English Modal Verbs ?

By Bahrom Almardanov

Section One
Basic Information
about Modal Verbs

Section Two

Section Five

Simple Modal
Verbs

Final Test

Section Three
Past forms of
Modal Verbs and
their functions

Section Four
Compound Modal
Verbs and their
functions

What are Modal Verbs ?

Modal

verbs are special verbs which

behave very differently from normal
verbs. Here are some important
differences:

1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the

third person.
EXAMPLES:

He can speak Russian.

She should go now.
My wife may join us for the dinner.

2. You use "not" to make modal verbs

negative, even in Simple Present and
EXAMPLES:
Simple Past.
You should not be late.
I can not come to at 6pm.
He may not like this idea.
You must not disturb him now, he is busy.
They didnt must do it. NOT CORRECT

3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in

the past tenses or the future tenses.
EXAMPLES:

He will can go with us. NOT CORRECT

She musted study very hard. NOT CORRECT
It mayed show yesterday. NOT CORRECT

1
3

Which sentence has a modal verb?

We have been arguing over this issue for half and hour
, lets change the topic.

Do not turn on that computer, it is not working properly

. We need to fix it.

Lets visit our grandpa, we have not seen him since

Christmas.

Well Done!

Back to the
Rule

Please choose the correct sentence

He

cans climb the rocks.

He

canned climb the rocks.

He

can climb the rocks.

Fantastic!

Back to the
Rule

Please choose correct negative form

of modal verb
I

dont can do it now, I am very busy till 5pm.

You

must dont smoke here, this place is smo

ke free.

He

should not procrastinate his assignments

, he may not get good grades.

Great!

Quit

Continue

Back to the
Rule

Section Two
Simple Modal
Verbs

Can

Must

May

1.
2.
3.

to express general ability

to express possibility / impossibility
to ask a permission (informal)

EXAMPLES:

I can sing and play the guitar.

Anyone can learn how to use Computers if
they want to.
Can you help me to fix my door?

Back to section two

Take the test

1.
2.
3.

to express possibility
to ask or to give a permission (formal)
to make requests

EXAMPLES:
He

may come late today.

You may use my Computer now.
May I make a phone call?

Back to section two

Take the test

1.
2.
3.

to express certainty
to express necessity
to make a strong recommendation

EXAMPLES:
You

must be tired now, you have worked all

day long.
I must have a visa to go to Canada.
CEP 811 is a very interesting class, you must
take it too.
Back to section two

Take the test

Choose the best answer

If you want to get a better feeling for how the

city is laid out, you_______________ walk
downtown and explore the waterfront.

Can

Will

Do

See the rules

Can

May

Must

Choose the best answer

Today

is cloudy, it ________________ rain.

Does

May

Can

Can

May

Must

See the rules

Choose the best answer

Ted's

flight from Uzbekistan took more than

11 hours. He ________________ be
exhausted after such a long flight.

Can

May

Must

See the rules

If you have not studied one of these verbs, click on it.

Can

May

Must

If you have, click here

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Section Three
Past forms of
Modal Verbs and
their functions

Could

Would

Might

Should

1.
2.
3.
4.

to express general ability in the past, because it is

the past form of the Can
to express possible future actions similar to May
and Might in meaning
to make a request or ask something
to express unreal or impossible actions

EXAMPLES:

We tried hard but we could not persuade them to

come with us.
My grandfather could not swim.
When you go to Uzbekistan, you could stay with me.
Could you tell me what time it is?
I dont know how she works 14 hours a day in front
of the computer, I could not do this.

Back to section three

Take the test #1

Take the test #2

1.
2.
3.

to express future in the past because it is the past

form of Will
to express unreal action in the present
to ask someone to do something (formal),
(structure: If + you + would+ verb)

EXAMPLES:

He told me that he would come and fix this computer

yesterday.
I would be very frightened if someone pointed a gun
at me.
If we did not go to their party next week, she would
be very upset.
Id be very grateful if you would come and help me
move to my new apartment.

Back to section three

Take the test #1

Take the test #2

1.
2.
3.

to ask or give advice or recommendation

often after these verbs: suggest, propose,
recommend, insist, demand.
If you think that if person is likely to do something
with less certainty or accidentally, you can use
this structure: If + you + should+ verb or Should +
you + verb

EXAMPLES:

I think you should stop smoking, drinking and messing

around, instead you should do sometime useful.
They insisted that we should have dinner with them.
He recommended that I should apologize to her for
what I said.
If you should see Tom this evening, could you tell him to
call me? or Should you see Tom..
Dont worry if I should be late tonight.

Back to section three

Take the test #1

Take the test #2

1.
2.
3.

to give or ask permission, or possibility in the past,

because it is the past form of May
to express future or present possibility and
probability
Interchangeably with May quite often with no
difference in meaning.

EXAMPLES:

She told that he might come in and use her stove.

He might be having lunch now.
It might rain tomorrow.
There may/might not be a meeting tonight, because
the director is ill.
I may/might go to Italy this summer.

Back to section three

Take the test #1

Take the test #2

# 1. Choose the correct modal verb

Your

brother was ill, therefore he _____ go

out for a walk.

