MODAL VERBS

 They are followed by short infinitive

 They form the negative by adding not to the modal verb
 Interrogative is formed by inversion between Subject and modal

CAN

 present ability: He can swim very well.

CAN is replaced by the modal expression TO BE ABLE TO for other tenses:

He will be able to drive in three weeks.

She has always been able to relate to difficult people.

 requests (informal): Can you hold this bag for me?

 theoretical possibility:

Present:
The road can be blocked. (= it is possible for someone to block it) → Drumul se
poate bloca
The road may be blocked. (= it is possible for the road to be already blocked) →
Se poate ca drumul sa fie blocat.

This phone can be repaired. (= it is possible for someone to repair it) → Telefonul
se poate repara.
This phone may be repaired. (= it is possible for the phone to be already repaired)
→ Se poate ca telefonul sa fie reparat.

Past (CAN + perfect infinitive)

He can’t have left so soon. (=Nu se poate/ Este imposibil sa fi plecat atat de
devreme.)

COULD

 general past ability: He could swim when he was 8.

She could read when she was 5.

 past ability without result: I could read the book in two days. (but I didn’t)
WAS ABLE TO = ability followed by result:
I could read the book in two days. (and I actually read it)

 requests (more polite than “can”):

Could you help me, please? (= Ai putea sa ma ajuti, te rog)
  theoretical possibility (“could is more uncertain than “can”)

Present:
The road could be blocked. (= Drumul s-ar putea bloca)
The watch could be repaired. (= Ceasul s-ar putea repara)

Past
They couldn’t have left so soon. I am almost sure they didn’t leave. (= Nu se poate
sa fi plecat atat de devreme)

MAY

 permission (formal, polite)

You may leave your coats here.
They may stay here and wait for the director.
TO BE ALLOWED TO/ TO BE PERMITTED TO are used to express permission in
other tenses:

He was allowed to go a club.

They will be permitted to wear trousers.

 Factual permission

Present:
She may be at work. (= Se poate sa fie la serviciu)
He may be reading now. (= Se poate/ Este posibil ca el sa citeasca)

Past :
They may have already known about this. (= Se poate sa fi stiut deja)
I may have shown this notice to you before. (= Se poate/ Este posibil sa iti fi aratat
notificarea inainte)

MIGHT

 Factual permission (“might” is more uncertain than “may”)

Present:
She might be at work. (= S-ar putea sa fie la serviciu)
He might be reading now. (= S-ar putea sa citeasca acum)

Past:
They might have already known about this. (= S=ar putea sa fi stiut deja.)
I might have shown this notice to you before. (= S=ar putea sa iti fi aratat notificarea
inainte).
  reproach (might + perfect infinitive)
You might have told me that the meeting had been cancelled! I went there and there
was nobody in. (= Puteai si tu sa-mi spui ca intanirea a fost anulata!)
He might have left that old lady cross the street. (= Putea si el sa o ajute pe batranica
sa treaca strada !)

MUST

 obligation I must learn more. (= Trebuie sa invat mai mult)

TO HAVE TO/ TO HAVE GOT TO replace MUST for other tenses:

He had to leave in order not to be late at the conference

MUST = internal obligation (it is the speaker’s choice)

I must go on a diet. (I want this)
HAVE TO = external obligation (the speaker is obliged by someone/something else
to do something)
My parents tell me that I have to study more.

 probability (the action expressed by MUST is certain unlike the actions

expressed by CAN/ COULD/ MAY/MIGHT)

Present:
She must be at work. (= Probabil ca este la serviciu)
He must be reading now. (= Probabil ca citeste)

Past:
They must have already left. (= Probabi ca deja au plecat)
I must have shown this notice to you before. (= Probabil ca ti-am aratat notificarea)

NEGATION OF MUST

 MUST NOT = INTERDICTION

You mustn’t go in there. (= you are forbidden to go)
He mustn’t touch that box. (= you are forbidden to touch it)
 DON’T HAVE TO/ NEEDN’T = LACK OF OBLIGATION
The negative of: I must go on a diet = I don’t have to go on a diet.
I must learn more = I don’t have to learn more.
 CAN’T/ COULDN’T = LACK OF PROBABILITY
The negative of: She must be at work = She can’t be at work.
He must be reading = He can’t be reading.
They must have left = They can’t have left.
SHOULD/ OUGHT TO

 advice
You should/ ought to go to a dentist. (= Ar trebui sa mergi la dentist)

 duty
People should/ ought to take care of the woods.

 necessity
Present
He should/ ought to be here by now. (but he isn’t) (Ar trebuie sa fie aici)
Past
They should/ ought to have been here by now. (but they weren’t) (Ar fi trebuit sa
fi fost aici)

SHALL

 promise: You shall have your money back. (= Promit ca iti voi da banii inapoi)

 offer : Shall we leave ?

