1

Principal Auxiliaries,
Modal Auxiliaries and Semi-modals
Study this table:

Principal auxiliaries Modal auxiliaries Semi-modals

2
to be can, could, To need
may, might
to have must, had to To dare
ought
to do shall, should used
will, would
Principal auxiliaries help to form a tense or an expression. They combine with present or past participles or with infinitives to form the tenses of ordinary verbs
as in
 I am coming,
 He has finished,
 I didn't see them.

However, modal auxiliaries combine with bare infinitives (without to) to indicate ability, permission, possibility, obligation, deduction, etc. as in
 He can speak French,
 You may go,
 We must hurry.

When they are used as auxiliaries, need and dare can imitate the semi-modal pattern. They then take the bare infinitive or full infinitive as in
 He doesn't dare to interrupt his boss. (full infinitive)
 He need not wait for her. (bare infinitive)
 Main Linguistic Features of Modal Auxiliaries
3

- The ten modal auxiliaries are can/could, will/would, shall/should/ought, may/might, must and had to
- Modal auxiliaries differ from the principal auxiliaries (to do, to be, to have) in that they have no s-forms, ing-
forms, or participles.
- Modal auxiliaries do not conform to the so-called past forms of other auxiliaries.
- Sometimes modal auxiliaries express the same meaning as the present or simple forms.
- They also occur in statements which refer to future time.
- The form of a modal auxiliary does not necessarily indicate the time reference of the sentence in which it is used.
- Verb phrases with negated modals do not always express the opposite of affirmative ones.
The Use of Modals
4
• The best way to master the use of modals is to observe how they are used in situations and
to practice making sentences like the ones you study here, always making absolutely sure of
the meaning of what you are saying.
• The sentences in the coming explanations should help you understand some of the
complexities of these modal auxiliaries.
a. Can/could (ability, possibility, opportunity, permission)
1. Present ability, affirmative and negative. (can)
• George can read English quite well now.
• Miss Liu can't read without getting a headache.
2. Past ability with suggestion of changed condition. (could)
• Until a short time ago, Miss Liu could read without getting a headache.
• George couldn't read English very well when he first came to America.
3. Future possibility (can or could)
• The clerk said, "The doctor can see you at 3:15."
• The clerk said, "The doctor could see you at 3:15."
4. Present or future impossibility, contrary - to –fact. ( could).
• Miss Liu could he reading her assignment now if she didn't have drops in her eyes.
• Miss Liu could read her assignment tomorrow morning if she didn't have a class. 5

5. Past impossibility inferred. (couldn't have + past participle)

• Bill couldn't have gone home this weekend. I saw him at the ball game on Saturday.

6. Past opportunity not realized. (could have + past participle)

• Miss Liu could have read her assignment while she waited for the doctor. (She didn't.)

7. Past opportunity realized cannot be expressed with a modal.

• Miss Liu was able to get an appointment with the doctor this afternoon.

8. Present or future permission. (can/ may)

• Miss Liu's instructor said, "You can leave now."
• Miss Liu's instructor said, "You can leave at 3:45."
9. Past permission with suggestion of changed condition. (could/ might)
• When Mrs. Allen was a student, anyone could borrow books from the library.
b. Will/would (promise, agreement, request, contrary-to-fact)
1. Future plan, promise, or agreement (will) 6
• I will come at ten to four. (This is a definite appointment.)
• "I will do whatever you advise," Miss Liu said to the doctor.

2. Continuing future activity (will + be + ing)

• At midnight Miss Liu will be reading her assignment.

3. Completion of future activity (will + have + past participle)

• By midnight the effect of the drops will have worn off.

4. Polite request for action in the immediate or distant future (will or would)
• Will you please close the door? Would you please close the door?
• Will you please lock the door when you come in?
• Would you please lock the door when you come in?

5. Present and past contrary-to-fact statements (would)

• If Miss Liu didn't have a headache now, she would be reading her assignment.
• If Miss Liu didn't have a headache, she would read her assignment.
• If Miss Liu hadn't had a headache, she would have read her assignment.
c. Shall/should/ought (advisability, obligation, expectation, chance)
7
1. Affirmative questions of advisability, first person, immediate or distant future (shall or should)
• Shall I put you down for ten to four?
• Should we go to Europe next summer?
2. Negative questions of advisability, present or past (should)
• Shouldn't we be doing our homework? (We aren't.)
• Shouldn't Jack have done all the problems? (He didn't.)
3. Statements of advisability, all-time and future (should or ought)
• We should be careful crossing streets. (all time)
• We ought to be careful crossing streets.
• Miss Liu should see a doctor as soon as possible. (future)
4. Unfulfilled obligation, present and past (should or ought)
• I should be reading my assignment. (I am not.)
• I ought to be reading my assignment. (I am not.)
5. Fulfilled obligation, recurrent and past, cannot be expressed with a modal.
• Bill is obliged to visit his mother every other weekend. (He does.)
• Professor Allen was obliged to entertain the new professor, Mr. Miller. (He did.)
6. Expectation or likelihood (should or ought)
• It is eight o'clock. The guests should be arriving soon.
• George is bright and he works hard. He ought to do well.
7. Chance happening as a condition (should)
• Should you see Mr. Allen, give him my regards.
• If you should see Mr. Allen, give him my regards.
d. May/might (permission, conjecture)
1. Permission, present or future (may)
• Miss Liu asked, "May I leave at 3:45?" 8
• Her instructor said, "You may leave at 3:45."
• At 3:45 her instructor said, "You may leave now."
2. Past permission cannot be expressed with a modal.
• Miss Liu had permission to leave class early. .
• Miss Liu was allowed to leave class early.
3. Conjecture about a present situation (may or might)
• Miss Liu may need glasses.
• Miss Liu might need glasses.
4. Conjecture about a present activity (may or might + ing)
• George may be writing to his father.
• Bill maybe calling up his mother.
5. Conjecture about the future (may or might)
• Miss Liu may be absent tomorrow.
• Miss Liu might be absent tomorrow.
• She may not come to school.
• She might not feel well.
6. Conjecture about the past (may or might + have + past participle)
• Professor Baker may have lost his watch at the Golf Club.
• Professor Baker might have lost his watch at the Golf Club.
e. Must (necessity, abstention, deduction)
1. Necessity: present, future, and all-time 9
• The lecture must begin right now. Miss Liu must leave at 3:45.
• Students must read their assignments.
2. Abstention is signaled by the negative.
• We must not neglect our eyes.
• We must not break the law.
3. Lack of necessity cannot be expressed with a modal. Have to is used instead.
• Jane doesn't have to have an eye exam.
• She doesn't have to wear glasses.
4. Past necessity is also expressed with have to, since must has no past form.
• Miss Liu had to leave class early yesterday.
5. Deduction about a present situation or action (must + simple) or (must + be + ing).
• Miss Liu is frowning. Her head must be aching.
• She gets terrible headaches. She must need glasses.
6. Deduction about a future event includes must plus the future marker going to.
• It is getting very dark out. It must be going to rain.
7. Deduction about the past, simple and continuous (must + have + been).
• The doctor wasn't free when Miss Liu arrived at the Health Service.
• He must have been seeing another patient.
• He must have been very busy.
10