UNIT 2 :GRAMMAR MODAL VERBS Mr.

EL ARFAOUI
Modal verbs include: can/can’t – should(not) – must – may – shall - might - could – would –
will - mustn’t – ought to – have to/has to – needn’t – don’t/doesn’t have to - had to - had
better – would rathe – shall ….
FORM :

• There is no “s” with ‘he’ ‘she’ or ‘it’:

He can ski – she must go – it may rain
(He cans ski / He can skis or he cans skis)
• There is no “do / does” in the question: would you like to come with me?
Do you would like to come with me?
• There is no “don’t / doesn’t” in the negative: They can’t be serious
They don’t can be serious.
• Modal verbs do not have infinitives or – ‘ing’ forms: to can / caning --- to must
/musting
• Modal verbs are always followed by another verb in the bare infinitive:
he can swim – she should be here – they have to respect the rules ……….
• Modal verbs can have more than one meaning or function depending on the
context. They are used with other verbs to express:
Permission / request / ability / obligation / lack of obligation / prohibition /
certainty / advice/ offer / suggestion / possibility…….

EXAMPLES
GROUP 1.

Modal verb Meaning Examples

Can / may Permission - can/may I have your pen, please?
(asking for- - yes, you can. Here you are.
giving-declining - No, I’m sorry you can’t. I need it.
permission)
can/will/would/could Request -can you pass me the salt, please?
Should/ought to / Advice -You look pale! You should have a rest.
had better (you‘d …) -You shouldn’t/ought not to go on working.
-You’d better take some vitamins.
Mustn’t / can’t Prohibition -You mustn’t smoke in public places. It’s illegal.
-We can’t drive fast in the city. It’s against the law
Would rather (I ‘d…) Preference -Would you rather stay at home or go out?
Can / shall Offer -Can I carry this suitcase for you madam?
-
Shall Suggestion -Shall we go on a picnic next Sunday?
Would Invitation -Would you like to come to the party tomorrow?
-would you like to have dinner with me tonight?
 GROUP 2: PRESENT------ PAST (obligation - lack of obligation – ability)
Modal verb Meaning
Must- have to / has to Obligation / necessity in
the present
Had to Obligation in the past
Needn’t – don’t have to/ Lack of obligation /
doesn’t have to necessity in the present
Didn’t have to/didn’t need Lack of obligation in the
to past
Can Ability in the present
Could Ability in the past
GROUR 3: PRESENT -------PAST (regret/blame/criticism – possibility – certainty)
///////////////////////// Present meaning
/////////////////////////
Possibility: -I can help you if you
want.
Can/could/may/might -the sky is cloudy. It may
rain this afternoon
Certainty/positive -He’s been working all
conclusion-deduction: day long. He must be
tired (= I am sure he is
Must
very tired
Certainty/negative -his English is terrible.
conclusion: He can’t be American.
Can’t (I’m sure he is not
American)
Regret/blame/criticism: /////////////////////
Should/ought to /////////////////////
/////////////////////
Examples
-We must/have to stop when the red light is on.
-She must/ has to learn all the irregular verbs by
heart
-I stayed up late yesterday as I had to finish my
project.
-you needn’t/don’t have to water the plants. I’ve
already watered them.
-I was free yesterday. I didn’t have to get up
early.
-I can speak three foreign languages.
-I can’t speak Spanish.
-I could run fast when I was young.
-When I was a child, I couldn’t understand
adults, now that I am old, I can’t understand
children.
Past meaning: (modal verb + have + past
participle of the verb)
-I could have won the match, but they didn’t
train hard enough.
-he may have had high marks in the exam, but
he was a bit careless.
-He didn’t go to school yesterday. He must
have been ill (= I am sure he was ill).
-you look happy. You must have heard good
news
-He can’t have written this essay by himself.
Someone must have helped him.
-The boy can’t have stolen the purse. He was at
school at that time
-I have a terrible stomach-ache. I shouldn’t have
eaten too much cake. (he ate too much)
-He should have studied harder. (he didn’t study
hard)
PRACTICE:
EXERCISE1.
Fill in the blanks using MUST, CAN’T, MAY, MIGHT, COULD, SHOULD, SHOULDN’T and the
verbs between brackets.
1. I ________________________ you the money. Why didn’t you ask me (LEND)
2. Mr Travis hasn’t come to work yet. He has never been late for work.
He ____________________ the bus (MISS).
3. She knew everything about our plans. She ____________ to our conversation (LISTEN)
4. A: Will you come to my birthday party tomorrow afternoon?
B: I’m sorry but I ____________ because I have to look after my sister. (COME)
5. Timmy is a very good boy. He isn’t naughty, so he ________________________
that window. Somebody else ________________________ it (BREAK / BREAK)
6. The street is wet this morning. I’m not sure but it _________________ last night (RAIN).
7. She _______________________like an angel when she was a child (SING)
8. I can’t find my book. I ________________________ on the bus (LEAVE)
9. He looked so tired when I saw him. He _______________________ so hard (WORK)
10. She read the message, but she _____________understand it. (UNDERSTAND)

