POSSIBLE FUNCTIONS OF MODAL VERBS

ou ldn av
sh ht av

w uld n'
ou ld to
m ght tn't
co uld ot

m st n't
gh ’t e
ou to e
sh htn 't

ou
m y h 't

ig

sh l h

w oul
g
ul h
co ld

m igh t

us h
ou l d

w l ha
m ust
ca ha

sh ha
ay

o u 't

tn a
ht hav

ld ha
o
co u

m ayn

sh ht t
dn av

on v
an av
ca n

w
tn ave

w
u
g
ou l d
ce

m gh

't v e
n' ve

n'

n' ve
n' ve

al n't
a

m st
ss

il
u ld

ou o
sh ve
n 't

't e

't e
m y

't e
't
an

to
th e
th

th
s l
th

w e
g
m
co

w
ne

m
ha

ha
h

ha

ha
ca

sh e
ur

ou

ou
m

d
on
ha
ca

a
av

av
av
a
rm

w
n

u
cc
Functions

n
ve

ve

v
ve
al
a

ld
ill
Fi

e
v

't
e
O

t
6% 13 K-Opinion / Tentativeness i6 i6 II II II II II i i i i i i
7% 3 H-Annoyance i i i
10% 10 K-Advice / Suggestion II II II II II i i II8 II II
23% 3 K-Offers II II II3
24% 4 P-Doubt II II i i
25% 6 W-Willingness II II II II II II
26% 6 K-Request II II II II II II
30% 12 P-possibility II9 II II1 i II II i i II II i i
59% 10 D-Deduction II i i II II i II i i i
60% 12 G-Report Tense II II II II i i i i II II i i
76% 8 D-Concession II II II II II II II2 II
78% 3 H-Annoying habit II II i
80% 2 H-Habit II i
85% 2 A-ability II i
85% 2 A-inability II i
90% 11 P-Prediction II10 II3 II i4 i4 II5 II5 II+i II+i II5 II5
92% 4 P-Fact (Truth & Impossibility) II i II II
95% 4 P-Imaginary II II i i
100% 2 M-Refusal II i
100% 2 O-Instruction II II
100% 5 M-Intention II3 II II i i
102% 3 O-Necessity II i i
103% 2 O-Obligation (Moral) II II
119% 7 O-Permission/Prohibition II II i i II II II
120% 10 O-Official Order / Duty II II II II i i i i II II
LEGENDS
1 Can be used in present tenses
2 it's unclear whether this is part of past or present tenses
3 With I and we only
4 Perfect
5 Perfect - can describe the present
6 idioms only
7 ought to and ought not to can't replace should in subjunctive moods or conditionals
8 ask only
9 or theoractical possibility
10 in the form of hopes