MODAL VERBS

• They are auxiliary verbs used with the root

of the main verb (infinitive without TO) to
modify the meaning.No change in the 3rd
person.
• He can swim.
• He might swim.
• He must swim.
• He mustn’t swim.
• He should swim.
LIST OF COMMON MODAL
VERBS.SIMPLE FORMS.
CAN COULD
MAY MIGHT
WILL WOULD
SHALL
SHOULD
OUGHT TO
MUSTN’ T
NEED
NEEDN’ T
DARE
HAD BETTER
 SEMI MODAL VERBS

• BE ABLE TO
• HAVE TO
 PERFECT MODAL VERBS
• HE CAN’ T HAVE BEEN THERE.
• HE MUST HAVE BEEN HERE.
• YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME.
• THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BURGLARY.
• THEY MAY HAVE RETURNED FROM THE
HOLIDAYS.
• WE NEEDN’ T HAVE TRAVELLED BY PLANE.
• YOU SHOULD HAVE HELPED THEM.
 EXPRESSING ABILITY

• CAN
• COULD (IN THE PAST)
• BE ABLE TO
• I can swim, but I can’ t run fast.
• I could swim when I was four.
• Will you be able to borrow a car for the
trip?
 ASKING AND GIVING
PERMISSION
• Can I leave my luggage here?
• Yes, you can.

• Could I leave my luggage here?Yes, you

may.
• May I leave my luggage here?Yes, you
may.
 EXPRESSING OBLIGATION
• MUST
• HAVE TO

• We must go to school.
• Does Michael have to get up early
tomorrow?
 EXPRESSING PROHIBITION

• MUSTN’ T

You mustn’ t smoke on buses.

 EXPRESSING LACK OF
NECESSITY
• NEEDN’ T
• DON’ T HAVE TO
• DON’ T NEED TO
• HAVEN’ T GOT TO

You needn’t go
You don’ t have to go
 EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY
• MAY
• MIGHT
• COULD

• Simon may not be there.

• We might not go to the beach.
• He could be having dinner at a restaurant.
EXPRESSING CERTAINTY OR IMPOSSIBILITY,
LOGICAL THINKING OR DEDUCTION
• MUST
• CAN’T

• Mrs Woods must know London very well.

She has been a taxi driver all her life.
• What you are telling me can’ t be true, I
don’ t belive it.
 EXPRESSING ADVISABILITY
• SHOULD
• OUGHT TO
• HAD BETTER
• You should learn to swim
• You shoudn’t tell lies.
• You had better do it now.
• You had better not go there.
 PERFECT MODALVERBS/
MODAL PERFECTS
• 1- ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING WHICH
WAS NOT DONE.

• COULD HAVE +PAST PART.

• We could have gone to the cinema, but we
decided not to.
 2- A GUESS ABOUT A PAST
ACTION

MAY HAVE+Past P
MIGHT HAVE +Past P

The fire may have happened when someone

dropped a cigarette.

She might have taken the wrong bus.

 3- LACK OF NECESSITY IN THE
PAST

• NEEDN’ T HAVE+ Past P.

You needn’t have brought anything to my

party.
4- CRITICISM or REGRET AFTER
AN EVENT

• SHOULD HAVE +Past P

• OUGHT TO HAVE +Past P

• You shouldn’t have forgotten about her

birthday.
• You ought to have warned me earlier.
 5- CERTAINTY ABOUT A PAST
EVENT

• MUST HAVE +Past P

• I must have left my umbrella at the office.

 6- CERTAINTY THAT
SOMETHING DID NOT HAPPEN

• CAN’T HAVE +Past P

• COULDN’ T HAVE + Past P

They can’ t have got married!

Phil couldn’ t have taken the bus yesterday,
there are no buses on Sundays.