Modal Auxiliaries And Similar Expressions

A. WHAT ARE MODAL AUXILIARIES? Modal auxiliaries are verbs that express many kinds of meaning. Each modal auxiliary often expresses more than one meaning and have characteristic : 1. Modal do not take a final -s, even when the subject is he, she, or it. 2. Modals are followed immediately by simple form of verb.

B. THE FORM OF MODAL AUXILIARIES

The verb in the list below are modal auxiliaries. They are helping verbs that express a wide range of meanings (ability, permission, possibility, necessity, etc.). Most of the modals have more than one meaning. AUXILIARY + THE SIMPLE FORM OF A Can, could may, might, should, had VERB Can Could May Might Should Had better Must Will Would I can speak English. He couldnt come to class. It may rain tomorrow. It might rain tomorrow. Mary should study harder. I had better study tonight. Joe must see a doctor today. I will be in class tomorrow. Would you please close the door? The main verb never has a final -s. CORRECT: Olga can speak English. INCORRECT: English Olga can speaks They are not followed by to: CORRECT: I can speak English. INCORRECT: I can to speak English. better, must, will, and would are followed by the simple form of a verb.

AUXILIARY + TO + THE SIMPLE FORM OR A Have, have got, and ought are VERB Have to Have got to Ought to followed by an infinitive (to + the I have to study tonight. I have got to study tonight. Kate ought to study harder. simple form of a verb).

Modal Can, Could Will, Would, Shall, Should May, Might Must Ought to

Similar expressions Be able to Be going to Be allowed to Have/has/had to Be supposed to

EXPRESSING ABILITY: CAN AND COULD 1. Can expresses ability in the present or future.
a) Bob can play the piano. b) You can buy a screwdriver at a hardware store.

2. The negative form of can may be written: cant, cannot, or can not c) I {cant, cannot, can not} understand that sentence. 3. The past form of can is could d) Our son could talk when he was two years old. 4. The negative of could: couldnt or could not. e) They {couldnt, could not} come to class yesterday.

EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY: MAY AND MIGHT

EXPRESSING PERMISSION: MAY AND CAN

1. May and might express possibility in the

present or future. They have the same

meaning. There is no difference in meaning between (a) and (b).

a) It may rain tomorrow. b) It might rain tomorrow.

c)

A: Why isnt John in class? B: I dont know. He {may, might} be sick today.

2. Negative: may not and might not. (Do not contract may and might with not) d) It may not rain tomorrow. e) It might not rain tomorrow. 3. Maybe (spelled as one word) is an adverb meaning perhaps, Notice (f) and (g).

May be (spelled as two words) is a verb form, as in (h): the auxiliary may + the main verb be.
f)

Maybe it will rain tomorrow.

g) Maybe John is sick. h) John may be sick 4. May is also used to give permission. Often can is used to give permission, too. (i) and

(j) have the same meaning, but may is more formal than can.
i) j)

Yes, children, you may have a cookie after dinner. Okay, kids, you can have a cookie after dinner.

5. May not and cant are used to Deny permission k) You may not have a cookie. l)

You cant have a cookie.

 USING COULD TO EXPRESS POSSIBILITY a) A: Why isnt Greg in class? B: I dont know. He could be sick.
b) Look at those dark clouds. It could start

Could can mean past ability. But that is not its only meaning. Another meaning of could is possibility. In (a): He could be sick has the same meaning as he may/might be sick, i.e., It is possible that he is sick. In (a):, could expresses a present

raining any minute.

possibility. In (b):, could expresses a future possibility.

ASKING FOR PERMISSION: MAY I, COULD I, CAN I POLITE QUESTION POSSIBLE People use may I, could I, and can I to ask polite questions. The questions ask for someones permission. (a), (b), and (c) have basically the same meaning. Note: can I is less formal than may I and could I. Please can come at the end of question: May please? Please can be omitted from the question: Uh-huh. (Meaning yes) May I borrow your pen? the

ANSWERS a) May I please borrow Yes. your pen ? your pen? pen? Sure. (informal) Okay. (informal) Yes. Of course. Of course.
b) Could I please borrow Yes. Certainly.

c) Can I please borrow your Certainly.

I borrow your pen,

ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE: WOULD YOU, COULD YOU, WILL YOU, CAN YOU POLITE QUESTION POSSIBLE ANSWERS a) Would you please Yes. open the door?
b) Could

People use would you, could you, will you, and can you to ask polite questions. The questions ask for someones help or cooperation. (a),(b), (c), and (d) have

Yes of course. please Yes. Certainly. Of course. Id be happy to. Of course. Id be happy/glad to. to. Sure (informal) Okay (informal) My pleasure. (informal)

you

open the door? the door? the door?

c) Will you please open Certainly/

d) Can you please open Id be glad to.

basically the same meaning. The use of can, as in (d), is less

formal than the other. Certainly. Id be happy/glad NOTE: May is NOT used when you is the subject of a polite question. INCORRECT: May you please open the door?

Uh-huh. EXPRESSING ADVICE: SHOULD, OUGHT TO, HAD BETTER

a) My clothes are dirty. I {should, ought Should, ought to, and had better have

to, had better} wash them.

basically the same meaning. They mean: This is a good idea. This is good advice.

b) You need your sleep. You shouldnt Negative: should + not = shouldnt.

stay up late.
c) Id better, Youd better, Hed better, Contraction of had = d

Shed better, Wed better, Theyd better study tonight.

NOTE: Usually had is the past form of have. However, in the expression had better, had is used as part of an idiom and the meaning is not past. The meaning is present or future.

EXPRESSING NECESSITY: HAVE TO, HAVE GOT TO, MUST have a very important test Have to, have got to, and must have

a) I

tomorrow.

I {have to, have got to, must} study tonight. Have to is used much more frequently than must in everyday speech and writing.

basically the same meaning. They express the idea that something is necessary.

Have got to is generally used only in informal speech and writing.

b) I have to (hafta) go downtown Usual pronunciation : Have to = hafta

today.
c) Rita has to (hasta) go to the bank. d) Ive go to (gotta) study tonight. e) I had to study last night.

Has to = hasta (have)Got to = gotta

The past form of have to, have got to, and must (meaning necessity) is had to.

EXPRESSING LACK OF NECESSTITY: DO NOT HAVE TO EXPRESSING PROHIBITION: MUST NOT

a) I finished all of my homework this Dont/doest have to expresses the idea that

afternoon. I dont have to study something is not necessary. tonight.

b) Tomorrow is a holiday. Mary doesnt

have to go to class.
c) Children, you must not play with Must not expresses prohibition. (DO NOT

matches!
d) We must not use that door. The sign

DO THIS!)

says:
e) You mustnt play with matches.

Must + not = mustnt. (Note: The first t is not pronounced)