MODALS - INTRODUCTION

MODAL VERBS can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall,
should, will and would:

• are always used before another verb in its infinitive form

without to: He can swim.

• never change – they do not add –s, or –ed or –ing.

• are immediately followed by not in the negative:

You should not (shouldn’t) be late.

• go immediately before the subject in a question:

Could you wake me up?
 ABILITY

• How many languages can you • CAN - present ability

speak?

• He could read when he was • COULD - past ability in general

three.
• WAS/WERE ABLE TO or
• She was able to finish on time. MANGED TO – specific
• She managed to finish on time occasion in the past (not
COULD)

• You will be able to operate the • WILL BE ABLE TO – future

machinery at the end of this ability
course.
 OBLIGATION AND NECESSITY

• PRESENT: must and have to

I must/have to go now or I’ll miss the bus.

• We only use must in the present tense. In all other tenses we use
have to:
I had to work every day last week. (past simple)
I will have to work longer hours. (future)

• When something is unnecessary we use don’t have to, or needn’t

(NOT mustn’t):
You don’t have to / needn’t take your shoes off inside, but you can if
you want to.

• Mustn’t is a prohibition (when it’s wrong to do it, it isn’t allowed): You

mustn’t smoke inside.
 ADVICE

• You should / ought to start looking for a job.

• Should and ought to mean the same but we use should more than
ought to, especially in negative forms and questions:
They shouldn’t let their children watch that.
What should I do?

• When we talk about the past , we use

should + have + past participle

I should have told the truth (= it was a good idea but I didn’t)
 DEDUCTION: CERTAINTY AND POSSIBILITY

• I haven’t seen the neighbours • MUST – certainty

all week. They must be away.

• The man in the photo can’t be • CAN’T – impossibility

Peter because he never wears
a hat.

• The letter might be / may be /

could be from Tony. • MIGHT / MAY / COULD –
She might come and see you present and future possibility
tomorrow.

• Ed may not know how to find • we use MAY NOT and MIGHT
our house. NOT in negative sentences,
not COULD NOT
 TALKING ABOUT THE PAST

• I can’t find my keys. I must • MUST / CAN’T / COULDN’T

have left them at home. HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE –
• He can’t/couldn’t have got when we are certain about the
there yet because it will take at situations in the past
least two weeks.

• I’m not sure what sort of bird it • MAY / MIGHT / COULD HAVE
was that I saw, but it + PAST PARTICIPLE –
may/might/could have been an possibilities in the past
eagle.