UNIVERSIDAD ARCIS / / ESCUELA DE INGLÉS

MODALS
VERB USE EXAMPLE
CAN / Possibility I can meet you tomorrow.
CAN’T Ability I can swim.
Permission Can I smoke?
Request (informal) Can you help me please?
SHOULD / Recommendation I think you should change your book.
SHOULDN’T Advising You shouldn't do that.
MUST / Strong obligation All visitors must report to Reception.
MUSN’T Prohibition Passengers mustn't carry guns.
HAVE TO / General obligation Nurses have to wear a uniform.
DON’T HAVE TO Necessity I have to finish this work.

ALL MODAL VERBS:

1. express attitude
2. need a second verb in the infinitive to have meaning
Example: You should eat healthy food.
3. never change their form, never add – S with HE/SHE/IT or – ED in the past
Example: She should close all the windows before she goes out.
4. form the negative by adding NOT after them:
Example: You should NOT eat too much fat.
5. the negative form can be contracted.
Example: You shouldn't eat too much fat.

SHOULD / SHOULDN’T
Recommendation You look tired. You should go to bed.
Advising You shouldn't do that.
You use Should when something is not right or what we expected.
 I wonder where Liz is. She should be here by now.
 The price on this packet is wrong. It should be 1.20.-
You use Should to say that we expect something to happen.
 She studied a lot for the exam. She should pass.
 There are many hotels in town. It shouldn’t be difficult to find a place to stay.

HAVE TO/ DON’T HAVE TO

General obligation Nurses have to wear a uniform.
Necessity I have to finish this work.
For Present, Future and Past.
You use Have to for facts, not for our personal feelings. You have to do something because of a rule or the
situation. It is an objective obligation. The obligation is imposed from outside.
**Mustn't and Don't have to are completely different. **
You mustn't use a dictionary - it isn't permitted
You don't have to use a dictionary - it isn't necessary

 You can’t turn right here. You have to turn left.

 George can’t come out with us tonight. He has to work.

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 UNIVERSIDAD ARCIS / / ESCUELA DE INGLÉS
MODALS

MUST / MUSN’T
Strong obligation All visitors must report to Reception.
Prohibition Passengers mustn't carry guns.
For Present or Future, not Past. To talk about the past, you use have to.
You often use must to say that something is essential or necessary. It is a subjective obligation.
 I must go
You use Must to say that you feel sure something is true:
 A: Jim is a hard worker. B: What? You must be joking.
 That restaurant must be very good. It’s always full of people.
You use must not, mustn’t to say that something is not permitted or allowed, for prohibition.
 Passengers must not talk to the driver.

A: Complete the sentences with must, mustn't, don’t have to, or can.
1. You ……………… take off your shoes when you go into a mosque.
2. You ……………. take off your shoes when you go into a cathedral.
3. You ……………. smoke during lessons, it's against the rules.
4. In the U.S.A., you …………… drive when you are sixteen.
5. You ………….. stop your car when the stop lights are red.

C: Complete the sentences with should shouldn’t must mustn’t

1. You ……......................... eat so much! It’s not good for you.
2. You ….........................… play football in the classroom.
3. We ……......................... recycle glass bottles.
4. You ….........................…be 17 to drive in England.
5. I ….........................… go to bed early tonight. I’m working in the morning.
6. We .........................…… turn off the lights when we leave a room to save energy.
7. You ……......................... smoke so much.

E: Complete the sentences using must or can’t.

 You travelled all day. You must be very tired.
1. The restaurant …………………be very good. It’s always full of people.
2. The restaurant………………….be very good. It’s always empty.
3. Congratulations on passing your exam. You ………………..be very happy.
4. You arrived here very quickly. You………………have walked very fast.

F: Give advice to your friend.

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 UNIVERSIDAD ARCIS / / ESCUELA DE INGLÉS
MODALS
 I’m very tired. / You should go home.
1. I’m overweight.
2. I have an exam next week.
3. My cat is sick.
4. I’m always arguing with my parents.
5. My car is making a strange noise.
6. I have a terrible toothache.

G: Make questions with have to.

1. I had to go to the hospital last week.
Why did you have to go to the hospital?
2. I have to get up early tomorrow.
Why______________________________________________________________________________?
3. I had to wait a long time for the bus.
How long__________________________________________________________________________?
4. I have to phone my sister now.
Why______________________________________________________________________________?
5. Ann has to go somewhere now.
Where____________________________________________________________________________?
6. George had to pay a parking ticket yesterday.
How much_________________________________________________________________________?

A: Complete these sentences with mustn’t or doesn’t / don’t have to.

 I don’t want anyone to know. You mustn’t tell anyone.

 He doesn’t have to wear a suit to work but he usually does.
 I can stay in bed tomorrow morning because I …………………………….. go to work.
 You…………………..touch that switch, it’s very dangerous.
 You…………………..forget what I told you. It’s very important.
 Rose…………………..get up early. She does it because she wants to.
 Don’t make too much noise. We……………………….wake the baby.
 I ………………………eat too much. I’m supposed to be on a diet.

