MODAL VERBS
• can • could
• may • might
• Shall • Will
• would
Modal verbs
◦ We use modals to show if My keys must be in the
we believe something car.
is certain, possible or
impossible.
It might rain tomorrow.
That can't be Peter's
coat. It's too small.
Modal verbs
◦ We also use them to do I can't swim.
things like talk May I ask a question?
about ability, ask
Could I have some tea,
permission, and make
please?
requests and offers:
Would you like some
help?
Ability
◦ 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. https://learnenglish.british
council.org/grammar/engli
◦ We use could and couldn't to talk about the past: sh-grammar-reference/abil
ity
She could speak several languages.
I couldn't see you.
Probability
◦ 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 can only use can to talk about possibilities in
the present.
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.)
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/probability
Exercises
may/might/could be in her office.
1. I don't know where Eliza is. She ____________________
can
2. Eliza's a good boss, but she ____________________ be difficult sometimes.
3. We can invite Filip to dinner tonight, but I think he ____________________
may/might/could be too tired.
may/might/could be
4. Don't feed that dog. You don't know where it's from. It ____________________
dangerous.
can
5. You shouldn't walk home alone. This city ____________________ be dangerous at night.
can
6. Sometimes, the temperature in Antarctica ____________________ be less than –50°C.
7. Please, don't tell John about our meeting. He ____________________
may/might/could be angry.
8. There are many different types of tea. It ____________________
can be white, yellow, green
or black.
Asking for permission
◦ We use could to ask for permission to do something and 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?
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-gramma
r-reference/permission
Requests, offers and invitations
Requests Offers and invitations
◦ We use would you as polite ways ◦ We use shall I to make offers:
of telling or asking someone to do
something.
Shall I help you with that?
Shall I call you on your mobile?
Would you carry this for me, please?
Requests, offers and invitations
Invitations
◦ We use would you like (to)…? for invitations:
Would you like to come round tomorrow?
Would you like another drink?
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-gramma
r-reference/requests-offers-and-invitations
