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MODAL VERBS
There are ten modal verbs in English. These verbs have special functions
outside normal verbs.
The ten modal verbs are:
• May
• Might
• Can
• Could
• Will
• Would
• Shall
• Should
• Ought to*
• Must
*“Ought to” is a very formal verb. We tend to use shall and should in its place.
Modal verbs do not follow the pattern of normal verbs. They have no past or
future and they do not take ‘s’ for the third person singular:
She can sing She cans sing (X).
When speaking in the past or future, we tend to use another verb with a similar
meaning. For example: “She must leave” becomes “she had to leave” in the past tense
and “she will have to leave” in the future.
It is also possible to follow the modal with have in order to change the tense.
Thus, “I should eat some lunch” becomes “I should have eaten some lunch”. Note that in this
case, the following verb is in the past participle.
Can and could act as pair modals, thus a statement using can in the present
becomes could in the past.
I can’t find my wallet > I couldn’t find my wallet.
All modals form their negative by adding not.
I shouldn’t eat chocolate I don’t should eat chocolat (X)
Also, all modals are followed by the base form of a verb without ‘to’.
I could dance I could to dance. (X)
VERB USE EXAMPLES NOTES
CAN
(presente)
Expresar habilidad We can drive very well Be able to complementa a Can cuando indica posibilidad o habilidad:
infinitivo, futuro, present perfect y gerundio,
En negativo: Expresa imposibilidad, incapacidad
I can’t talk; I’ve got a very sore throat.
Pedir o conceder permiso Can I sit down? Yes, you can En negativo: Expresa prohibición You cannot smoke here.
En negativo: Expresa deducción. ( Can en negativo)
She can’t be at school. It’s holiday.
COULD
-Expresa habilidad en el pasado. Maria could play the piano when she was four years old.
-Expresa posibilidad o imposibilidad en el pasado.
It was so hot that I couldn’t walk in the sand.
- Pedir algo educadamente. Could you pass the salt, please?
-Hacer sugerencias.
We could go swimming or play basketball this afternoon.
-Hacer especulaciones (posibilidad remota).
This coin could be hers.
MUST
-Expresa obligación. You must go to school. HAVE TO expresa obligación igual que MUST y lo complementa en el resto de tiempos verbales. I had to get up early yesterday.
-En negativo : Expresa prohibición. You musn’t smoke in hospitals.
-Expresa deducción. They must be happy. They’ve won the lottery.
MAY
-Pedir permiso educadamente y expresar permiso.
May I leave the classroom?
You may go to the toilet. -Expresar posibilidad presente o futuro. Quizá, tal vez, puede ser..
The headmaster may visit the class tomorrow.
MIGHT -Expresa posibilidad ( más dudosa que con May)
They might invite us to the party.
La posibilidad es muy dudosa. Pudiera ser que..
SHOULD -Dar y pedir consejos.
Should I visit grandma? Yes, you should. -Expresa obligación moral. -You should be moral tolerant.
OUGHT TO
-Dar consejos. You ought to do more physical exercise
-Expresa obligación moral. You ought to be less shy.
- Se utiliza para lamentar que no se siguió un consejo en el pasado, e.g.
She looks worse. She should / ought to have seen a doctor last week.
- Para expresar que no pasó lo que esperábamos, e.g. They should have
been home by now.
- En negativa demuestran nuestra opinión crítica sobre algo que pensamos
que no debería de haber ocurrido, e.g I’m very angry with her. She
shouldn’t have been so rude.
5. NEEDN’T + HAVE + PARTICIPIO. Expresa que no había necesidad ni
obligación de llevar a cabo algo que ya se ha hecho, e.g You needn’t have
helped me. I could have done it by myself.
MODAL VERBS EXERCISES.
Activity 1.
Put the modal verb in its correct form, combined with the verb in brackets, to make deductions. The first one in done for you.
There is a lot of mail in the mailbox.
1. They can’t have got up yet.
2. They______ (be) on holiday.
3. They________ (have) a lot of magazine subscriptions.
He has a stain on his suit
4. He______ (have) noticed it.
5. He______ (have) had time to clean it.
6. It_____ (have) just happened.
Activity 2.
Put the correct modal verb in the space in its positive or negative form.
1. She had a lot of energy, she_______surf all day, dance all night.
2. All noise________be kept to a minimum after 11pm.
3. _______you like me to close the window? You look cold!
4. I_______ take that bag for you, if you like.
5. You really_________see the doctor regarding your ill health.
6. ______I show you to your room?
7. _____ you pass me the butter please?
8. We_______ be able to finish the project on time.
9. _______I take tomorrow off? It’s my birthday.
10. You really_______ touch that, you might hurt yourself.
ANSWERS TO THE EXERCISES
Activity 1
1. They can’t have got up yet.
2. They must be on holiday.
3. They might have a lot of magazine subscriptions.
4. He mustn’t have noticed it.
5. He might not have had time to clean it.
6. It may have just happened.
Activity 2
1. She had a lot of energy; she could surf all day, dance all night.
2. All noise should be kept to a minimum after 11pm.
3. Would you like me to close the window? You look cold!
4. I’ll take that bag for you, if you like.
5. You really ought to see the doctor regarding your ill health.
6. Shall I show you to your room?
7. Can you pass me the butter please?
8. We may not be able to finish the project on time.
9. Could I take tomorrow off? It’s my birthday.
10. You really shouldn’t touch that, you might hurt yourself.
