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Modals

English Grammar, Modals

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5 views

Modals

English Grammar, Modals

Uploaded by

saltellez2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MODALS

Modals are a group of auxiliary verbs that are used to


express an attitude or idea of prediction, ability,
necessity, permission, or politeness.
Modals, unlike all other verbs, have no -s form, and they
do not always change form from present to past.
IN ENGLISH THERE ARE NINE MODALS:

Will can shall may


must would could
should might

Only would, could, should, and might are


used in the past, but all nine modals may be
used in the present.
Present
I would like to come tomorrow, but I should really do my homework, so I don't think I
will.
I could do my homework tonight.
If I finish early, I might come.
Past
He said he would help us move.
Later he called to say he might have to work.
We decided we should start without him.
ALL MODALS, WHETHER THEY ARE USED IN THE PAST OR THE PRESENT
MUST BE FOLLOWED BY THE SIMPLE OR BASE FORM OF THE MAIN VERB.

I should arrive on time.


If I am late, you can call my mother to find
out what happened.
He knew he would be late, so he called to
apologize.
SEMI-MODALS
In addition to the nine modals, there are several phrases known as semi-modals.
These have the same basic meaning and function as the modals, but they have a
different form.
am/is/are going to = will
am/is/are able to = can
was/were going to = would (prediction in past)
used to = would (habitual in past)
ought to = should
have/has/had to = must
& informally,
need/needs/needed to = must or should
UNLIKE MODALS, SEMI-MODALS DO CHANGE FORM FOR PRESENT AND PAST AND DO HAVE AN –S FORM.

I am going to call my mother tonight.


She is going to pick us up at the bus stop.
Your friends weren't able to attend the wedding.
My son needs to work on his spelling.
The only exceptions are ought to, which doesn't change form and
used to which is only used in past tense.
He ought to know better than to call me so late.
Even when he lived at home, we always used to go to bed early.
SEMI-MODALS, LIKE MODALS, ARE ALWAYS FOLLOWED BY THE
BASE FORM OF THE MAIN VERB.
I was going to arrive on time, but when the pilot had to return to the
terminal, we were delayed, and I wasn't able to notify you.
THE MEANINGS OF MODALS
All modals, in all their uses, express some degree of
vagueness or uncertainty. They also tend to fall along
a continuum from more to less probable, possible,
realistic, necessary, or polite.
MAKING PREDICTIONS
Even when you use the most definite modal, will, you are only making a prediction,
not expressing certainty about the future, since we can never be fully certain of
the future.
Thus, even when you say you will be somewhere at a certain time, both you and the
person you are speaking to know that it is possible that you won't.

If you don't get up early, you could miss your class.


I might get there late, but I will be in class tomorrow.
I should make it on time, unless the trains are running late.
MAKING INFERENCES
An inference is similar to a prediction, but instead of guessing what could or will
happen, an inference is a guess about the reason for something or the meaning
of something.

I don't know why he's late. I guess he could be stuck in traffic.


He may have lost the phone number because he usually calls on time.
You must be in love because you look so happy.
EXPRESSING PERMISSION, RECOMMENDATION, AND
OBLIGATION

You can come any time, but you may want to be early to get a good seat.
You could take a day off tomorrow if you can't find a babysitter.
You should go to the ballet; it's fantastic.
No matter what, you must hand in your work on time.
PEOPLE whose first language is not English sometimes confuse should with have to,
the semi-modal equivalent of must. If something is a good idea or even strongly
advised, use should. If it's required or necessary, then use have to or must.

I should go to bed early because I have to be at work at 7 A.M.


At registration the clerk told me I had to get a copy of my transcript before I would
be able to register.
MAKING POLITE REQUESTS
When making requests, the modal is placed first since a polite request is a form of a
question.

Would you join me for lunch?


Can you leave early tomorrow?
Will you be quiet?
NOTE: THE MOST DIRECT WAY OF MAKING A REQUEST IS TO USE
AN IMPERATIVE:
Be quiet! Take off your shoes.
Or more politely: Please, be quiet.
REQUESTING PERMISSION
When requesting permission, it is common to be even more polite (sometimes even
humble)

Might I have a moment of your time?


Could you give me a ride?
May I speak frankly?
Can I talk to you?
MODALS ARE ALSO USED TO DISTINGUISH REALISTIC CONDITIONS FROM UNREALISTIC, IMAGINARY, OR
IMPOSSIBLE ONES. IN THIS CASE, MODALS ARE USED WITH CONDITIONAL CLAUSES (IF CLAUSES).

Realistic Conditions
All nine modals and all semi-modals may be used to express realistic or possible
conditions.

If I want to see you tonight, I will call you.


If you don't eat regularly, you should take vitamins.
If he took the train, he might be late.
I ought to get an 'A' if I work hard all semester.
UNREALISTIC CONDITIONS
To express unrealistic or imaginary situations (conditions contrary to fact) in the present, the following
modals are used:
would
could
should
might
If I were rich, I could quit my job.
If I won the lottery, I would give you a million dollars.
To express unreal conditions in the past (situations that did not occur) special modal forms are used:
would have }
could have } + participle
should have }
might have }
If you had given me the money, I would have paid the rent on time.
If I had known you would be late, I could have taken the bus.
NOTE: You may have noticed that the verb forms in the if-clauses expressing
imaginary situations are a bit unusual. In the present the form won is used
instead of win.
Even more unusually, were is used instead of am, is or are. In the past, the perfect
form (had + participle) is used instead of the simple past.
These are subjunctive verb forms. The subjunctive is rarely used in English, and since
it uses familiar forms (in unfamiliar places) it is often hard to recognize and
understand.

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