MODAL VERBS

PROHIBITION

OBLIGATION/NECESSITY

LACK OF OBLIGATION

PROHIBICIN

OBLIGACIN/ NECESIDAD

AUSENCIA DE OBLIGACIN

Mustnt

Must autoridad fuerte

Dont /doesnt have to-

You mustnt run in the corridor

I must post this letter

You must be here on time

*Have(got) to ( obligacin ms

suave- autoridad procede de fuera

del hablante, de una ley o regla )
I have to hand in this essay on
Friday ( teachers order)
Children have to go to school
until 16 ( a law)

Need ( expresa necesidad)

PERMISSION
PERMISO

Can ( expresar o pedir permiso)-

uso coloquial

You dont have to buy it

You can use my umbrella

Neednt

Could- ( menos directo y mas

educado)- pedir permiso

You neednt wait for me.

Could I borrow your pencil,
please?

May (ms formal)- expresar y

pedir permiso

Need we go out now?

May I use your phone, please?

Should/ought to ( obligacin
moral)
You should to be more tolerant

Had to ( obligacin o necesidad

en pasado)
I had to buy a mobile phone
yesterday

ABILITY

POSSIBILITY/PROPABILITY

REQUESTS

DEDUCTIONS CERTAINTY

HABILIDAD O CAPACIDAD*

POSIBILIDAD/ PROBABILIDAD

PETICIONES

DEDUCCIONES

Can ( en presente)

Can ( posibilidad/imposibilidad)*

Can ( para pedir algo o pedir

Must ( deduccin afirmativa)

We can drive very well

Could ( en pasado)
Jane could drive before she
was 18

* Be able to ( para completar

los tiempos verbales del can)
I wont be able to talk for a
few days

terica ( presente)
-If you try hard enough, you can do
anything you want to
-The temperature in Mlaga can
reach 37 in August
-I cant talk, Ive got a very sore
throat

May* posibilidad/ especulaciones

presentes/futuras (indica algo no es

seguro; mas seguridad que might o
could)
-He may come to the party
-That may be the thief who was
arrested by the police

Might * posibilidad/

especulaciones presentes/futuras
( dudoso- menos seguridad que may)
-It might rain this afternoon
-It might not snow

a alguien que haga algo) *

coloquial
-Can I have a cup of tea?
-Can you help me?

Could ( menos directo y ms

formal)
-Could I borrow your bike?
-Could you open the window,
please?

May (pedir algo, muy formal)

May I have some more salt,
please?

-They must be brothers

-It must be raining ( debe de estar
lloviendo) * estamos seguros que
se esta desarrollando ( hay gotas
de agua)

Cant ( deduccin negativa)

She cant be at school. Its a
holiday. * estamos seguros que no
esta sucediendo

May/could+be ( sugiere que

algo puede ser verdad)
He could be studying

Could ( menos seguridad que

might) * especulaciones pr/fu
posibilidad remota
They could be friends

Could ( posilidad/ imposibilidad

en el pasado)
I couldnt open my eyes

OFFERS

Will ( will you? quisiera... (

educado)
Will you turn down the TV,
please?

Might be+ing ( menos posible

que sea verdad)
He might be talking.

Would you mind ..?

( educado)
Would you be quiet?

SUGGESTIONS AND ADVICES

WILLINGNESS/PROMISE/REFUSAL

OFRECIMIENTOS

SUGERENCIAS Y CONSEJOS

BUENA INTENCION/PROMESA/RECHAZO

Can ( coloquial) * poco usado

Should ( Dar o pedir consejos- debera)

Will ( expresa buena intencin)

Can I help you?

You should go to the doctor

I will give you a hand

( expresa promesa)
I promise I will help you

Wont ( expresa rechazo de algo o de algo)

The car wont start
She says she wont take the medicine

May ( formal)* poco usado

Ought to ( Dar consejos)

May I help you?

You ought to talk to him

Shall ( Shall I.?* preguntas cuyo sujeto es

Shall we... ? Pedir sugerencias

Wouldnt expresa rechazo en pasado

Where shall we go?

She said she wouldnt take her medicine

primera persona I )

Shall I do it now or later?

Shall I...? En preguntas expresar buena

intencin

Shall I help you?

Will

Could ( hacer sugerencias)

Ill help you tidy up your room

We could go to the cinema

Would you like/prefer..?

Would you like a cup of tea?

MODAL IDIOMS

- Dar consejos o sugerencia (sera mejor)

HAD
BETTER
WOULD
RATHER

Had better+ bare infinitivo ( infinitivo sin to)

Se usa para expresar preferencias , sinnimo Would
prefer

It's getting dark, we'd better go home now

- Youd better not let them out

- I'd rather stay at home (prefiero)* las dos acciones
( preferir/estar) se refiere al mismo sujeto

- + bare infinitive ( infinitivo sin to) : el sujeto de las dos - I'd rather listen to music than dance ( prefiero escuchar
acciones es la misma persona
msica a bailar)

- + bare infinitive + than + bare infinitive:

se prefiere una accin a otra

cuando
- I'd rather she studied harder ( Preferira que ella estudiara
ms duro)

- + simple past sentence: sujetos diferentes

BE USED TO
+ -ING
GET USED
TO

- Expresa "estar acostumbrado a.."

- I'm used to going to bed late.

- I can't get used to his way of cooking.

- Expresa " acostumbrarse a.."

+ -ING

MODALES PERFECTOS:
Se refieren al pasado: expresan conclusiones, suposiciones y conjeturas que hacemos sobre hechos pasados y se forman con un
modal + have + participio.
MUST + HAVE + PARTICIPIO conclusiones lgicas en el pasado, e.g. Sheila was absent yesterday. She must have been ill.(
ella debe haber estado enferma)
o

COULD + HAVE + PARTICIPIO indica que hubo posibilidad de hacer algo en el pasado pero realmente no se hizo, e.g. He
could have helped us, but he came too late. ( El pudo habernos ayudado, pero llego demasiado tarde)

 en negativa, expresa la incredulidad de que lo ocurrido sea cierto, e.g. She couldn't have said those words
para hacer una suposicin en el pasado, e.g. She didn't come to the party. She could have been ill.
- Expresar una critica : You could have bought some more food!
MAY / MIGHT + HAVE + PARTICIPIO expresan una suposicin/ especulaciones sobre el pasado, e.g. Call her again.
She may / might not have heard you the first time. ( ella puede que te haya odo la primera vez)

SHOULD / OUGHT TO + HAVE + PARTICIPIO para lamentar que no se sigui un consejo en el pasado, e.g. She looks
worse. She should / ought to have seen a doctor last week.
para lamentar que no se haya cumplido lo que esperbamos, e.g. They should have been home by now.
en negativa demuestran nuestra opinin crtica sobre algo que no debera haber ocurrido, e.g. I'm very
angry with her. She shouldn't have been so rude