MODAL VERBS

Can, could, may, might, must, have to, should,

ought to, would, will

A los verbos modales se les llama también

defectivos porque se rigen bajo unas reglas muy
determinadas, estas son:
1.-No llevan -s en la tercera persona del singular del
presente simple. He can do it
2.-No necesitan AUXILIARES para formar la
negativa ni la interrogativa ya que ellos mismos
hacen de auxiliares.
Can you dance? No, I can´t.

3.-Van seguidos del infinitivo SIN to, excepto

OUGHT TO y HAVE TO. He must come home soon.
CARACTERÍSTICAS DE CADA UNO DE ELLOS:

CAN
1.-He can find any street in London. Ability
2.-You can take a taxi. Suggestion
3.-Can you take me to Victoria Station? Request
(petición)

BE ABLE TO: He was able to find any street in

London. Ability. BE ABLE TO lo utilizamos en los
tiempos que le faltan a CAN, ya que se puede
conjugar en pasado, futuro etc.
Will you be able to do it before six o´clock? ¿Podrás
hacerlo antes de las 6?
Recuerda BE ABLE TO y HAVE TO se consideran
SEMI MODALES ya que se pueden conjugar como
verbos normales pero tienen características de
modales también.

CAN´T.- That story can´t be true. Certainty that

something is impossible

COULD
1.- I could play tennis when I was younger. Ability
in the past
2.- Could you take me to Victoria Station? Request
3.-You could take a taxi. Suggestion
MAY
1.- It may be quicker to travel by train. Possibility
(puede que..)
2.- May I come in? Formal request

MIGHT
It might be quicker to travel by train. Possibility
(podría..…)

MUST
1.- I must go to the dentist.Moral Obligation (It´s
good for me)
2.- Look at the snow. It must be cold outside.
Certainty that something is true
MUSTN´T
You mustn´t drive without a license. Prohibition

HAVE TO
You have to go to the dentist. Obligation
(somebody makes you do it) or it´s a rule.

DON´T HAVE TO
You don´t have to call a taxi. Lack of obligation

SHOULD
You should drive more carefully Advice (more
frequently used)
OUGHT TO
You ought to drive more carefully Advice (hardly
used in negative and interrogative)

WOULD
Would you mind waiting a moment? Request
Would you mind waiting a moment? Invitation
Fill in can, have to, may, might, must, should or ought
to.

1. George has travelled a lot. He ______ speak many

languages.

2. I can hear you quite well. You ______ not shout.

3. I'm not sure where I will go for my holidays, but I

______ go to Italy.

4. She ______ ride her bike at night without lights. It's not
allowed.

5. She ______ not eat so much chocolate because it's bad for
her figure.
6. I ______ understand him. He should speak louder.

7. It's later than I thought. I ______ go now.

8. You ______ a better trainer if you want to improve

yourself.

9. Talk to Ann about your problems. I'm sure she ______

help you.

10. You ______ not vacuum the carpets because Carol has
already
Complete the sentences with a modal verb from the
box below. Sometimes more than one answer is
possible.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

1. You ___________________ be exhausted after your

long trip. Come in and have a drink.
1. You SHOULD be exhausted after your long trip.
Come in and have a drink.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

2. John ___________________ taken your car keys. He

hasn't even left the house.
2. John CAN’T HAVE taken your car keys. He hasn't
even left the house.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

3. I won't go out this afternoon because the weather

forecast is not very good, and I ___________________ get
wet.
3. I won't go out this afternoon because the weather
forecast is not very good, and I MIGHT get wet.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

4. You ___________________ to apply for the job yet. You

can do it later this week.
4. You CAN/COULD/MIGHT to apply for the job yet.
You can do it later this week.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

5. I ___________________ left my wallet in the car. I can't

find it anywhere.
5. I COULD HAVE left my wallet in the car. I can't find
it anywhere.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

6. That ___________________ be Jake. It's impossible. He

said he was going to Spain.
6. That COULDN’T be Jake. It's impossible. He said he
was going to Spain.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

7. You ___________________ step into the headmaster's

office without permission.
7. You MUSTN’T step into the headmaster's office
without permission.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

8. Tell your sister she ___________________ stay the

night here if she wants to.
8. Tell your sister she CAN/MAY stay the night here if
she wants to.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

9. You have already drunk a glass of wine. You

___________________ not drive. Let me.
9. You have already drunk a glass of wine. You HAD
BETTER/SHOULD not drive. Let me.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

10. You ___________________ see the Eiffel Tower and

the Louvre when you go to Paris.
10. You CAN see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre when
you go to Paris.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

11. I ___________________ to take orders from you.

You're not my boss!
11. I CAN’T HAVE to take orders from you. You're not
my boss!
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

12. When I was younger, I ___________________ run very

fast.
12. When I was younger, I COULD run very fast.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

13. Your cold is getting worse and you have a runny

nose. You ___________________ to see the doctor.
13. Your cold is getting worse and you have a runny
nose. You SHOULD see the doctor.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

14. My husband is preparing dinner. He's not a good

cook so you ________________ expect anything special.
14. My husband is preparing dinner. He's not a good
cook so you CAN/COULD expect anything special.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

15. Don't leave your window open at night. Someone

___________________ climb in.
15. Don't leave your window open at night. Someone
CAN/COULD climb in.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

16. Brenda ___________________ be over thirty. She

graduated a year after me and I'm only 26.
16. Brenda MUSTN’T be over thirty. She graduated a
year after me and I'm only 26.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

17. You ___________________ to come with me. I can

manage on my own.
17. You OUGHT to come with me. I can manage on my
own.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

18. She ___________________ got lost. Otherwise she'd

be here by now.
18. She MUST HAVE got lost. Otherwise she'd be here
by now.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

19. You must be more careful. You ___________________

been killed crossing the street without looking.
19. You must be more careful. You COULD HAVE been
killed crossing the street without looking.
CAN - CAN'T – CAN'T HAVE - COULD – COULD HAVE
- DON'T HAVE – HAD BETTER – MIGHT - MUST –
MUST HAVE - MUSTN'T – NEED - OUGHT –
SHOULDN'T

20. I didn't ___________________ to buy more groceries.

We already had enough.
20. I didn't NEED to buy more groceries. We already
had enough.