Introduction to modal verbs

Introduo aos verbos modais

Os modais so verbos da lngua inglesa que apresentam as seguintes caractersticas: Dispensam o uso de auxiliares na formao de frases negativas e interrogativas; Formam frases negativas pela posposio de not; A maioria dos verbos admite contrao com not na formao de frases negativas; Formam frases interrogativas por sua anteposio ao sujeito da orao; No se flexionam nas terceiras pessoas do singular (he, she, it) do presente; Unem-se a verbos principais sem o emprego de to na formao de locues; No so antepostos por to no infinitivo; Indicam aspectos chamados de modalidades, a saber: habilidade; possibilidade; probabilidade; permisso;

proibio; sugesto, conselho, recomendao; obrigao necessidade; ausncia de obrigao; deduo. Os principais verbos modais so: can; could; must; should; ought to; may; might; have to. Por possuir status especial dentre os modais, o verbo have to no apresenta algumas das caractersticas gerais. Tabela 1
forma afirmativa forma negativa forma negativa

(todas as pessoas)

contrada cannot could not must not should not ought not to may not might not can't couldn't mustn't shouldn't oughtn't to
forma em desuso

can could must should ought to may might

mightn't

Conforme mencionado anteriormente, o verbo have to se comporta de forma diferente: Use as formas da tabela 2 com as pessoas I, you, we, you e they; Use as formas da tabela 3 com as pessoas he, she e it.

Tabela 2
verbo have to forma afirmativa have to forma negativa do not have to forma negativa contrada don't have to

Tabela 3
verbo have to forma afirmativa has to forma negativa does not have to forma negativa contrada doesn't have to

Tabela 4
verbos modais e os aspectos
can habilidade possibilidade probabilidade permisso proibio sugesto obrigao ausncia de obrigao deduo must can can't can could couldn't mustn't could must should ought to have to don't have to should ought to may might can could could may might must should ought to may might have to

Algumas perfrases so empregadas em tempos verbais de determinados modais, em especial: can indicando habilidade
present simple can past simple could present perfect have/has been able to future simple will be able to

am/are/is able to was/were able to

can indicando permisso

present simple can am/are/is allowed to past simple was/were allowed to present perfect have/has been allowed to future simple will be allowed to

must indicando obrigao

present simple must past simple had to present perfect have/has had to future simple will have to

Quanto aos modais que denotam possibilidade, probabilidade, sugesto (ou crtica) e deduo, h formas verbais especiais chamadas de past modals:
modals can could might may should ought to must past modals can have done could have done might have done may have done should have done ought to have done must have done

* A forma done indica que o particpio (past participle) do verbo principal deve ser empregado.

Confuso? Para mais informaes, leia os tutoriais que explicam o emprego de cada modal:

Can & Could May & Might Should & Ought to Had better Must & Have to Table of modals 1 Table of modals 2 Modal verbs 3 Past modals

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