MODAL VERBS

1. CAN (can not / can't):

 Ability / Possibility – I can speak French. They can arrive very soon. I
can come back next week.
 Inability / Impossibility – We can't do this today. She can't find her
glasses.
 Asking for permission – Can I leave now?
 Giving permission / Expressing a prohibition – You can't park in the
staff car park, but you can park in the visitors' car park.
 Informal request (friends and family) – Can you bring me that file? Can
you turn the music, please? Can we have fish or dinner?
 Negative deduction (something that cannot be true) – She looks very
young. She can't be 18 yet. The grass is dry. It can't have rained last
night.

You can say that somebody is able to do something, but can is more usual –
We are able to see the lake from our hotel. But can has only two forms: can
(present) and could (past). So sometimes it is necessary to use (be) able to.
Compare:

 I can't sleep – I haven't been able to sleep recently.

 Tome can come tomorrow – Tom might be able to come tomorrow.
 Maria can speak French, Spanish and English – Applicants for the job
must be able to speak two foreign languages.

2. COULD (could not / couldn't):

 Ability / Possibility in PAST – She couldn't find her glasses last night.
We made some changes, so we could stay longer.
 Future possibility – We could have a new earthquake tonight. It could
snow tomorrow. We could go to the cinema. The weather is nice now
but it could change.
 Permission and prohibition in PAST – Could I borrow your pencil? We
couldn't park in the staff car park.
  Polite request – Could you repeat it, please? Could you spell your
surname, please? Could we have 10 minutes break, please?
 Suggestion – We could try to fix iz ourselves. How do you suggest we
contact him? We could call his office.

We use could for general ability. But if you want to say that somebody
did something in a specific situation, use was/were able to or managed to –
The fire spead through the building very quickly, but fortunately everybody was
able to escape / managed to escape. We didn't know where David was, but we
managed to find him / were able to find him in the end.

Compare:

 Jack was an excellent tennis player when he was younger. He could beat
anybody.
 Jack and Andy played a match yesterday. Andy played well, but Jack
managed to beat him.

We use could for actionds that are not realistic – I am so tired, I could sleep
for a week. This is a wonderful place. I could stay here for ever.

3. MAY (smijem li, mogu li):

 Permission / Possibility – May I see it. You may proceed now.

 Future possibility – That may turn out to be our best option.
 Ljubazniji način za pitanje dozvole od can i could.

4. Might (možda):

 Present possibility – She'd better call tomorrow: they might be

having a meeting now.
 Future possibility – We might witness some big changes this week.
 Prevod za may i might je isti, razlika je u stepenu verovatnoće
ostvarenja. May ima veću verovatnoću ostvarenja od might – It
might rain this evening.
5. Must (musn't):

 Necessity / Obligation / Requirement – We must speak obout it in

detail. We must carry our identity card with us.
 Prohibition – She musn't enter the operation room now.
 Postoji još jedan način da se na engleskom kaže morati, a to je have
to (ovo nije modalni glagol sam po sebi) – I have to be there at 5.
She has to work on Saturday. I don’t have to be there at 5. She
doesn’t have to work on Saturday.
 Must – morati (zbog sebe) – I must study English. – Moram da učim
engleski jer ja osećam potrebu za tim, osećaću se bolje ako ga
budem koristio. / Have to – morati (zbog obaveze prema nekom) – I
have to study English. – Moram da učim engleski, jer mi je to
obaveza. Možda i ne želim da ga učim, ali imam obavezu prema, npr.
šefu, firmi…

6. Need:

 Obligation / Desirability – We need to do it before the next fair.

7. Ought to:

 Saying what's right or correct – They ought to solve this problem

immediately.

8. Shall:

 Offer – Shall I help you with those bags.

 Suggestion – Shall we say it's over than? Shall I call a cab?
 Obligation / Requirement (legal) – The provision shall apply
immediately.

9. Should (shouldn’t, treba da, trebalo bi da):

 Desirability / What's right or correct – They should see the text first.
 Uncertain prediction – Sales should increase next semestar.
10. Will (will not / won't):

 Instant decision – Someone is at the door, I'll open it.

 Offer – I'll do it if you can't.
 Promise – I'll tell him as soon as I see him.
 Certain predictions – Sales will increase next semestar.

11. Would (bih, bi, bismo, biste):

 Asking for permission – Would you mind opening the window?

 Condicional – We would make a speach if you were present.
 Request – Would you close the book, please? Would you like to go
out some time?