MODAL VERBS

AM, IS, ARE, WAS, WERE

 These are finite forms of verb BE
(a) Used with a Past Participle to form passive
voice; as
we were informed in time.
(b) Used with a Present Participle to form the
continuous tenses; as
she is writing a letter.
 HAS, HAVE, HAD
 These are finite forms of HAVE
(a)Used to form perfect tenses; as
I have taken my camera.
(b)Used to show possession or ownership of
material objects; as
how many pens have you got?
(c)Used to indicate permanent connections or
relations ; as
this jacket has many pockets.
(d)When used to express something that is not
permanent or when it means the same as
experience, it is joined in the negative and
interrogative with finite forms of DO; as
he doesn’t have much time for sports and
amusement.
do they have much difficulty in learning
Sanskrit?
(d)Used with such meanings as take, get or receive; as
do you have coffee or tea?
(e)Used to ask or order somebody to do something;
as
I must have my shoes mended.
(f)Used to indicate obligation or necessity; as
he has to be there at ten.
 DO, DOES, DID
 These are finite forms of DO
 Used as Principal verb; as
they do their work well.
 Used as auxiliary verb; as
they do not work hard.
 Used to form Emphatic Affirmative; as
If I do see her, I’ll give her your message.
 MAY, MIGHT
 Used to denote permission, doubt, uncertainty,
possibility; as
may I borrow your book? (permission)
she may not have spoken the truth. (doubt)
it may rain tonight. (possibility)
 Used to express a wish, a purpose; might is
sometimes used to express reproach; as
may you have a happy and long life! (wish)
he works hard that he may become rich. (purpose)
you might tell me the truth. (reproach)
 CAN, COULD
 Used to express power or ability (also the
ability resulting from circumstances),
permission; as
he can work this machine.(power)
can you come to the meeting tomorrow?
(circumstantial ability)
you can go now. (permission)
 MUST
 Used to express compulsion or strong moral
obligation, fixed determination, duty, certainty
or strong likelihood, inevitability; as
we must keep our promises. (moral obligation)
I must have my money back. (fixed
determination)
a judge must be upright. (duty)
he must be up by this time. (certainty)
we must all die. (inevitability)
 SHALL
 Used with first person simply to give
information about future action; as
I shall help you.
 Used with second and third person to denote a
promise, a command, a threat, determination,
compulsion; as
you shall have a holiday tomorrow. (promise)
he shall go. (command)
if you do this, you shall be dismissed. (threat)
you shall come to school at ten. (compulsion)
 SHOULD
 Past of shall; used to express duty or obligation in all
persons; as
we should help the poor.
 Used when giving or asking advice; as
you shouldn’t laugh at her mistakes.
 Used to indicate disapproval of past actions, suppostion,
possibility, condition, purpose; as
she shouldn’t have given the child a knife to play with.
(disapproval)
if it should rain, the school will remain closed. (suppostion)
I did it in order that all should be satisfied.
 WILL
 Used in second person and third person to indicate
simple futurity, without any reference to the wish of
the agent; as
he will win the first prize.
 Used in first person to denote determination, a promise,
a threat, a wish, willingness; as
we will not submit. (determination)
I will help you. (promise)
I will punish you if you don’t behave properly. (threat)
I will visit the Taj. (wish)
I will lend you my book. (willingness)
 WOULD
 It is the past form of will, is used to express a wish, refusal,
determination, past habit, willingness in the past, polite
speech, condition or uncertainty; as
I would like to see that book. (wish)
the engine wouldn’t start. (refusal)
he would not lie. (determination)
after lunch he would generally have a short nap. (past
habit)
I would do as you bid. (willingness in the past)
would you lend me your book? (polite speech)
he wouldn’t do it unless you were to order him to do it.
(condition)
 OUGHT TO
 It is used to express desirability, moral
obligation, and duties, can indicate present or
future time; takes an infinitive as object; as
we ought to love our neighbours.
 Takes past participle to show past obligation;
as
you ought to have helped him.
 Used to show disapproval of something done
in the past; as
you ought not to have laughed at her mistakes.
 NEED
 Used to denote necessity or obligation; as
I need a holiday. (necessity)
he does need to work hard. (obligation)
 USED TO
 Used to express past tense; actions repeatedly
seen or done during period of time in past; as
there used to be a building here before the war.
 Used for denoting accustomed to something; as
he is not used to hard manual labour.
 HAVE TO
 Used to indicate obligation; as
he has to be there at ten.
 DARE
 It is distinct from the ordinary verb dare
meaning challenge; is generally used in
negative and interrogative sentences; as
he dare not take such a foolish step.
does she dare to jump out of the window?