MODAL VERBS

SHOULD, MUST AND HAVE TO

• SHOULD / SHOULDN’T: an advice
You should study / You shouldn’t study
• HAVE TO : external obligation (= RULE)
You have to study [if you don’t do it, you get punished]

• MUST : internal or personal obligation (self-imposed)

You/ I must study [it’s your personal responsibility]
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• DON’T HAVE TO : lack of necessity [ = don’t need to )

You don’t have to study [=you don’t need to study]
• MUSTN’T : external prohibition (= can’t)

You mustn’t use the mobile phone in class [if you do it, you get punished]
FORM
• Modal verbs share 4 features [should and must, “have to” is a semi-
modal]. They share the following 4 features [excepting for “have to”, “need to”]:
1. They are always followed by an infinitive form without “to”. [except for have to]
He can sing **** [He has to sing / They have to eat them]
It must be empty / They should eat less chocolate
2. They never change, they are not inflected. [except for have to]
He/They should sing **** [He has to sing / They have to eat them]
3. Modal verbs do the INTERROGATIVE AND NEGATIVE FORMS ON THEIR OWN.
Should he sing? **** [Does he have/need to sing?]
Yes, he should/No, he shouldn’t No, he doesn’t have/need to sing
4. They don’t have an infinitive or gerund form. They don’t have a past form
[except for have to]
Yo podré cantar: I will be able to sing
Yo deberé cantar: I will should/must to sing ***[I will have/need to sing]
Yo debí/ tuve que cantar: I shoulded/musted to sing ***[I had to sing]