Modal verbs

The modal verbs are:

Can,may,must,shall,will,could,might,should,would

We use modals to show if we believe something is certain, possible or impossible:

My keys must be in the car.

It might rain tomorrow.

That can't be Peter's coat. It's too small.

We also use them to do things like talk about ability, ask permission, and make requests and offers:

I can't swim.

May I ask a question?

Could I have some tea, please?

Would you like some help?

Possibility

We use may, might and could to say that something is possible, but not certain:

They may come by car. (= Maybe they will come by car.)

They might be at home. (= Maybe they are at home.)

If we don't hurry, we could be late. (= Maybe we will be late.)

We use can to make general statements about what is possible:

It can be very cold here in winter. (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.)

You can easily get lost in this town. (= People often get lost in this town.)

Be careful!

We do not use can to talk about specific events:

A: Where's John?

B: I'm not sure. He may/might/could be (NOT can) in his office.

Notice the difference in meaning between can and may/might/could:

That dog can be dangerous.

(= Sometimes that dog is dangerous. I know.)

That dog may/might/could be dangerous.

(= Perhaps that dog is dangerous. I don't know.)

I haven't received your letter. It may have got lost in the post.

It's ten o'clock. They might have arrived by now.

Where are they? They could have got lost.

We use could to make general statements about the past:

It could be very cold there in winter. (= It was sometimes very cold there in winter.)

You could easily get lost in that town. (= People often got lost in that town.)

Impossibility

We use can't or cannot to say that something is impossible:

That can't be true.

You cannot be serious.

We use can't have or couldn't have to say that a past event was impossible:

They know the way here. They can't have got lost!

If Jones was at work until six, he couldn't have done the murder.

Certainty

We use must to show we are sure something is true and we have reasons for our belief:

It's getting dark. It must be quite late.

You haven’t eaten all day. You must be hungry.

We use should to suggest something is true and we have reasons for our suggestion:

Ask Miranda. She should know.

It's nearly six o'clock. They should arrive soon.

We use must have and should have for the past:

They hadn't eaten all day. They must have been hungry.

You look happy. You must have heard the good news.

It's nearly eleven o'clock. They should have arrived by now.

We use can and can't to talk about someone's skill or general abilities:

She can speak several languages.

He can swim like a fish.

They can't dance very well.

We use can and can't to talk about the ability to do something at a specific time in the present or future:

I can see you.

Help! I can't breathe.

We use could and couldn't to talk about the past:

She could speak several languages.

I couldn't see you.

Permission

Asking for permission

We use can to ask for permission to do something:

Can I ask a question, please?

Can we go home now?

could is more formal and polite than can:

Could I ask a question, please?

Could we go home now?

may is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission:

May I ask a question, please?

May we go home now?

Giving permission

We use can to give permission:

You can go home now.

You can borrow my pen if you like.

may is a more formal and polite way of giving permission:

You may go home now.

We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:

We can go out whenever we want.

Students can travel for free.

We use can't and may not to refuse permission or say that someone does not have permission:

You can't go home yet.

Students may not travel for free.

Requests, offers and invitations

Requests

We use could you … and would you … as polite ways of telling or asking someone to do something:

Could you take a message, please?

Would you carry this for me, please?

can and will are less polite:

Can you take a message, please?

Will you carry this for me, please?

Offers and invitations

We use can I … to make offers:

Can I help you?

Can I do that for you?

We can also use shall I …:

Shall I help you with that?

Shall I call you on your mobile?

We sometimes say I can ... or I could ... or I'll (I will) ... to make an offer:

I can do that for you if you like.

I could give you a lift to the station.

I'll do that for you if you like.

I'll give you a lift to the station.

We use would you like (to) ... for invitations:

Would you like to come round tomorrow?

Would you like another drink?

Suggestions

We use should and shouldn't to make suggestions and give advice:

You should send an email.

You shouldn’t go by train.

We also use could to make positive suggestions:

We could meet at the weekend.

You could eat out tonight.

We can use conditionals to give advice:

Dan will help you if you ask him.

Past tenses are more polite:

Dan would help you if you asked him.

Obligations

We use must or need to to say that it is necessary to do something:

You must stop at a red light.

Everyone needs to bring something to eat.

You can wear what you like, but you must look neat and tidy.

We use mustn't for prohibitions – to say that it is necessary to not do something:

You mustn't make any noise in the library.

You mustn't say anything to her. It's a surprise.

We use had to (positive) and couldn't (negative) if we are talking about the past:

Everyone had to bring something to eat.

You couldn't make any noise in the library.