Mukesh Kuma Meena

Assistant Prof. (English)

Govt. Arts College, Dausa (Raj.)

MODALS
In English grammar, modals are auxiliary verb used with main verb to
express ideas or concepts such as possibility, permission, necessity etc.

They indicate various notions, concepts, modes, manners, moods or modalities.

Modality is about a speaker’s or a writer’s attitude towards the world. A

speaker or writer can express certainty, possibility, willingness and ability by
using modal words and expressions.

LIST OF MODALS. MODAL AUXILIARIES :-

Can Could May Might

Must Shall Will Should

Would

Semi Modals :-

Need (not) dare (not) Ought to used to had better

(1) The modals have following main properties :-

Modals lack the non- tensed forms such as infinitive, present participle
and past participle.
Eg:- To can (Infinitive)
Canning (Present Participle)
Canned (Past Participle)

The above forms are wrong.

 (2) Most modals have only two tensed forms. They do not have all the tenses.

Eg :- I can call him today. (Present)

I can call him tomorrow (Future)

The modal ‘used to’ has only the past form.

(3) Modal verbs are always followed by a verb in its base form.
(S+ modal + v,)
𝐻𝑒 𝐶𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
Er :- Chinese
𝑆 𝑀 𝑉1

(4) They do not enter into person- number concord with the subject. They
have a single present/ past tense form occurring with any kind of subject.

Er :- I/We/They/ He can run fast.

I/We/They/ He could run fast.

(5) In conditional constructions, only modals can appear as the first verb
(auxiliary) in the main clause.

Eg :-

If John works hard, he can/will succeed.

If john worked hard, he could/ would succeed.

(6) There is no progressive form of modals.

He can run. (Right)
He canning run (Wrong)
(7) They do not add s/es to the third person singular in the present form.
Eg :- He cans run. (Wrong)
He can run (right)
(8) In questions, the modal verbs behave like the auxiliary verbs :- do, have,
Be
Eg : Can he run fast ?
 (9) Modals in affirmative do not have contracted forms except will, would
Eg :- I’ll (I will)
I’d (I would)
(10) The negative is formed by the addition of ‘not’ after the modal.

Eg :- can not

Should not

In informal spolen English, ‘not’ is often reduced to n’t (modal + n’t)

Eg :- Can’t + (can not) shan’t (Shall not)

Shouldn’t, won’t (will not)

‘Mayn’t and ‘Shan’t have not gained much acceptability in Am E.

(11) So using the modal verbs we may, For example, ask for permission
to do something, grant permission to someone, give or receive advice,
make or respond to requests and offer, give instructions or orders, express
duty or obligation etc.

Sentence structure using modals :-

They are auxiliary verbs which mean they allow subject – auxiliary inversion
and can take the negation ‘not’.

Plain Statement S+M+V1 , S+M+Not+V1

Question M+S+V1,

Where S = Subject

M = Modal

V1 = Present (base) form of the main verb

HOW TO USE MODALS

1. Can :-
Use Example
Ability/ Capability John can solve this problem
She can speak French.
Capacity/ Power The district collector can ba the sale of this drug
She can lift 80 Kg.
Possibility Anybody can make mistake
Can she get back today?
Can it rain tonight?
Permission (less Can I use your pen?
formal or informal)

Can not/ can’t

Inability We can’t fix it

Prohibition You can’t use it
(informal)

2. Could :-
Use Example
Past ability/ capability He could run fast when he was young
Request (polite) Could I see you tomorrow?
Could I use your mobile?
Possibility We could attend the meeting.
He could be very rough.
The sea could be stormy in summer.
3. May
Use Example
Permission (Formal) May I have another cup of tea?
May I come in?
You may take only one candy.
Possibility/probability/likelihood The clouds are dark, so it may rain
today.
She may get good marks as she is
working hard.
Wish/ blessing May you live long!
May God bless you!

May not / Mayn’t :-

Use Example
Prohibition (Formal) You may not come in.
You may not bring mobile phone in
examination hall.

4. Might
Use Example
Least / remote There are few clouds, so it might rain.
possibility
You are late, you might catch the train.
Request You might help me.
(reproachable) (you should have helped me, but you didn’t)
Request (polite) Might I see you tonight?
5. Must :- (used for ‘emphasis)
Use Example
Strong advice/ suggestion You are seriously ill, you must go to hospital
You must work hard to secceed.
Obligation/ compulsion/ We must pay income tax without fail
necessity
Every employee must follow rules
You must have a driving license to drive a
vehicle
Moral obligation/ We must love our country.
Duty A teacher must have patience
We must help the poor.

