Model Verbs:Notes

Verb

Verbs tell what action a subject is performing

• Can show physical action (marched, mailed) • Can show mental action or ownership
(thought, has) • Can show a state of being (was)

 Reference Links

https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/modal-verbs.html

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Modal-Auxiliary-Verbs.htm

1. Use of Modals verbs Auxiliary verbs are divided into 2 categories (a) Primary
auxiliaries (b) Modal auxiliaries

2. Primary auxiliaries are the forms of the verbs to be, to have, to do.

3. Modal Auxiliaries are shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, dare, need,
ought to, used to.

4. Modals are followed by principal/main verbs. They express the mode or manner of
happening of an action or event.

o They are used to give an expression to ideas of ability,

probability, possibility, permission, obligation, duty, threat,
determination, etc.
o Modals do not change according to the number or person of
the subject. The modal does not go alone. It always goes with
a full verb.
e.g. Rama can run. They can run.

5. • Can/could, may/might, will/would, shall/should and must are followed by

infinitive without ‘to’.

 Sita must go to hospital.

 Santhosh will help you.
 She should keep up her word.
 He might leave India shortly.
 •Ought and used are followed by the infinitive with ‘to’.
- You ought to keep up your promise.
- He used to teach French.

• The negative is formed by putting ‘not’ after the auxiliary. Students

must not wear heavy Jewellery with uniform.

- She couldn’t walk as she fell down recently.

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 6. Can is used to express
(a) Ability – I can speak English fluently.
(b) Permission – can I smoke in the campus? You can go home now.
(c) Possibility – malaria can be dangerous.
- Could is the past tense of cab. It is used to express:
(a) Ability in the past – I could easily run fast those days.
(b) A polite request in the present; in the form of a question – Could I see the
manager for a minute? May is used for all persons in the present and future.
It is followed by the infinitive without ‘to’. May is used to

7. a) Seek or grant permission – May I go home in the afternoon?

(b) Express possibility – It may rain in the afternoon.

(c) Express a wish or prayer – May God bless you.

(d) Express a purpose – He goes to gym so that he may be trim. Might is the past
tense of May.

It is used to express

(a) A doubtful possibility – He might go to a movie.

(b) Permission in the present tense – Might I ask a doubt?

(c) To show permission – He told me I might use his car.

(d) Purpose – He left office early so that he might go for a function.

(e) Suggestion – you might visit the big temple which is on your way to college.

Notice the difference between May and Might.

You may put the lights on. (Giving permission)

You might put the lights on.

(Suggesting) Might is used as the past tense of May.

My mother said, “You may go to movie at three.

My mother told me that I might go to the movie at three-o-clock.

8. Shall is used to express the future when the subject is I or We. I shall be
sixteen next year. Shall is used to express:

9. (a) Certainty– If you sing well, you shall be the winner.

(b) Assurance – Take the medicine regularly and you shall be well.

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 (c) Promise – If you win the match, you shall have a holiday.
(d) Threat – If you do not pass in the exam, you shall be retained in the same
class.
(e) Command – All students shall reach the prayer hall by 4.00p.m. When
shall is used in questions, it asks the will or the desire of the person
addressed. Shall I go with you for the movie?

10. (a) Certainty– If you sing well, you shall be the winner.
(b) Assurance – Take the medicine regularly and you shall be well.
(c) Promise – If you win the match, you shall have a holiday.
(d) Threat – If you do not pass in the exam, you shall be retained in the same
class.
(e) Command – All students shall reach the prayer hall by 4.00p.m. When
shall is used in questions, it asks the will or the desire of the person
addressed. Shall I go with you for the movie?

11. Shall we go to the market?

12. Should is the past tense of shall. Should is used to express:

(a) Duty or moral obligation We should take care of our parents during
oldage.
(b) Advice or instruction or opinion. You should lock the door when you leave
home.
(c) High degree probability The team should win the trophy for all the efforts
taken. Should is used as the past tense of shall. Should have expresses a
past unfulfilled duty or a sensible action which was not performed. You should
have worn a grand dress for the party.

13. Must refers to the present or the future tense. It is used to express:
(a) Obligation or necessity – We must obey our parents.
(b) Compulsion – You must finish your assignment by tomorrow.
(c) Possibility – She should have reached home by now. Ought is used nearly
in the same sense as should. It is followed by the infinitive ‘to’. It is
(a) Used to express duty or moral binding – You ought to send money to your
parents.
(b) An inference – The train ought to be arriving late, hence the platform is
crowded.
(c) Possibility – He has done well in the interview. He ought to get the job.

