PRE-INT UNIT 8 MODAL VERBS (RULES)

I. Ability and Possibility: can/can’t/cannot

- We use ‘can’ when we talk about ability and possibility

Can you ride a bike? No, I can’t. (I don’t know how to do it.)

Sorry, but I can’t come to your party on Friday. (It’s not possible)

I can’t lift this table. (It’s impossible.)

- ‘Can’ is a modal auxiliary verb. We use a modal auxiliary with a verb infinitive (without to)
- A modal auxiliary does not change its form.

I can swim. I can’t swim. Can I swim? Yes, you can. No, you can’t.

You can swim You can’t swim. Can you swim? Yes, I can. No, I can’t.

S/he can swim. S/he can’t swim. Can s/he swim? Yes, s/he can. No, s/he can’t.

We can swim. We can’t swim. Can we swim? Yes, we (you) can. No, we (you) can’t.

They can swim. They can’t swim. Can they swim? Yes, they can. No, they can’t.

Tag questions: You can see it, can’t you? You can’t see it, can you?

II. Obligation: must/ have to

- We usually use ‘must’ when we talk about necessary or important actions. We make the rule
ourselves.

I must leave now. I don’t want to be late.

We must remember to take our passports.

- We can also use ‘have to’ in these situations.

- We use ‘have to’ when we talk about a rule made for us by somebody else.

We have to wear a uniform at my school. (a rule)

When the lights are red, you have to stop. (a rule)

- ‘Have to’ changes to ‘has to’ for ‘he’ ‘she’ ‘it’. Paul has to do his homework now.
- We don’t usually use ‘must’ to make questions.

I must leave at 6:00. Do I have to leave at 6:oo?

I have to leave. Do I have to leave?

You have to leave. Do you have to leave?

S/he has to leave. Does s/he have to leave?

III. Advice: should/ ought to

- ‘Should’ gives the speaker’s opinion of what is a good thing to do. ‘Should’ is used when we
think something is a good idea.

You should check your work at the end of the lesson. You should eat fruit every day.

IV. Negative Obligation: mustn’t/ don’t have to/ shouldn’t

- We use ‘mustn’t‘ when something is not allowed. You can’t do it.

You mustn’t shout. Students mustn’t eat or drink in the classroom. You mustn’t park your car
here. People mustn’t put litter here. People mustn’t smoke inside the building.

- ‘Must not’ is more formal and used in written English.

- We use ‘don’t/doesn’t have to’ when something is not necessary.

We don’t have to go to school tomorrow. We can stay at home.

Jim doesn’t have to get up early tomorrow. It is his off-day.

You don’t have to take your umbrella with you. It isn’t raining.

I don’t have to ………. Do I have to…..?

You don’t have to…. Do you have to……..?

S/he doesn’t have to….. Does s/he have to ………?

- We use ‘shouldn’t’ when we think it is a bad idea to do something.

You shouldn’t watch television all day. (In my opinion this is a bad idea.)

Kate shouldn’t eat so much chocolate. People shouldn’t talk on their mobile phones on the bus.

V. Possibility or uncertainty: might/ may/ could

Impossibility or certainty: can’t/ must

- Possibility or uncertainty – future time

Our team might win the basketball match. (It’s possible.)

I may/might see you next week. (I’m not really sure.)

I may/ might not have time to finish tonight.

- Possibility or uncertainty – present time

The cat could be in the kitchen or it could be in the garden. I don’t know.

Where is John? I don’t know. He may/might be at the cinema.

- Impossibility or certainty –present time

It can’t be Tuesday today! It was Tuesday yesterday!

The lights are on, so he must be at home. (I’m sure he is at home.)

She can’t be in Spain! I saw her today! (I’m sure she isn’t in Spain.)

We cannot use ‘can’t’ and ‘must’ for impossibility or certainty in future time.

We can’t say: It can be Tuesday . or It mustn’t be Tuesday.

Modals have more than one meaning. It depends on the context.

You must pay before 21st January. (Obligation)

I think Carol must be very happy. (Certainty)

Can you use a computer? (Ability)

Can you open the window? (Informal request)

Nick can’t dance. He’s never learned. (Inability- not able to do it)

It can’t be Tuesday! (Impossibility)

-Some modals have the same meaning in the same context.

I have to go.= I must go.

-The negative forms have different meanings.

I don’t have to go. (It isn’t necessary.)

I mustn’t go. (It’s not allowed.)

- Some modals have only small differences in meaning.

I have to wear a suit and a tie. (This is the rule.)

I should wear a suit and a tie. (This is not a rule but people expect me to do it. I can choose not
to do it!)

Susan should study for her exam, but she can’t concentrate.

VI. Modals: past could/couldn’t/had to/ didn’t have to

Past ability: could/couldn’t

We use could/couldn’t to describe ability or possibility in the past.

Jane could swim when she was six. (She knew how to swim.)

I looked for my wallet but I couldn’t find it.

Past obligation: had to

We use had to to describe what was important or necessary in the past. Must does not have a
past form-we use had to.

I had to do a lot of homework yesterday.

I had to go. We had to go.

You had to go. They had to go.

S/he had to go

Didn’t have to: We use it to describe what was not important or necessary in the past.

Tom didn’t have to go to school today.

I didn’t have to go. We didn’t have to go.

You didn’t have to go. They didn’t have to go.

S/he didn’t have to go.