Must not (Mustn’t ) :-

Use Example
Prohibition You must not disturb the patient.
You must not park your vehicle here.

6. Shall : It is used to indicate future actions. The other uses are as follows:-
Use Example
Shall with Ist person (I/We) :-
Offer (in question form) Shall I pay for dinner?
Shall I help you?
Shall I bring the files at your house?
Suggestion Shall we go to watch movie?
Shall we play cricket?
Shall with IInd and IIIrd person
Command/ order/ This door shall be kept closed at all times.
instruction (in legal, quasi He shall go at once.
legal fields) You shall not lie.
Every citizen shall have right to live.
 Threat You shall regret it.
They shall pay dearly.

7. Will :- with IInd & IIIrd person pronouns ‘will’ indicates simple future .
other uses are as follows :-
With Ist person I/We
Use Example
Certainity / strong I will leave for Mumbai tomorrow.
possibility (of an I can’t see any taxis, so I will walk.
action in future )
Offer I will do that for you if you like.
Promise I will come back on Monday.
I will help you.
Willingness I will buy a car.
I will go to Paris.
Intention We will build a house.
I will meet with my old friend.
Determination We will work hard.
I will participate in dance competition.
Threat I will teach you a lesson.
I will see you.
Prediction India will be a superpower by 2030
The train will leave at 09:40 PM
Polite request Will you take a cup of tea? Please?
Will you please switch on the fan?
Polite command Will you close the gate?
Will you sit down?
 Will not (won’t) :-

Use Example
Invitation Won’t you have a cold drink?
Won’t you come to my home?

8. Should :-
Use Example
Advice/ suggestion The rich should help poor.
You should learn English
Possibility Fees should decrease next year.
Moral duty You should obey you teachers.
We should serve our nation.
Deduction/assumption Since he started early, he should have
(about past action) caught the first train.
My letter should have reached her by now.
Obligation not fulfilled (in You should have spoken the truth.
the past) They should have helped her.

Note :- Should while expressing advice/ obligation indicates speaker’s

personal opinion, not his authority, so the desired action is not mandatory.
9. Would
Use Example
Polite request Would you please convey my message?
Would you close the window?
Invitation would Would you like to come to my home?
like (with request) would you like to stay with me?
Post habit 1. We would sit on the hill in childhood
(Occasional 2. I would love film music in my young
occurrence of past age.
activity)_ 3. We would play cricket in the evening
 in our school days.
Wish Would that I were a bird!
Preference (would I would rather have tea
rather)
Determination He would do it whether you like it or not.

Semi modals :
1. ‘need’ (not)
In negative and interrogative sentences it acts as modal anxiliary and
gives the following meanings :-
Use Example
Absence of obligation / (need not)
necessity You need not wait.
He need not ask my permission.
- You need only sign this paper and I
will do the rest.
- We need hardly say that we are very
greatful.
- Need we wait any longer?
- Need I come again?

2. Dare (not)
As a modal verb, it is used in negative and interrogative sentences.
Use Example
Absence of courage/ to They dare not complain about the boss’s
lack courage son.
I dare not talk to her when she in bad mood
The USA daren’t attack china.

To express courage or How dare she criticize us?

anger at something. Dare anyone say I can’t do it?
 3. ‘Ought to’

Ought to is used to express advice/ suggestion, moral duty, deduction/

assumption (about past action), and obligation (not fulfilled in the past) etc,
just like ‘should’. In most cases both are interchangeable. Ought to sounds
more emphatic and stronger than should.

Should expresses an individual opinion while ‘ought to’ expresses a shared

opinion, associated with objectivity.

Ought to sounds more emphatic and stronger than should.

Should is much more frequently used than ought to in both spoken and
written forms.

Eg: advice – the rich ought to help the poor.

Moral duty – you ought to obey your teachers.

4. Used to :-
Use Example
Past habit/ state I used to play football at school
I used to swim one hour daily in my
childhood.
John used to be cheerful.
To be accustomed to We are now used to work without electricity
I am now used to dust and noise.

5. Had better :-
Use Example
Advice You had better tell her everything.
I’d better get back to work.
You had better not say anything.
Note :- We use ‘had better’ to give advice about specific situation, not general
ones. For general situations, ‘should’ is used.

You should brush you teeth daily.

When we use ‘had better’ there is suggestion that if the advice is not
followed, something bad can happen.
Eg :- you had better do what I say or else you will get into trouble.
You had better revise your lessons.