Modal Verbs: Can, Could, Shall, Will, Would, May, Might, Should, Must= Auxiliary

Verbs=do/does=be=have/has= they work together with main verb. = they are part of larger category
called auxiliary verbs and these are verbs that add meaning to another verb.

Rules modal verbs:

1. Infinitive come after modal verbs but without to.

2. Modal verbs take no ‘s’ in the 3rd person singular.
3. Modal verbs do not change their form according to tense.
4. We use modal verbs in negative sentences like we do other av (without the word ‘do’)
5. With interrogative phrases, modal verbs are used like other av.

Might can be used to show possibility.

- They might be eating lunch
- She might give us a discount

May can also be used to show possibility

- The teacher may be late today.

May can also be used to show permission

- May I leave now?

Must can be used to show probability/ logical assumption.

- She must be stuck in traffic.

Necessity

- I must go home right now.

Must and Have to in necessity difference: Have

to mainly expresses general
obligations, while must is used for specific obligations: I have to brush
my teeth twice a day. I must tell you something. Important: To express
obligation, duty or necessity in the future or the past, must and need
are not used.
Prohibition

- You must not smoke here (smoke here or in here)

Will can be used to talk about

Future time: I will leave at 7 o’clock

Promise: I wil give you money

Polite Question: Will you help me with this?

Would can be used to

polite question: Would you help me with this?

Invitations/preferences/desires: I would like a cup of tea, would you prefer apples or orange?

Can

Ability: I can speak English

Suggestion/option: You can call him tomorrow

Impossibility: That can’t be her.

Request: Can you help me

Could in the other hand can show

Past ability: I could do trigonometry 5 years ago

Polite q; could I call you?

Possibility or impossibility: She could be here/she couldn’t be here

Suggestion: You could try doing this.

Should

Recommend: You should try this new pencil.

The right thing to do: We should deal with this right now.

Uncertain prediction: He should be home soon but I’m not sure

Shall

Offer: Shall I help you with that? M

Confirmation: I shall meet you there at midnight

Promises: You shall be the first person to know

HW:

Comment 3 sentences using modal verbs

1. Affirmative
2. Negative
 3. Interrogative

Correct each other!

Modal Verb + Main Verb (in the bare infinitive form=without to)

I could go

You should take

They would like

Paul may borrow

They can be used to talk about certainty, possibility, probability, ability, ask permission, make requests,
and offer help. It’s quite overwhelmed yaaa, so I will split this topic of modal verbs to talk about the
function and how to use them into 2 parts. In this occasion, we are going to talk about the function and
how to use modal verbs to talk about

Probability: How likely something is to happen

Will (to talk about the future, we are confident that something will happen, we believe it, we are certain
it’s true)

The sun will rise tomorrow. (Pretty sure that will happen)

Lorren will be late.

If you don’t wear jacket, you will get cold.

Something is not going to happen

Will not = won’t

If they walk, they won’t arrive in time

Must: we are really sure and we have reason why that’s happen

The baby is crying. He must be hungry.

I though Sarah would be here by now. She must be stuck in traffic.

When talking about the present or future, we use must with infinitive verbs
We can use in the past when we are quite sure something happened.

After flying for 10 hours, you must have felt exhausted.

I thought I would do better in the exam. I must have been really nervous.

When talking about the past, must Is followed by have and past participle.

Should also same

Possibility (Possible but we are not saying what is happening)

Can

People can be really rude

It can be really dangerous at night

Could is used as past form of can

Certainty:

When we are uncertain or unsure about the present, we use

Could, might, and may

Certain : will

Uncertain : won’t

Confident and have reason to believe: must should

Something generally that’s possible : can

Not certain but its possible: might, may, could

May n might

Might is the outcome is a little bit less likely