Shall I help you with the ironing?

WILL

 insistence:
If you will talk like that, people will avoid you. (= daca insisti sa vorbesti asa, lumea
te va evita)
 requests (informal)
Will you just wait ?
Will you leave me alone ?
 present willingness (= to want)
He won’t speak to me. (= He doesn’t want to speak to me)
The door won’t open.
 present habit (= present simple)
Every Sunday morning, he will wake up late. (= He wakes up late every Sunday
morning)
They will have their coffee in the garden on summer days. (= They usually have
their coffee in the garden on summer days).

WOULD

 requests (WOULD is more polite and formal that WOULD)

Would you, please, hand me that file?
Would you wait here while I am talking on the phone?
 WOULD MIND + Ving and COULD also express polite requests:
Would you mind handing me that file?
Could you hand me that file?
 past willingness (= to want)
He wouldn’t help us. (= Nu voia sa ne ajute)
She wouldn’t say anything. (= Nu voia sa spuna nimic)
 past habit ( = used to)
He would go to the seaside and stay on the beach for hours on end.

NEED

If NEED is a lexical verb, it is followed by long infinitive and it is conjugated as all other
lexical verbs. It is translated by: a avea nevoie

I need to buy some vegetables.

He needed to be there first thing in the morning.
He as always needed someone to support her.

If NEED is a modal verb, it is followed by long infinitive and it is not conjugated. It is

translated by: a fi nevoie.

He needn’t come.

 DON’T NEED TO/ DIDN’T NEED TO = an unnecessary action which is not/

was not performed:

I don’t need to do the shopping today because my sister will go to the supermarket
so I am staying home to do the cleaning.

He didn’t need to water the plants in the garden because it had rained.

 NEEDN’T + SHORT INFINITIVE/ NEEDN’T + PERFECT INFINITIVE = un

unnecessary action which is/ was performed:

He needn’t have talked like that because she is upset now.

He needn’t have hurried to get here. I would have waited for him anyway.
REPHRASING

1) POSSIBLE/ POSSIBILITY = MAY/ MIGHT (factual possibility)/ CAN/ COULD

(theoretical possibility)

It is possible for them to be jogging now.

They may be jogging now.

It was possible for Ann to have been here.

Ann may have been here.

It is possible for this watch to be repaired at a service

This watch can be repaired at a service.

2) IMPOSSIBLE/ IMPOSSIBILITY = CAN’T/ COULDN’T

It is just not possible for him to tell you such a thing!

He can’t tell you such a thing!

It is impossible for him to have told you such a thing!

He can’t have told you such a thing!

3) PERHAPS = MAY/ MIGHT

Perhaps he is already in bed.

He may already be in bed.

Perhaps he forgot about this.

He may have forgotten about this.

4) (AS) WELL + MAY/ MIGHT

We may as well stay here.

They may as well have listened to their parents.

5) TO BE BOUND TO = MUST

He is bound to be here anytime now = He must be here anytime now.

6) TO HAVE TO = MUST (obligation)

He is to do as we say = He must do as we say.

They are to comply with the orders = They must comply with the orders.
7) SURE/ CERTAIN/ PROBABLE + AFFIRMATIVE VERB = MUST (probability)

I am certain he reads a lot = He must read a lot.

Probably he saw her enter the building = He must have seen her enter the
building.

8) SURE/ CERTAIN/ PROBABLE + NEGATIVE VERB = CAN’T/ COULDN’T (lack

of probability)

I am certain he doesn’t read a lot = He can’t read a lot.

Probably he didn’t see her enter the building = He can’t have seen her enter the
building.

9) TO BE SUPPOSED TO = SHOULD

He is supposed to arrive at noon = He should arrive at noon.

He was supposed to have arrived = He should have arrived.

 To suppose + MAY:
I suppose he may not be here.