Cant

Mustnt

Couldnt

Back to the
Rule

Outstanding!!!

Back to section three

# 2. Choose the correct modal verb

If

he were here, he ____ help you.

May

Couldnt

Can

Could

Back to the
Rule

Terrific !!!

Back to section three

# 1. Choose the correct verb

Mr.

Bond said if she was busy at 10 o'clock,

he ____ come to see her later.

May

Would

Can

Must

Back to the
Rule

Super!!!

Back to section three

# 2. Choose the correct modal verb

This

house ____ look better if they painted it

and cut the grass and planted flowers.

May

Must

Can

Would

Back to the
Rule

Quit

Well done!!!

Back to section three

Quit

Continue

# 1. Choose the correct modal verb

Oh,

you are seriously ill. I think you ... consult

a doctor.

Could

Would

Should

May

Back to the
Rule

Good Job!!!

Back to section three

# 2.Choose the correct modal verb

The

Sheriff demands that all the

eyewitnesses _____ be questioned
immediately.

Must

Should

Would

Could

Back to the
Rule

Outstanding!!!

Back to section three

# 1. Choose the correct modal verb

He

said that I ____ play any CD from his

collection while he was gone.

May

Should

Must

Might

Back to the
Rule

Good Job!!!

Back to section three

# 2. Choose the correct modal verb

Dont

call me at 8:30. I ____ be watching the

football match on television.

Might

Can

Would

Should

Back to the
Rule

Good Job!!!

Back to section three

Section Four
Compound Modal
Verbs and their
functions

Modal Verbs + Perfectives?

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Modal Verbs + Perfective

May/Might/Could + Have + Past Participle
Must + Have + Past Participle
Should + Have + Past Participle
Would + Have + Past Participle

May/Might/Could + Have + Past Participle

to

express the possibility or probability in the

past, it is not certain if it happened or not.

Examples:
When I was sleeping last night, it may/might/could
have rained.
I cant find my notebook in my office, I
may/might/could have left it in the cafeteria.
Back to section four

Take the test

Choose the incorrect answer

A)

Why didnt Tom answer the doorbell? I am

sure he was in the house at the time.
B) He ____ have been in the bath.

May

Might

Could

Can

Back to the
Rule

Outstanding!!!

Must + Have + Past Participle

to

express the certainty in the past.

Examples:
Amira made an excellent presentation, she must
have prepared a lot for it.
When I came home in the middle of the night, I
unintentionally made a lot of noise, you must have
heard me.
Back to section four

Take the test

Choose the correct modal verb

When

I woke up this morning, the light was

on. I _____ have forgotten to turn it off.

Can

Should

Couldnt

Must

Back to the
Rule

Quit

Awesome!!!

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Continue

Should + Have + Past Participle

to

criticize some action in the past that did

not happen.

Examples:
I feel sick now, I should not have eaten so much
chocolate.
I am so sorry to hear that you got a bad grade for
this class, you should have studied more.
Back to section four

Take the test

Choose the correct modal verb

The

driver in the front stopped so suddenly

without warning, I drove into the back of his
car. It wasnt my fault. He ______ have
stopped so suddenly.

Cant

Shouldnt

Wouldnt

May not

Back to the
Rule

Well Done!!!

Would + Have + Past Participle

to

talk about unreal situations in the past,

usually in If sentences.

Examples:
Why didnt you call me? I would have come and
helped you, and you wouldnt have received this bill.
If I had known that you were in Washington DC,I
would have made arrangements to see you.
Back to section four

Take the test

Choose the correct modal verb

If

you had been more careful, you _____

have broken this vase.

Wouldnt

Cant

Shouldnt

May not

Back to the
Rule

Yey!!!

Section Five
Final Test

I challenge you to take this

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Choose a Test Question Number

One

Five
Two

Four
Three

#1. Choose the best answer

You

_____ break the body but you _____

break the spirit.
may / can not
could / can not
must / should
can / might not

Back to the
Rule

Good Job!!!

Back to section five

#2. Choose the best answer

He

knew perfectly well that he ______ it but

he wouldn't admit it.
shouldn't have done
Should do
Must have done
Can do

Back to the
Rule

Outstanding!!!

Back to section five

#3. Choose the best answer

Oh,

Mary, you ______ a lie to your mother.

She _______ you.
shouldn't tell / could have helped
should tell / might have helped
mustnt have told / could help
shouldn't have told / could have helped

Back to the
Rule

Bravo!!!

Back to section five

#4. Choose the best answer

If

I had gone to the University of Miami, I ________

participated in their Spanish immersion program.

Could have
Should have
Must have
Can have

Back to the
Rule

Spot on!!!

Back to section five

#5. Choose the best answer

You have no temperature now, so you needn't stay in bed any

longer. You ___ eat what ever you like, but you ... drink any
alcohol until you have finished taking tablets. And you ... stay
indoors for three-four days. After you ... go out for short walks.
If you want to get well soon you ... to follow all these
instructions.
could/need/don't have to/must/must
might/could/had to/could/are able
have to/might/had to/could/should
can/mustn't/should/can/will have

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iew section
two
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section three
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ew section f
our

Wow!!!

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Modal verbs please

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