MODAL VERBS

The modal verbs are: can-could-may-might-will-would-shall-should-must-ought to-have to-

need-dare-used to.
. !"ARA!#ER$S#$!S O% MODAL VERBS&
they take no 's in the third person singular except for have to( need and dare)
they cannot be used in the continuous tenses (as they have no in*initive or +artici+ial
*orms) except for need( have to and dare.
they are followed by ,are in*initive (infinitive without to) except for ought to( have to
and used to.
they form their negative and interrogative forms the same way as the auxiliaries (e.g. may
not) should i-.)
/. %01!#$O1S O% MODAL VERBS
A. A,ility2$na,ility
I can see him there.
They cant work so late.
When I was his age, I could play all day long. (repeated action)
Tom was able to sing the whole song although he was ill. (single action)
She wasnt able to/couldnt drink all that water by herself. (both types can be used in the
negative for either a repeated or a single action)
B. 3ossi,ility2 $m+ossi,ility
ou can accompany !ane if you want to.
We could ask him for advice.
"e may take his e#am this time.
ou cant trust the $ritish weather.
!. 3ermission2!oncession
Can I ask you something%
Could you pass the bread%
May I make a suggestion%
Might I borrow your pen%(formal)
ou can/may come in now.
D. O,ligation2Duty
She must pay her rent by &onday.(strong obligation or duty)
I have to speak to my brother. (obligation'necessity)
E. 1ecessity
I need to improve my (rench.
"e has to decide that soon.
Must I be there so early%
Need he be here%
)o I have to do this e#ercise too%
%. A,sence o* o,ligation or necessity
ou neednt worry* he+ll be here on time.
I dont have to leave until , o+clock.
ou neednt have waited for me. ($ut you waited)
They didnt need to say anything else. (-nd they didn+t)
4. 3rohi,ition
ou mustnt touch this.
ou are not to eat in this room. (.it is against the rules)
ou cant play on this ground. (.you are not allowed to)
". Logical assum+tion 5a**irmative and negative6
She must be nervous about her wedding.
ou must be feeling very lonely without him.
"e cant have done it* I+m sure he didn+t.
$. Advice
ou should stay home and get some rest.
"e ought to work harder.
ou ought not to complain so much.

7. !riticism
We should have checked our reservations. (but we didn+t)
She ought to have baked the cookies by now. (but she didn+t)

8. Re9uests( o**ers( suggestions
Can you drive a bit faster, please%
I+ll give you a lift.
Shall I make the coffee%
!ill should go to the dentist.
:. $1 S"OR#-
- MA; 5< +erha+s6
She may have gone out. (.Perhaps she went out)
- M0S# 5 ! think" ! suppose6
She must be at work. (. I think she is at work)
- !A1=# 5<! don#t think" ! don#t suppose6
She cant be at home. (. I dont think she is at home)
- M0S#1=# 5< it+s forbidden'not allowed6
ou mustnt smoke in hospitals. (. ou are not allowed to smoke in hospitals)
- 1EED1=# 5 it#s not necessary6
ou neednt come here tomorrow. (. Its not necessary for you to come here tomorrow)
$ D$D1=# 1EED #O 5 it wasn#t necessary for something to happen and it didn=t ha++en6
"e didnt need to go to work on Saturday. (. It wasn+t necessary for him to go to work because it
was Saturday)
$ 1EED1=# "AVE 5 it wasn#t necessary for something to happen but it did ha++en6
She neednt have bought so many towels. (. It wasn+t necessary for her to buy so many towels as
she did)
Lets have a laugh with modals
* May ! help you" sir%
$ &es" please' >ould you give me six fish" and could you throw them to me" please%
$ (hy should ! throw them%
$ (ell" !#m a hopeless fisherman but !#m not a liar" so now ! can tell my wife ! caught them.
-t the restaurant
$ &es" sir%
$ !#d like some burnt potatoes" raw meat and rotten vegetables.
$ &ou can=t be serious' &ou could get food poisoning'
$ &ou must be new here. )on#t worry" " that#s what they served me yesterday.
Shopping
$ !ould ! try on that dress in the window" please%
$ !#m afraid you can=t( madam. &ou#ll have to try it on in the changing room like everyone else.
$ May ! suggest you try these shoes on" sir% (ith these shoes you can run" play football" tennis" golf*
$ Shall we buy them" +usan%
$ ,h" no' -et#s leave them .ob. (e#re /ust looking for shoes you can walk in.
$ 0ummy" ! must have another glass of water'
$ &ou#ve had ten already' &ou ought to calm down. &ou don=t need to run around so much.
$ .ut ! have to$ the playroom is on fire'