• CAN / COULD => ability

• MAY / MIGHT => permission

• WILL / WOULD => prediction

•SHALL => prediction

•SHOULD / OUGHT => escapable obligation or duty

• MUST => inescapable obligation

•NEEDN’T => absence of obligation

Primary functions Acting as auxiliaries

Modals + bare inf
Never change forms
Secondary function Used with progressive and perfect
Secondary functions
Modal verbs

Habit Ability
(Human/Animal)
He wil always complain if he gets the opportunity
When we were students we would often stay up all night Can/could: natural or learn ability
Jackie used to make all her own dresses.
Ex: Can you drive a car ?
Past habit
Be (un)able to
• I used to smoke, but I don't any more/any longer.
be (in)capable of
• I never used to eat a large breakfast, but I do now.
manage to
• I collected stamps when I was a child.
succeed in
• I used to collect stamps (when I was a child).
could/was/were able to: acquistion of a skill after effort (happen many times)
• When I was a boy we always spent (or used to spend)
our holidays on a farm. We'd get up at 5 and we'd help Ex: I tried again and found that I could/was able to swim.
milk the cows. Then we'd return to the farm kitchen,
where we would eat a huge breakfast. was/were able to/managed to, succeeded in: specific achievement in the past
(happen one time)

Ex: In the end, they managed to rescue the cat on the roof.
Could they rescue the cat ? (No, they couldn't/Yes, they managed to.)

Past habit can/could + verb perception (see, feel, smell, taste, look, touch,..): can not use be
able to

Ex:I can smell something burning

I wasn't able to understand

could/would be able to: unreal past - if clause, unreal situation (những tình huống ko
có thật ở hiện tại và tương lai, ko liên quan tới quá khứ)

Inadvisability/ lack of necessity/prohibition Ex: I could slap your face

could have/would have been able to: ability not used due to personal failure or lack
of oppotunity

Ex: I could have done better in my school year if I had tried harder.

lack of necessity
(Không cần nhưng đã làm)
Permission/Prohibition

1. (not) be allowed to

2. (not) be permitted to

3. be forbidden to

4. be prohibited to
Inadvisability (không nên làm nhưng đã làm)
5. be not to

6. negative imperative

Very polite:
Can/Could I (possibility)
7. Do you think I could/might use your phone ?
I wonder if I could/might...
Might I (possibility) be allowed to ..?
Failure to observe a prohibition (không được phép làm nhưng vẫn làm)

Possibility

A certain fact: She is at home

A possibility: She could/may/might be at home = It's possible that she's at home =

Advisability/Duty/Obligation/Necessity Maybe (America) /Perhaps (English) she is at home.

Less common for possibility: She should/ought to be at home

Advisability
Could/may/might +bare inf: Present/Future possibility

Could/may/might + have + P.P: Past possobility

Questions about possibity:

Might/Could/Can this be true ?

Deduction

Certainly/Facts: He lives here. He is leaving

Necessity
He lived here/He has left/He was working late.

Present: He must live here/ He must be leaving= I'm sure/certain (that) he lives here/
is leaving
He cant live here/ He cant be living here = Im sure/certain he doesn't live here/is not
leaving.
Objective (tình huống ép buộc)
Subjective (chủ quan. cần phải làm) Past: He must have lived here/He must have been leaving. = I'm sure that he lived
here/was leaving.
He can't/couldn't have lived here./ He can't/couldn't have been leaving.

Advisability/Necessity in the past (trách móc)

I should have been at the office before 9

I ought to have left/have been leaving London before 9
I had to be at the office before 9
I had ti be leaving London before 9

Offers/Requests/Suggestions

Requests with things/substances

Requests:
•Can I have a sandwich (please)?

•Could I have some coffee (please)?

•May I have a sandwich (please)?

•Might I have a coffee (please)?

Responses
•Of course, you can/may. (NOT COULD/MIGHT)

•Certainly.

•No, you can’t/may not (, I’m afraid).

•I’m afraid there isn’t any.

Request with action

Requests

• Will/Would you (kindly) open the door for me

(please)? (willingness)

• Can/Could you (possibly) open the door (please)?

• Would you mind opening the window for me

(please)?

Responses

• Yes, of course (, I will).

• No, I’m afraid I can’t.

Suggestion with action

Suggestions/Invitations

• Will/Won’t you come for a walk?

• Would/Wouldn’t you like to watch some movie?

Responses

•(Yes,) I’d love/like to.

•(No,) I’d prefer not to, thank you.

Suggestions

• Shall we go for a swim?

• We can/could/might go for a swim.

• What shall/can/could we do this evening?

Responses

• Yes, let’s. / Yes, shall we?

• No, I’d rather we didn’t./ No, I’d rather not.

Offer with actions

Offers

• Can/Could/Shall I open the window (for you)?

• Would you like me to open the window?

• What shall/can I do for you?

• May I take your coat? (very polite)

Responses

• Yes, please. / Can/Could/Would you? That’s very kind.

• No, thank you.