MODAL VERBS

GENERAL FEATURES
These are the English modals verbs: - Can - Could- May Might- Must Shall Should- Will - Would - Ought to Modal verbs are sometimes referred to as Modal Auxiliary verbs because they help other verbs. They are Auxiliary verbs that provide additional and specific meaning to the main verb of the sentence. 1.- Modals don't have all the verb forms or tenses (infinitive, past simple ,past participle, -ing form): only 1 form. The verb form is the same for all the persons. Modal verbs use other verbs to complete the tenses: For example, Can is completed with be able to; and Must is completed with have to: They can play the piano. They will be able to play the piano in the future. You must come early. You had to come early yesterday. 2.- Their meaning can change when they are used in the affirmative, the negative or the interrogative forms. 3.- They don't need auxiliary verbs to form the interrogative and negative forms: E.g. You can't choose the PM. He shouldn't behave in that way. Should I go to the doctor? 4.- They are ALWAYS followed by infinitive without to (except OUGHT TO) 5.- To form the negative, we add NOT to the modal verb: E.g. A jury might not believe him 6.- Semi-modals: some modals share features of the common verbs and others of the modals verbs, and they are called semi-modals: these are HAVE TO and NEED Have to: it needs auxiliaries for the negative and the interrogative; it takes s for the present 3rd person singular. Need : It is used as a modal and as a normal verb. Modal Verb: It doesnt take an auxiliary verb. He needn't come. Ordinary verb: He doesn't need to be there. informal language 7.- Modal Perfect tenses (modal + have+ participle) are used to refer to actions in the past. e.g. He looks exhausted. He must have been working really hard. EXPRESSING OBLIGATION MUST: Personal obligation coming from the speaker: It refers to the present/future - I must study harder to pass this year. Remember: The negative of must means prohibition (You mustnt park here)

HAVE TO: This is not a modal verb, and so it needs an auxiliary to form the negative and the interrogative. It can be formed in any tense, and it replaces the modal Must for those tenses this one lacks. In the present, it expresses an obligation made by other person, an order, a regulation, a law: - I have to wear a helmet when I drive my motorbike. - Does she have to study at school up to 16? HAD TO: In the past, it relates both to the past of must and to the past of have to -I had to take my sister to her tennis lesson -Did you have to wear a school uniform? EXPRESSING LACK/ABSENCE OF OBLIGATION OR NECESSITY DON'T HAVE TO: to express that something is not compulsory or obligatory. It is used for present and past situations. - You don't have to attend the conference. - She didnt have to answer all questions. - She doesnt have to leave early tomorrow NEEDN'T: We use it to talk about something which is not obligatory in the present. The modal need (without to) is only used in the negative and the interrogative. In the affirmative, it expresses necessity and its used as a common verb. - You neednt visit my uncle but you need to visit the doctor. -Youll need to take warm clothes. -Did you need to use the dictionary? Similarly, well use need + to+ infinitive for the future and the past, as the last 2 examples show. NEEDNT + have + participle: a past activity which took place, but which was unnecessary: - You neednt have brought a present for the birthday party! (but you brought it!) -I neednt have taken my umbrella. On the other hand, didnt need + infinitive refers to an unnecessary action: - I didnt need to wake up early (maybe I did or I didnt, the point is that it was not necessary) EXPRESSING PROHIBITION CAN'T: You can't eat sweets before dinner MUSTN'T: stronger prohibition You mustn't smoke at school.

EXPRESSING ADVICE/RECOMMENDATION in the present: SHOULD/ SHOULDN'T: it refers to the present - He should get up earlier. - He shouldn't wear so tight clothes because they make him look fatter. OUGHT TO: it refers to the present. - She ought to go to the gym

MUST: It expresses a strong recommendation in the present. - I have just read this novel. You must read it. It is wonderful. HAD BETTER (NOT): to give strong advice ad warnings in the present - Youd better go or you wont be on time - Youd better not do that or Ill get angry HAD BETTER NOT is also used to threaten someone: Shed better not tell anything or shell be reported to the police. EXPRESSING CRITICISM OR ADVICE in the past SHOULD/ SHOULDN'T + have + participle: This describes a criticism or regret about a past action. It also refers to a not followed advice. - You should have told them the truth. - We shouldnt have left before the concert ended. OUGHT TO + have+ participle: (as above) -We ought to have waited for her.

