL be back this afiernoon, with that-clauses after certain verbs I suggested that he should take a break. with that-clauses after adjectives Inis essential that you should contact us. in purpose clauses expressing doubt They spoke quietly so that nobody should hear what they were saying. shouldn't / (those uses marked * are also coughtn’t to appropriate to oughtn’t to) advice* You shouldn't /oughtn’t to drive so fast. obligation’ (duty) People shouldn't /oughtn’t to be so aggressive. giving your opinion* ‘The trafic shouldn't / oughtn’t to be too bad today. with thar-clauses after certain verbs I suggested that he shouldn't work so hard, expressing doubt J shouldn't think he'd enjoy it. should have/ advice in the past You should have told me before shouldn't have! giving your opinion* about the past The traffic should have / ought to have been lighter ‘ought to have / earlier today. ‘oughtn’t to have will ‘will have / won't have expressing doubt about the past obligation* (duty) in the past with that-clauses afier certain verbs prediction predicting the present truths and facts “obligation / orders habits annoying habits willingness intention prediction predicting the present truths and facts refusal intention prediction predicting the past 1 shouldn’t have thought he'd have enjoyed it You should have / ought to have been there hours ago. ‘They shouldn't have driven so fast. 1 suggested that he should have taken a break. They'll be here soon. They'll be there by now. This car will only run on unleaded petrol. All passengers will proceed to Gate 7 immediately, She'll always try to help you whenever she can He will smoke when I'm trying to eat PU give you a hand ifyou like. PUL put the letter in the post this evening. “They won't be here for a while. ‘They won't be there yet ‘This car won't start He won't join in unless he's frst, 1 won't come this evening, Pm afaid. J won't have finished this book by this evening ‘They'l have easily got there by novMEANINGS OF MODAL VERBS Modal Meaning / Use Example would prediction They said they would be here soon. predicting the present thought they'd be there by now. describing imaginary situations You'd look better with your hair shorter. (For would in conditionals and after ‘wish, see Unit 5, Sections 3.3, 4.2.) habits in the past She would always try to help you. annoying habits in the past He would smoke when I was irying to eat. requests Would you open the door for me? tention in the past He said he'd put the letter in the post later (we use would as the past form of will, e.g. in reported speech) typical (annoying) behaviour It would start raining just as we went out. advice Pa talk to him about it if T were you wouldn't prediction They said they wouldn’t be here for ages. predicting the present J thought they wouldn’t be here yet. describing imaginary situations You wouldn’t say that ifyou'd met him. refusal in the past He wouldn't do what I asked requests You wouldn’t open the door for me, would you? intention in the past He said he wouldn't be coming tonight. (we use would’ as the past form ‘of won't, eg, in reported speech) advice I wouldn’t do that if I were you would have/ events in the past which didn't happen Id have met you at the station if1'd known you were swouldn’t have oor which did happen tentative thoughts deductions in the past (we use would / wouldn't have as the ast form of will / won't have, e.g, in reported speech after Past tense verbs) coming I wwouldn’t have told you if Td known you'd be so upset. PA have thought he'd have jumped at the chance. [first went to Italy when I was at University; that would have been in 1982. He promised he would have posted it before five o'clock o