MODAL VERBS

CAN
I can I can’t Can I?
You can You can’t Can you?
He can He can’t Can he?
She can She can’t Can she?
It can It can’t Can it?
We can We can’t Can we?
They can They can’t Can they?
• I can cook. Can you?
• I can’t pilot a plane. How about you?
• She can ski. Can I? I don’t think so...
• Can I go away now?
• Who can speak Spanish?
• At what age can you drive?
• I can’t paint. Can you?
• Can you make coffee?
• Can (poder / conseguir) → Habilities (in the present), permission or request (informal /
impolite).
• Can you swim very fast?
• Can you help me?
• Could (podia / conseguia / poderia / conseguiria) → Permission or request (polite),
habilities in the past, possibilities.
• Could you open the window for me, please?
• I couldn’t drive in 2014.
• It could rain tonight.
• May (pode / poderia) → Permission or request (polite), possibilities.
• May I play outside?
• He may be upset.
• Must (deve / tem que) → Obligation / duty, strong possibility.
• I must vote on this election.
• John must arrive at 9:00 a.m.
• Will → Auxiliary for the future tense.
• Will you go to the beach this year?
• She won’t (will not) be here today.
• Would → Past of will (...ia – ajudaria, iria, gostaria), repeated actions in the past, conditional.
• I would stay home, but they need me.
• She would always play cards with me.
• Should (deve / deveria) → Advices / opinions / recommendations / moderate obligation,
moderate possibilities.
• You should stop smoking, it isn’t healthy.
• He should bring Jheniffer to the party with him.
• Shall → “Old” will. Suggestions, offers, promises. Confirmation. Formal written regulations,
rules and instructions.
• You shall not pass! (shan’t)
• Shall I wait for you?
• Let’s go to the beach, shall we?
• Students shall not run on the hallways.
 SUBJECT + MODAL / NEGATIVE / CONTRACTED INTERROGATIVE
CONTRACTED FORM (IF FORM (IF POSSIBLE)
POSSIBLE)
I CAN I CANNOT / I CAN’T CAN I?

YOU COULD YOU COULD NOT/ YOU COULD YOU?

COULDN’T
SHE MAY SHE MAY NOT MAY SHE?

HE MUST HE MUST NOT / HE MUSTN’T MUST HE?

IT WILL / IT’LL IT WILL NOT / IT WON’T WILL IT?

WE WOULD / WE’D WE WOULD NOT / WE WOULD WE?

WOULDN’T
THEY SHOULD THEY SHOULD NOT / THEY SHOULD THEY?
SHOULDN’T
I SHALL I SHALL NOT / I SHAN’T (OLD) SHALL I?
• I must finish it today.
• I mustn’t finish it today / I don’t need to finish it today / I needn’t
finish it today.
• Must you finish it today?

• I will buy a new car next year – I’ll buy a new car next year.
• I won’t finish it today.
• Will you finish it today?

• I would like to travel around the world.

• I wouldn’t like to travel around the world.
• Would you like to travel around the world?