Modals

MS. SWARNA
COLLEGE OF BASIC SCIENCE
 Introduction

Modals are those helping verbs that express the

mode of action denoted by the main verb.
As we know that serious mistakes are committed
in the use of different modals both in speaking as
well as writing. It is, therefore, necessary for us
to understand the proper use of modals.
 verb

Principal verb Auxiliary verb

Transitive Intransitive Incomplete Linking Modals

(with (without (revealing verb
object) object) no action)
Uses of Modals (Auxiliary verb)
Thus modals are used to express action like
ability, power, permission, request, possibility,
willingness etc. And following are the members
of the family of the modals-
Will, shall, would, should, may, can, might,
could, must, ought to, need, dare, used to.
 Will and Shall
 Generally both are used in future tense- will
is used with second/third person (you, they,
he, she, it etc) and shall is used with first
person (I, we etc).
 But in case of permission, necessity or threat,
determination and command both are used
interchangeably-
I. He shall help you.
II. I shall help you.
III. If you commit this mistake, you shall be
punished.
IV. If I commit this mistake, I will be punished.
V. The children will get sweets on children’s
day.
VI. You shall go there.
 Would
 Past form of will-
I. He said that he would do this work.
 In case of polite request-
I. Would you please tell me the way to the
station.
 In case of wish-
I. I wish that I were a bird.
II. Would that I were a bird.
 Should
 Past form of Shall, e.g.-
I. I said that I should do this work.
 In case of lest-
I. Work hard lest you should fail in the
examination.
 In case of suggestion or advice and duty-
I. You should obey your elders.
II. You should walk daily.
III. If you are ill, you should go to the doctor.
 May and Can

 Both are used in case of taking or giving

permission, e.g.-
I. May I come in, Sir
II. You may come.
III. Can I use this book
IV. You can use.
 May is used in case of optative sentences
which express the feeling of pray, curse,
blessing etc.-
I. May God bless you!
II. May you live long!
III. May you succeed in your life!
 In case of so that-
I. Work hard so that you may pass.
 In case of more possibility-
I. It may rain today.
 Can is used in case of so-----that, in present
tense-
I. I am so weak that I cannot walk.
 In case of expressing ability, capacity and
power-
I. I can speak English.
II. I can solve this problem.
 Might
 Past form of may-
I. He said that I might go then.

 In case of doubtful or less possibility-

I. It might rain today.
 Could
 Past form of can- like in case of so---that-
I. I was so weak that I could not walk.
 He asked me if I could help him.
 In case of polite request-
I. Could you please tell me the way to the
station.
 In case of conditional sentence-
I. If you work hard, you can succeed in your
life.
 Must

 In case of strong moral obligation, fixed

determination, compulsion, duty, necessity-
 One must keep one’s promises.
 A soldier must fight for his country.
 Everyone must do his duty.
 Ought to
 In case of strong possibility-
I. You ought to win the race.

 In case of moral duty or obligation-

I. You ought to serve your country.
 Need
 Need means requires or to be necessary which
is used with ‘to’ in affirmative sentences and
without ‘to’ in negative and interrogative
sentences-
I. I need to help you.
II. I need not help you.
III. Need I help you?
 Dare

 Dare means to be courageous and used as

‘need’-
 You dare to go to jungle.
 You dare not go to jungle.
 Dare you go to jungle?
 Used to
 It is used to express some past habit as
‘would’ is also used-
I. I would play in my childhood.
II. I used to play in my childhood.

As we can see that modals should be used very

carefully.
Thank you