Modal Verbs

(Active and Passive)

This must be John’s house. I
can see his car in the garage.
 Who cleaned the house this
morning?
It must have been Emily who cleaned the
It can’t have been Smith. He was still sleeping
house. I saw her wearing the gloves when I
when I went out and he woke up so late.
went out

It might have been Olivia.

She woke up early this
morning, but I’m not sure.
 What are modal verbs
Modal verbs are used to express
1. ability
2. permission
3. suggestions (advice)
4. obligations
5. probability

They are used to add meaning to the verbs

 1. To express Ability
 We use can and can't to talk about abilities:
He can speak many languages
She can’t ride a motorbike
 We use could and couldn't to talk about the past:
I could speak Mandarin
I couldn’t play basketball
 We use could have to say that someone had the ability or opportunity to do
something, but did not do it:
I could have lived abroad, but I didn’t want to
 2. To ask for and give permission
 Can, could, may
Can I ask you something? I don’t understand this lesson.
Could you help me?
May I borrow your dictionary?

You can leave the meeting now.

You may go home now.
You can’t join because you’re late.
 3. To express suggestions/advice
 We use should and shouldn't to make suggestions and give advice:
Our friend is sick. We should see her
I should turn in my assignment. I am afraid I will forget.

 We use had ‘better’, ‘ought to’ to make suggestions and give advice

You’d better go by bus
You ought to watch the new movie
 4. To express Obligations
 Have to, have got to (gotta), must
I have to arrive at school before 7:15
I must help my classmate finish her assignment
 Have to – external (more situational) – obligation comes from others.
In Indonesia, you have to drive on the right
I can’t go on vacation this summer because I have to work
 Must – internal (more personal) – obligation comes from the speaker
I am so tired. I must go to bed because I have morning class tomorrow.
I will not go out tonight. I must study for the final exam tomorrow.
5. To express probability
(Modal of deductions)
 5.1 Modal Verbs of Deduction (Present)
• Modal verbs of deduction are used
to state how sure the speaker is
about something using the available
information

• The modal verb we choose shows

how certain we are about the
possibility.
This must be John’s house. I
can see his car in the garage.
1. Must
Must is used when we feel sure that something is true because
there’s very strong evidence.

He has a Ferrari, he must have much money

His daughter is at university,

so he must be at least 40

They have studied all day. They must be tired

2. Should
Should and shouldn't are used to make an assumption about what is
probably true.

They should be at school by now

It shouldn't take long to drive here

 3. Might, may, could
Might, may and could are used to say that we think something is
possible but we're not sure. 

Ibra is very tall. He might be good at basketball.

He's not answering. He could be sleeping.

They may win the match. They are quite good.

4. Can’t
Can’t is used when we feel sure that something is not possible.

It can't be easy for her, looking after three kids on her

own.

He can’t be abroad now. I just talked to him at

school this morning.

They can’t be Japanese. They’re speaking

Chinese
can’t must

Can’t
must
may be welcoming somebody to their
They _______
company

must be stressed out. His boss fired him

He _______
 5.2 Modal verbs of deduction (past)
• We can use modal verbs to talk about how sure or unsure
we are about something in the past

1. Must
2. Should
3. May
4. Might
5. Could
6. Can’t
1. Must
must + have + past participles (V3)
It is used when we are sure about something in the past

The fridge is full of food. Mom must have

gone to the grocery store last night
2. Should
should + have + past participles (V3)
can be used to make an assumption about something that has probably happened

The train should have left by now

Someone should have pick her up. It’s

quite late now
3. May, might and could
May, might and could + have + past participle (V3)
They are used when we are not sure about something, but we think it was
possible.
John: The floor is so clean. Who mopped the floor?

Luke:
• I think Emily may have mopped it, but I’m not
sure.

• I think Emily might have mopped it. She was

going home early today.

• I think Emily could have mopped it. She woke

up early today
4. Can’t
Can’t + have + past participle (V3)
It is used when we think it's not possible that something happened.

Dad: The front yard is in a mess. Who

mowed the lawn yesterday.

Mom: It can’t have been Mr. James. He

usually does it very well. Kevin might
have done that.
 Modal Verbs(Past)
Teacher : Where is Rio? Why didn’t he join the meeting this morning?

Brema : He was sick, Sir. (100%)

Jorgi : He must have been sick, Sir. (95%)
Pasha : He may have been sick, Sir. (less than 50%)
Gertha : He might have been sick, Sir. (less than 50%)
Siska : He could have been sick, Sir. (less than 50%)
Modal Passives (Present and past)
• Modal Passives (Present)
Modal verbs + be + V3
People can climb the Mount Everest (Active)
The Mount Everest can be climbed (passive)

• Modal Passives (Past)

Modal verbs + have + been + V3
Someone must have eaten the Pizza (Active)
Pizza must have been eaten (Passive)