MINI STUDY GUIDE

ADVANCED ENGLISH 2 – MODAL VERBS

Modal verbs are used to express many meanings. The most prevalent are:

EXPRESSING ABILITY:

Modal: CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO

Non-modal: MANAGE

CAN: It is used to express ability or capability in the present.

She can play the piano very well.

COULD: It is used to express a general ability in the past.

My grandfather could speak five languages.

Nevertheless, when we want to describe what happened in a particular situation, we use verb MANAGE or
the modal verb BE ABLE TO:

He managed to leave the party before his

ex-wife came.

TO BE ABLE TO: It is used for all those tenses in which can (present) or could (past and conditional) cannot be
used, that is, with the future, the perfect tenses and with modals.

My teacher said I will be able to speak Russian in three years.

My father has been able to write a short story for a competition.
You should be able to play the guitar by now, after three years teaching.

MAKING DEDUCTIONS AND EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY:

MUST, MIGHT, MAY, COULD, COULDN’T, CAN’T

MUST: It shows that we are almost sure that our deduction is certain, because it is based on logic or strong
evidence.

That restaurant must be very good.

It is always full.
MAY: It shows that our deduction is only a possibility.

Norman may not come to the meeting this afternoon. He’s ill.

MIGHT: It shows that the possibility is not very probable.

Norman might not come to the party on Saturday. He’s been ill this week.

The difference between “may” and “might” is very subtle and in some cases there is none. “Might” expresses a
slightly lower degree of possibility than “may”.

I may go to New England on vacation.

= I might go to New England on vacation.

COULD: It refers to a general possibility in the past.

He could be the criminal. He had enough time to steal the bracelet before they all went to dine.

CAN’T / COULDN’T: We deduce by logic or strong evidencethat something is impossible. “Can’t” is used in the
present and “couldn’t” in the past.

Look. Is that Louise?

That can’t be Louise. She is in Canada with her parents.
I couldn’t answer the phone because I was taking a shower. I hope it was not James who called.
It couldn’t be James. He was with me all the time and he didn’t call anybody.

ASKING FOR AND GIVING PERMISSION:

Modal: MAY, CAN, COULD

Non-Modal: TO BE ALLOWED TO, TO BE PERMITTED

MAY: This is the traditional form of asking for permission.

May I come in?

May I sit here?

In informal conversations, it can be substituted by “Can”.

Can I borrow your pen?

“Could” is a little more polite than “can”.

Could I borrow your pen, please?

We can also use the non-modal verbs “to be allowed to” and “to be permitted” to express permission. It tends
to be used in slightly more formal situations.

Students are allowed to use the bathroom

during the test.
 Students are permitted to use the bathroom
during the test.

EXPRESSING ADVISABILITY & OBLIGATION:

SHOULD, MUST, HAVE TO, DON’T HAVE TO, DON’ T NEED TO

SHOULD: It is used to indicate suggestions, advice, or a moderate obligation.

We should leave before it’s too late.

You should ask for a sample before buying the whole pack.
You should start preparing for your test right now.

MUST / HAVE TO: Both are used to indicate an obligation or necessity.

It’s very late. I must leave.

= It’s very late. I have to leave.

Nevertheless, there’s a difference between them, which sometimes can be important:

We use “must” when we refer to our personal feelings.

Mary is said to be ill. I must visit her.

We use “have to”, when it’s about something impersonal:

At the crossroads, you have to turn right because it is a one-way only.

DON’T HAVE TO / DON’ T NEED TO: They express that there is no obligation or necessity for doing something.

You don’t have to go now, you can go later.

They don’ t need to worry, everything is under control.

EXPRESSING PROHIBITION:

Modal: MUST NOT

Non-modal: NOT TO BE ALLOWED TO, TO BE FORBIDDEN

The modal verb must not and the non-modal verbs “not be allowed to” and “to be forbidden” are used to express
prohibition.

You must not smoke in a hospital.

You are not allowed to smoke in a hospital.
It is forbidden to smoke in a hospital.

Must expressed a personal prohibition, whereas “not be allowed to” and “to be forbidden” denote a more formal
and official prohibition.

Taken from DEXWAY Level V course II