B: For each situation write a sentence with should or shouldn’t + one of the following.

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 UNIVERSIDAD ARCIS / / ESCUELA DE INGLÉS
MODALS
go away for a few days go to bed so late look for another job
take a photograph put some pictures on the wall use her car so much

 (Liz needs a change) She should go away for a few days.

 (My salary is very low) You ………………………………………………………………………………..
 (Jack always has difficulty getting up) He ………………………………………………………………
 (What a beautiful view) You ……………………………………………………………………………….
 (Mary drives everywhere, she never walks) She……………………………………………………….
 (Bill’s room is not very interesting) He……………………………………………………………………

C: Read the situations and write sentences with I think / I don’t think…should…
 Peter and Judy are planning to get married. You think it’s a bad idea.
(get married) I don’t think they should get married.
 You don’t like smoking, especially in restaurants.
(be forbidden) I think……………………………………………………………………………………………
 I have a very bad cold but I plan to go out this evening. You don’t think it’s a good idea.
You say to me: (go out)…………………………………………………………………………………………..
 You are fed up with the government. You think they have made too many mistakes.
(resign)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

F: Complete the following sentences with suitable forms of must or have to.
1. "Now look here young lady, you……………….be home before 2.00 AM. Do you understand ?"
2. He ………………take the bus today because his car broke down yesterday.
3. In a mosque you …………………… take off your shoes before entering.
4. (Sign in a park) Dogs ………………. be kept on lead.
5. You ……………… leave now if you want to catch the 9h30 train.
6. In a decent kitchen the staff ………………….. wash their hands frequently.
7. "You ………………….. prepare this exercise for tomorrow!"
8. In third world countries people often ……………….. be very ingenious simply to survive.
1. Our sales people ……………………. be more persistent when dealing with customers.
2. I……………….. go now, I'm really late.

G: Obligation: must, have to and should

1. Applicants often ………..... complete an application form before they have a job interview.
2. "You .………… collect your boarding pass from our desk in the departure hall."
3. You .………… get up and let that old lady have your seat. That's the good thing to do.
4. "Languages ?" "Yes, that's certainly one thing a secretary .……….. be good at."
5. You ………... come and see me when you're in London.
6. If you want a good seat you ………….... book in advance.

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MODALS
7. (Parent to child) "You ………….... go to bed now."

H: Choose the correct answer. "Don't have to" and "Mustn't"

 You ________ smoke in a gas station.
 You ________ pass a test to ride a bicycle.
 You ________ open up the computer while it is plugged in.
 Shops ________ sell cigarettes to children.
 This bus is free! You ________ buy a ticket.
 You ________ live in Canada to study there. You can take a course by Internet.
 In Canada, employers ________ discriminate against women or minorities. It's against the law.
 You ________ buy the text book for this course -- you can borrow mine.
 Canadians ________ get a visa to travel to the US.
 You ________ be late for class, or the teacher will be angry.

I: Choose the correct modal and add it to the sentence

2. Eddy has a good friend who is moving into a new apartment. Last month this friend helped him, therefore,
he has an obligation to help.
He help his friend. Should / Must / Can
3. Peter knows how to do Karate. In other words, he:
He do Karate. Can / Has to / Should
5. Where's Sharon? Class has just started and she is not here. She's occasionally late, but she always
comes. (What do you expect to happen?)
She be here soon. Must / Should / Can
6. Jane lost her backpack. She has also lost all her notes, class books, and other personal supplies. Make a
suggestion.
She look in the "lost and found" box in the main office. Can / Should / Must
7. Nina's mother had a heart attack. It was necessary for Nina to take her mother to the hospital.
Nina take her mother to the hospital. Must / Had to
8. Jonathan knows a lot of facts about sports. How do you think he gets that knowledge? (inference)
He read about sports everyday. Must / Had to / Should

J: Role play
Work in pairs. Imagine you are in the following situations and give ADVICE or
RECOMMENDATIONS.
1. 2. 3.

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 UNIVERSIDAD ARCIS / / ESCUELA DE INGLÉS
MODALS
A: You went for a drink with A: You met a very attractive A: Your mother is very inquisitive and
friends. You parked the car on person and you are going out religious. She finds out that you are
the street but now you can’t find with him/her. The problem is … having sex with your neighbor and
the keys. he /she is very stupid. now she is trying to get you both
married.
B: Give ideas to solve the B: Give ideas to solve the B: Give ideas to solve the problem
problem problem
Key maker / copy key/ Police Break up / keep up
station

1......................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................

2......................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................

3......................................................................................................................................................................

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Use a modal verb where possible.

 You must get up early tomorrow.

 We watch the film tonight.

 He see me yesterday.

 She stay at school yesterday afternoon.

 go to the disco yesterday?

 He sleep now.

 He give evidence at the court yesterday.