KEY:
1. I COULD HAVE LENT you the money. Why didn’t you ask me (LEND)
2. Mr Travis hasn’t come to work yet. He has never been late for work. He MUST HAVE
MISSED the bus (MISS).
3. She knew everything about our plans. She MUST HAVE LISTENED to our
conversation
4. A: Will you come to my birthday party tomorrow afternoon ?
B : I’m sorry but I CAN’T COME because I have to look after my sister. (COME)
5. Timmy is a very good boy. He isn’t naughty, so he CAN’T HAVE BROKEN that
window. Somebody else MUST HAVE BROKEN it.
6. The street is wet this morning . I’m not sure but it COULD/ MAY / MIGHT HAVE RAINED
last night.
7. She COULD SING like an angel when she was a child.
8. I can’t find my book. I MUST HAVE LEFT IT on the bus.
9. He looked so tired when I saw him. He MUST HAVE WORKED so hard.
10. She read the message, but she COULDN’T UNDERSTAND it.
EXERCISE 2.
Fill in the blanks with a modal form from the box!
CAN – CAN’T - COULD – COULDN’T - DIDN’T NEED TO/DIDN’T HAVE TO - MUST – MUSTN’T -
NEEDN‘T

1. You’ve got plenty of time. You __________________ hurry.

2. __________________ I ask you a question?
3. That was excellent work. But I __________________ do it without you.
4. She __________________ be 35. She looks older than that.
5. Tom has given me a letter to post. I __________________ forget to post it.
6. You __________________ drive a car when you’re 18.
7. When I was in school I __________________ do a handstand, but now I’m too old. I __________________ do
one anymore.
8. My mother keeps telling me that we ______________wash our hands before eating.
9. You __________________ forget to turn off the lights when you go to bed.
10. Sally looks sad and worried. She __________________ have a problem with something.
11. __________________ I see your passport please.
12. He’ sees very badly, so he __________________ wear glasses all the time.
13. I __________________ take a taxi because the bus was on time.
14. He owns a very expensive house. He __________________ be a rich person.
15. You __________________ go to the grocery store. We have some milk in the fridge.
16. I __________________ find my keys. I probably left them at my mother’s place.
17. You __________________ buy the tickets. I got two for free from dad.
18. She __________________ speak so rudely to her parents.
19.The teacher always tells us we ________________ cheat during a test.
20. I __________________ stop laughing. The joke was so funny.

KEY:
1. You’ve got plenty of time. You NEEDN’T hurry.
2. CAN I ask you a question?
3. That was excellent work. But I COULDN’T do it without you.
4. She CAN’T be 35. She looks older than that.
5. Tom has given me a letter to post. I MUSTN’T forget to post it.
6. You CAN drive a car when you’re 18.
7.When I was in school I COULD do a hand stand, but now I’m too old. I CAN’T do one anymore.
8. My mother keeps telling me that we MUST wash our hands before eating.
9. You MUSTN’T forget to turn off the lights when you go to bed.
10. Sally looks sad and worried . She MUST have a problem with something.
11. CAN I see your passport please?
12. He sees very badly, so he MUST wear glasses all the time.
13. I DIDN’T HAVE TO take a taxi because the bus was on time.
14. He owns a very expensive house. He MUST be a rich person.
15. You NEEDN’T go to the grocery store. We have some milk in the fridge.
16. I CAN’T find my keys. I probably left them at my mother’s place.
17. You DIDN’T NEED TO buy the tickets. I got two for free from dad.
18. She MUSTN’T speak so rudely to her parents.
19. The teacher always tells us we MUSTN’T cheat during a test.
20. I COULDN’T stop laughing. The joke was so funny.