1.1 Tips to understand the functioning of Modals: Modals are usually used in
statements to express the following: • Ability – can, could • Advice – had

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 better, ought to, should certainly or • Intention – shall, will, would • Necessity –
must, need to • Obligation – ought to, should

1.2 • Permission – can, may • Possibility – could, may, might

• Willingness – shall, will, would Modals are used in questions for various
purposes, such as the following:

• To find out about a person’s ability – can/can’t/could/couldn’t (for the past)

• To get suggestions or advice – shall/should/shouldn’t/ought to/ought not to
• To find if something is the right thing to do –must/mustn’t/should/shouldn’t
/ought to/ought not to
• To offer help – can/can’t/could/couldn’t/may/shall/will/won’t/would
• To get an opinion – will/would/won’t/wouldn’t
• To express uncertainty– could/might/should May is normally used with the
subjects I and we in questions. The modal shan’t is not used in questions.

Modal auxiliaries can, may, must

We use modal auxiliary verbs can, may, must in the English language for various
meanings - ability, possibility, probability, certainty, permission, prohibition, obligation,
opinion, speculation, etc.

Can

1. It is used to express the ability to do something.

I can swim very well.

Can he speak English fluently? - No, he can't.

We cannot sing at all!

2. It expresses the possibility to do something.

We can go to the seaside at last. Our holidays start next week.

3. We use it to say that something is probable.

It can be Jatin. He has blond hair and he is wearing glasses.

4. It expresses the permission to do something.

Why not? You can marry her. She is a nice girl.

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 May

1. It is used for permissions.

You may borrow my car. I won't need it.

May I smoke here? - No, you can't, I'm sorry.

2. It is used to express probability or prediction.

They may call tomorrow. I hope so.

The main difference between may and can is in style. May is more formal than can.
Can is typical of spoken English.

3. The opposite of may is must not or may not.

May I smoke here?

- You mustn't smoke here. (strong prohibition)

- You may not smoke here. (more polite, very formal)

- You can't smoke here. (informal spoken English)

Must

1. It is used for strong obligations. It is personal, because it expresses the speaker's

opinion or will.

I must clean my teeth. I want to be healthy.

You must go there. And do it right now!

2. It means a strong recommendation.

You must see it. It's the best film I've ever seen.

3. We use it to show the certainty of the speaker.

They must be at school by now. It's already 9 o'clock.

4. The opposite of must is need not.

Mum, must I wash up? - No, you needn't. I've already done it.

Must not has a different meaning. It is used to express prohibition that involves the
speaker's will.

We mustn't come late today. Or the teacher will be very angry.

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 He mustn't enter this room. It is dangerous.

Note

Normally, these modal auxiliary verbs are not used in different tenses. The past
tense of can is could, may and must, however, only have the present form. All the
other tenses must be formed in a different way.

We make the passive voice with a verb + be + past participle: This can be done. The
laws must be respected.

Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without to

She must study (strong obligation)

We should have gone the other way (recommendation)

He could play football in his youth (ability in the past)

Modal Concept Examples

Will Future Jatin will travel to Haridwar next week

Might Small probability I might move to Kolkata some day

Should Recommendation You should go to the doctor

Ought to Formal recommendation We ought to know about first aids

Modal Concept Examples

May (1) Permission May I come in?

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 May (2) Good probability We may visit Pune this summer

Must (1) Responsibility Everyone must pay taxes

Must (2) Assumption She didn’t arrive. She must be sick

Would (1) Past (used to) When I was young, I would play soccer

Would (2) Present unrealI would buy the car but I can’t afford it

Modal Concept Examples

Shall (1) Educated expression Excuse me, I shall go now

Offer Shall I clean it?

Shall (2) Contractual obligation The company shall pay on January 1st

Could (1) Unreal Ability I could go if I had time

Could (2) Past Ability She could play the piano (but she can’t

anymore)

Can (1) Present Ability We can speak English

Can (2) Permission Can I have a chocolate?

Modals in the Past

They are modals referred to actions that happened in the past

MODAL + HAVE + verb in past participle

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 It must have been a difficult decision

They should have invited her to their wedding

Look at the above pictures and understand the respective concepts below:

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