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Modals
Modals
Tacloban City
Topic: Modals
Lesson No.:1
Key Concept(s):
Modals are used with a main verb to show mood and ideas such as ability, advice,
possibility and permission, obligation, and prohibition.
Key Terms:
1. Permission
2. Obligation
3. Prohibition
Asian Development Foundation College
Tacloban City
Lesson No. 1
Modals
What are modals?
Modals are used with a main verb to show mood and ideas such as ability, advice,
possibility and permission, obligation, and prohibition.
There are a lot of modal verbs but we will focus on the three modals – Permission,
Obligation and Prohibition
Permission
- Expresses to allow something to happen or to be done.
We also use could to ask for permission (but not to give it). Could is more formal than
can.
Ex.
Could I open the window?
Could you please by these things?
Could I borrow your phone for a moment?
Asian Development Foundation College
Tacloban City
Prohibition
- Means something is not allowed.
Ex.
You can’t take photos inside the studio.
You can’t enter in any establishments without face mask and face shield.
Sorry, we can’t sell cigarettes to minors.
Modals of Obligation
We use have to and must to express obligation. There is a slight difference between
the way we use them.
Have to shows us that obligation comes from outside the speaker. Perhaps the rule is a
general law or obligation.
We sometimes call this as external obligation.
Ex.
We have to wear our complete uniform every day.
You have to wear your ID with in the school premises.
Tala has to come today, so that she can still finish her work before leaving
to Manila.