MODALS

Modals
Here is a list of modals:

can / can't
could / couldn't
may / may not
shall / shall not
will / won't
should / shouldn't
ought to / ought not to
might / might not
used to / didn't use to
would / wouldn't
have to / don't have to
must / must not
Grammatically, modalGrammatical
verbsbehavior
behave in a different way from
of modal verbs

ordinary verbs.
 
They have no -s in the third person singular (he, she, it).
She might go to class.
She goes to class.
Most modal verbs, except for ought, are
followed by the verb without to.

Gallaudet should to build a new computer

center.
Modal verbs have no infinitive or -ing
form.

My teacher can signing well.

 They make questions and negative forms without using do/did:
May I see that? / You mustn't shout.

Note that some modal verbs appear to have past tense forms
(could, should, might), but these are not usually used with a past meaning.

One exception is Could which, when talking about ability, is used as a past form of can:
I could run a long way when I was younger.
Most modal verbs can be used in some of their meanings
with a perfect infinitive to talk about the past:

I may have seen him yesterday. You should have told me

last week.
 How to Write Sentences Using Modals:
Subject + modal + second verb.
(Never add -s, -es, -ed, or -ing to the second verb.)
 
I + can + sleeping six hours tonight.
I + couldn't + worked last night.
 prediction of future events
He'll (= will) forget his umbrella if you don't remind him.
What will it be like, living in the 21st century?
We'll (=will/shall) all be dead in a hundred years.
Stop crying! It won't make things any better, you know.

Shall can be used with first person singular (I) and first person plural (we). However, it is less
common than will, especially in American English.
 personal intention
I'll (= will/shall) be back in a minute.
I won't/shan't ever speak to him again.
We will/shall overcome all difficulties.

Shall can be used with I and we, but is less common than will,
especially in American English.
 willingness, wish
Will/would you help me with my homework? (request)
No. I won't. (refusal)
I'll (=will) do it for you if you like. (offer)
Shall I give you a hand with the dishes? (BrE) (offer)
Shall we buy her a present? (suggestion)

In British English, first person questions expressing willingness or wish use shall (Shall I/we? = Do
you wish me/us to...?) First person statements use will (I/we will)
 ability
I can speak Chinese, but I can't write it.
She could swim for miles when she was younger.
Can/Could you close the window, please? (request)

Could is used to talk about ability, NOT about particular events which actually happened in the past.
Verbs like manage to are used instead.
She finally managed to pass the exam.
 
Polite requests are often made by appearing to ask about ability with can and could.
 permission
Can/May I have another piece of cake, Dad? (request)
No you can't. You'll make yourself sick.
Do you think I could leave early tonight? (request)
You can/may leave at 5:30 if you like.
I'm afraid you can't leave until you've finished that work.

Might I have a word with you? (BrE) (formal request)

Can is commonly used to ask for or give permission. May is more formal.
Could and might are used to ask for (not to give) permission. They are more tentative than can
 unreality, hypothesis
I would love to travel round the world. (if I had the chance)
What would you do if you won a lot of money?
I wouldn't have gone, if I'd known he was going to be there.
Would you like some tea (if I made some)? (invitation)
Should he protest (if he protested), what would you say? (fml)
Would is commonly used in the main clause of conditional sentences to show that a situation is unreal
or tentative.
 
Because it can express tentativeness, would is also used in polite invitations, offers, and requests.
 possibility
She may/might (not) go to Paris tomorrow
They may/might (not) be meeting her.
Joe may have/might have missed the train.
Where can/could they be?
You can't have forgotten my birthday!
Learning English can be fun. (= is sometimes fun)
Don't touch that wire. It could be dangerous.
They could have had an accident, I suppose.
Could suggests that something is less likely than may or might.
 When it expresses possibility, can is most often used in question forms: What can have
happened? However it is also used to express general possibility in sentences where its meaning
is similar to "sometimes": His behavior can make us laugh. (= sometimes makes us laugh)
 
Can't and can't have are used to show that there is no possibility.
 obligation, requirement
You must finish this job by tomorrow.
I must phone my parents tonight.
He had to finish the job by the next day.
You don't have to/don't need to/needn't (BrE) do it until next week. (= it is not necessary)
You must not smoke in the cinema. (= it is forbidden)
I didn't need to/didn't have to get up early this morning. (= a the speaker did not get up early, or b the
speaker did, in fact, get up early)
You needn't have bought me a present. (BrE) (= but you did buy a present)
Had to is the past form of must when it is used to express obligation.
Don't have to/don't need to/needn't (BrE) are used to show that there is no obligation. Must not
is used to show that there is an obligation not to do something.
 
The contracted forms needn't and mustn't are common in British English but rarely used in
American English.
 desirability
You should/ought to give up smoking. (advice)
We should/ought to go to that new Japanese restaurant sometime. (suggestion)
The farmers should have/ought to have been consulted. (but they were not consulted)
You shouldn't/ought not to work so hard, you know.

The contracted form oughtn't is common in British English but rarely used in American English.
 probability
Their meeting should/ought to be over now. (= I expect it is)
He should/ought to be home at 5 o'clock today. (= I expect he will be)
They should have/ought to have received our letter by now. (= I expect they have)

In this meaning should and ought to are not as strong as will and must
Fill in the correct form of can, could or be able to.
1. Ben could not help his little brother with his homework yesterday.
2. Can I call you later tonight?
3. _______ Tony run long distances when he was a boy?
4. ______ you please call a tow truck for me? My car broke down. (polite)
5. The students _______ to buy their textbooks today. The bookstore is all out of them.
6. ______ you teach me how to fix my computer? You’re so good at it.
7. ______ you ______ reach the customer if you call him at 4:00 his time?
Fill in the correct form of may or might.
8. ___________ I sit here?
9. They ______ finish the project on time. The main engineer is ill.
10. You _____ want to stop by the museum gift shop on your way out.
11. _____ I have your autograph?
12. He _______ visit the Louvre. He’s in Paris anyway.
13. You ______ park your car here. It’s reserved for guests of the hotel only.
Fill in should, shouldn’t or ought in the following sentences as in the example.
14. He shouldn’t encourage such bad behavior.
15. You _____ get your teeth cleaned at least once a year.
16. The house ______ be ready to move into by next month. It’s almost finished.
17. Ron ________ to improve his attitude. If he doesn’t, he might get fired.
18. ________ I get your jacket? It’s cold in here.
19. You ________ put your feet on the table. It’s not polite.