MODAL VERBS

Mrs. GLORIA CARRASCO

ACOSTA
 Modal Verbs
• Can (could) Can not
• May (might)
• Shall (should)
• Ought to
• Must
• Have to
MODAL OF DEDUCTION
•PRESENT: SOMETIMES WE
EXPRESS AN OPINION ABOUT
WHETHER SOMETIMES IS TRUE
OR NOT NOW, BASED ON WHAT
WE KNOW OR CAN SEE. WE USE
THE MODAL VERBS
MUST/CAN´T/MIGHT/COULD
You must remember our first meeting.
Ought to certain action
They ought to be at home by now.
May
He may know her address.
possible action
Must
Can
Anybody can make a mistake, we are all human.
WHEN WE´RE SURE THAT SOMETHING
IS TRUE, WE OFTEN USE MUST+VERB
•EXAMPLE:
•They live in a really big house-
They MUST HAVE a lot of money
WHEN WE´RE SURE THAT SOMETHING
ISN´T TRUE, WE OFTEN USE
CAN´T+VERB

•EXAMPLE:
That cheese is two weeks
old,so it CAN´T BE good any
more
 WHEN WE AREN´T SURE,WE OFTEN USE
MIGHT or COULD+VERB TO SHOW
UNCERTAINTY

• EXAMPLE:
They´re speaking Portuguese, so
they MIGHT BE Brazilian.

Perhaps we shouldn´t go there- It

COULD BE dangerous.
 MODAL VERBS OF
DEDUCTION IN PAST
Sometimes we express an opinion
about a past situation or even,
based on what we know or can
see now. We use the modal verbs
MUST/CAN/MIGHT/COULD +
HAVE+ PAST PARTICIPLE
 EXAMPLES
• The wind blew this tree down. It
MUST HAVE BEEN really strong.
• The door lock isn´t broken, so the
thieves CAN´T HAVE GOT in that
way.
• I’m not sure when my bike was
stolen but It MIGHT HAVE BEEN
yesterday afternoon.
 SHOULD(N´T) HAVE
•WE USE
SHOULD/SHOULDN´T
HAVE (DONE) TO CRITICISE
THINGS THAT WE,OR
OTHER PEOPLE, DID IN THE
PAST.
 EXAMPLES
•You SHOUL D HAVE COME To
the party. (You didn´t come
to the party, and I think that
was a mistake.)
•They SHOUL D HAVE
WON.(They didn´t win, and I
think that was a bad/wrong.)
 EXAMPLE
• You SHOUL DN´T HAVE TAKEN it
without asking me. (You did take it
without asking me,and that was
wrong.)
• I SHOUL DN´T HAVE SAID that.
• (I did say it(lo dije), and I think that I
was wrong to do so)
 MODAL PERFECT
Past situation
Modal verb + have + VPP
Ex. He can not have done it.
He may have left Moscow.
You must have left the book at school.
You ought to have done it yesterday.
Match the modal verb and
its meaning
Can not have
Might have possibility
Ought to have obligation
Should not have certainty
Must have prohibition
Could have
 Match the modal verbs
with their

perhaps
probably must
possible
may be may
evidently
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR ATTENTION.
PLEASE IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS TELL ME AND I
WIIL GLADLY HELPYOU.
 EXERSICES
Change the sentences using modal verbs
Ex. Probably he left his bag at home. – He must have left his bag at
home.

1.It is possible that he knows her address.

2.He probably lost his key on his way home.
3.It is possible that he left his note-book at his office.
4.They probably came home very late.
5.Perhaps he is in the library now.
6.The text is probably very difficult.
 Make your «best guess»
by using must
ex. Ann s eyes are red. – She must have been crying.

Nick is very sun-burnt.

Jane is speaking to her mother. Her voice is trembling.

Alex keeps looking at his watch.

There is a long line of people at the theater box-office.

You new camera does not work.