MODAL VERBS

Part One
WILL
MIGHT
SHOULD
MUST
MAY
WOULD
CAN
COULD
CANT
Qu son los verbos modales?
Los verbos Modales son un grupo especial
de verbos que se comportan de una manera
diferente a los verbos comunes o normales.
Estas son sus caractersticas:
1. No llevan -s en la tercera
persona del singular (he she - it)

EXAMPLES:
He can speak Russian.
She should go now.
My mother must be home.
It may rain.
Sarah will come next week.
2. Se usa "not" para construir la
negacin pero no aceptan auxiliares (do
/ does / did).
EXAMPLES:
You should not be late.
I can not come to at 6pm.
He may not like this idea.
You must not disturb him now, he is busy.
She doesnt must do it. NOT CORRECT
3. Van seguidos de infinitivo sin
to.
EXAMPLES:
You should go to the dentist.
I would buy some new books.
He can to go with us. NOT CORRECT
She must to study very hard. NOT CORRECT

4. No tienen tiempo pasado ni
futuro.
EXAMPLES:
He will can to go with us. NOT CORRECT
He will be able to go with us.
She musted study very hard. NOT CORRECT
She had to study very hard.
It mayed show yesterday. NOT CORRECT
5. Expresan conceptos abstractos.
(pueden tener uno o ms significados)
Habilidad
Obligacin
Permiso
Certeza
Probabilidad
Condicionalidad
Imposibilidad
Habilidad en el pasado
Futuro

De acuerdo el concepto que expresan
podemos agruparlos en dos categoras
MODALES que expresan concepto nico:
Will / Might / Should

MODALES que expresan ms de un
concepto.
May / Must / Would / Could / Can / Cant (be
allowed to / be able to)

MODALES QUE EXPRESAN CONCEPTO UNICO
MODAL CONCEPTO EXAMPLE
WILL Futuro They will come next
week.
MIGHT Probabilidad I might call you
tonight.
SHOULD Consejo /
Recomendacin
You should call.
MODALES QUE EXPRESAN MAS DE UN CONCEPTO.
MODAL CONCEPTO EXAMPLE
MAY Permiso
Probabilidad
May I come in?
I may go to London next
summer.
MUST Obligacin

Certeza
Students must wear
uniforms.
They must be at home.
WOULD Condicionalidad

Accin habitual en
el pasado
I would join an evening
class.
We would always eat
soup in rainy days.
MODALES QUE EXPRESAN MAS DE UN CONCEPTO.
MODAL CONCEPTO EXAMPLE
COULD Probabilidad
Habilidad en el pasado.
That could be him.
I could swimm when I was
ten.
CAN Habilidad

Permiso
I can speak two languages.

Can I open the window?
CANT
CANNOT
CAN NOT
Imposibilidad.

Negacin de permiso.
I cant read French.

We cannot smoke here.
Exercises:
Complete with can, may or must.
1.-Anyone _____________ learn how to use a computer.
2.- _____________ I help you to carry your bags?
3.- He ____________ come late today.
4.- It ______________ be cold tonight.
5.- You _______________ show an ID to come in.
6.-______________ I make a phone call?
7.- I ____________ sing and play the guitar.
MAY
CAN
CAN
MAY
CAN
MAY
MUST
Complete these sentences using an
appropriate modal verb in a positive or
negative form.



1.-Emma ___________ swim when she was four.
2.- You _____________ go and see the doctor.
3.- _____________ ___________ I use your phone?
4.- Children _________________leave school before 3
5.- ______________ you be home on Sunday?
coul
d
should
cannot
Can/May
Will

It might rain tomorrow.
The students must visit the library.
The king shouldnt hunt elephants.
You cannot enter here. (Come in)
Can I sit here? May I sit here?
My grandfather could understand Japanese.
My father would read novels in English.