EXPRESSING ABILITY
WILL (NOT) BE ABLE TO: It refers to ability in the future. - I wont be able to get there until 3.00. BE ABLE TO is used in the future, but also to express ability in the present and in the past -She was able to play the piano when she was seven -Im not able to finish this exercise. CAN / CANT: To express ability in the present. -You can/cant swim well. COULD / COULDNT: ability in the past - She could dance when she was younger. EXPRESSING PERMISSION CAN / CANT in the present: You can/cant go to the party. (Here, it means that you dont have permission to go) COULD / COULDNT in the past: I could/couldnt drink Coke when I was five. Be allowed to + infinitive: permission in any tense -You arent allowed to be here -She wasnt allowed to be there -Teenagers will be allowed to vote at 16 in a few years. Asking permission and making polite requests: CAN: Can I have a drink?

informal

COULD: Could you pass me the salt, please? MAY: May I borrow your dictionary, please? MIGHT: rarely used: Might I sit here?

Very formal

EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY
MAY (not) // MIGHT (not) // COULD (not)// CAN: It could be dangerous to travel alone. It may not rain tomorrow. She might win the gold medal in the competition You can study Biology, too, if you want to. The 3 of them are used to talk about possible actions in the future or in the present. Both May and Might express the possibility that something happens in the future, without being sure. Might is also the past form of May. The possibility expressed by Could is more remote or uncertain than the one expressed by Can (We can go on next Friday// We could go on Friday). CANT signals that we believe or guess that something is impossible: It cant be so late already! MAY/ MIGHT + HAVE + Participle: A guess about something that happened in the past. We use them when we are not sure because we dont actually know what happened in the past. She may have taken the wrong bus. She might have lived in my town but Im not sure. COULD + HAVE+ participle: to refer to something possible in the past, but which didnt happen: They could have parked nearer the hospital (But they didnt, in fact, they parked near it) You could have asked the doctor before taking that medicine. EXPRESSING CERTAINTY AND DEDUCTION MUST: we are sure about an action in the present or future Hes broken his leg. It must hurt him a lot Its 5.30 pm. They must be having dinner, as usual. CANT/COULDNT + HAVE+ participle: To express certainty that something was impossible referred to past situations. She cant have said that! She is very polite! He couldnt have gone to the concert because he was doing a test. MUST + HAVE+ participle: Its used to express deduction, a logical conclusion and certainty referred to the past.

MODAL VERBS: KEY SUMMARY MODALS Can 1. 2. Cant Cant have + part. Could 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. USES general ability in the present or the future (informal) request and permission Impossibility general ability in the past (polite ) request Possibility (not certain) Suggestion Examples I can speak English Can I use your car? You cant see the dentist now, sorry. They cant have eaten that She could read well when she was 4. Could I have a word with you? The keys could be in the car We could visit her tonight I couldnt open the door. They couldnt have got there Youll be able to drive well soon We were able to find the house without a map. It may rain tomorrow May I call you later? He may not arrive today

Couldnt Couldnt have + part.

1.

Impossibility ( negative only; past situation always) 1. general ability (=can) ( all tenses)

Be able to

2. specific past ability: managing to do something despite its difficulty. May May not 1. negative possibility (present or future situation) May have+ part. 1.possibility in the past 1. 2. Possibility in the present or future. (formal) request and permission.

They may have got lost

Might (not) Might have + part.

1. affirmative and negative probability in the present, future or past

Should/ ought to/ had better (not) Should/Ought to Should have + participle Must (present and future)

1. 2.

advice possibility (90%): prediction

It might rain tomorrow Tom might not arrive today I might have left the towel at the pool. You should/ ought to see a doctor He should do well in the exam She should have finished her tests in May I must write a letter to my aunt. You must see the doctor The lights are on. He must be at home They must have already arrived You mustnt smoke in a hospital. Shell have to wear glasses I had to leave early. I dont have to work tomorrow. Its Sunday.

Must have + participle Mustnt

1. criticism; not followed advice 1. obligation felt by the speaker; future intention 2. strong recommendation 3. possibility (99%): deduction in the present or the past

1. prohibition Have to ( all tenses) Dont have to/ Neednt 1. 2. External obligation necessity in the future and past

1. Lack of obligation, necessity