Modals

verbs
 What are modal verbs?
• Ought to
They are:
• Can They are Auxiliary verbs that
• Could provide additional and specific
• May meaning to the main verb of
• Might
the sentence
• Must
• Shall
Modal verbs are sometimes
• Should
• Will
referred to as
• Would Modal Auxiliary verbs because
they help other verbs
How do we use modals?

Example: Mary could play the piano.

 Form
There is no “s” in the singular
There is no “do/does” in the question
There is no “don’t / doesn’t” in the negative
He can ski. He cans ski.
He can skis.
Would you like to come with me?
Do you would like to come with me?
They can’t be serious
They don’t can be serious
 Form
Modal verbs do not have infinitives or –
ing forms
to can / caning to must /musting
Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive
without to
She must study her lesson.
We should have gone the other way.
He could play football in his youth.
(general ability)
 Form
Modal verbs do not have all the tenses
Modal verbs use other verbs to complete the tenses
Can is completed with be able to
Must is completed with have to
They can play piano.
= They will be able to play the piano in

the future.
You must come early
= You had to come early yesterday
 Categories
Single concept Double Concept Modals in Past
Modals Modals
Will May Would have
Might Must Could have
Should Would Might have
Ought to Shall Should have
Had better Could May have
Can Must have
 Single Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
Will Future Joe will travel to NY next
week.
Might Small probability I might move to Canada
some day.
Should Recommendation You should go to the doctor.

Ought to Formal We ought to know about

recommendation first aids.
Had better Warning I had better study or I will
fail the test.
 Double Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
May (1) Permission May I come in?
May (2) Good probability We may visit Mexico this
summer.
Must (1) Responsibility Everyone must pay taxes.

Must (2) Assumption She didn’t arrive. She

must be sick.
Would (1) Past (used to) When I was young, I
would play soccer.
Would (2) Present unreal I would buy the car but I
can’t afford it.
 Double Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
Shall Educated Excuse me, I shall go now
expression Shall I clean it?
Offer
Shall Contractual The company shall pay on
obligation January 1st
Could Unreal Ability I could go if I had time
Could Past Ability She could play the piano,
not anymore
Can Present We can speak English
Ability
Can Permission Can I have a sweet?
 Modals in the Past
 They are modals referred to actions that
happened in the past

MODAL + HAVE + verb in past participle

It must have been a difficult decision

They should have invited her to their
wedding
 MODALS: ABILITY
CAN
1. Expresses ability in the present or
generally.
I can run a kilometer in four
minutes.
2. It is used for decisions made about
future ability.
We can meet at the gym
tomorrow.
 MODALS: ABILITY
COULD
Expresses ability in the past.
In sentences (if only) it expresses
ability in the present, future, and in
general hypothetical situations.

If only you could come.

 MODALS: ABILITY
COULD HAVE+ PAST PARTICIPLE
Expresses ability in past hypothetical
situations.
I could have roasted the turkey.
 MODALS- PERMISSION
MAY (more polite than 'could'): May I go out?
COULD(more polite than 'can'): Could you
repeat, please?
CAN(informal use): Can I go to the toilet?
These modal verbs express giving
permission now or for the future.
For the past we have 'could' or 'be allowed
to': I could go out with my friends/ I was
allowed to go out with my friends.
 MODALS- ADVICE
SHOULD+ INFINITIVE / SHOULDN'T+
INFINITIVE
OUGHT TO
These verbs are used for giving advice
now, for the future or generally:
You should go to the doctor now.
He ought to study for the exam.
They shouldn't buy things if they have little
money.
MODALS- DEGREES OF
CERTAINTY
MUST/CAN'T/COULDN'T} Express certainty about now
or the future: That must be the new manager/ She can't
be so old. She looks very young.
MUST/CAN'T/COULDN'T HAVE + PAST PTC} Express
certainty about the past: She must have been in a lot of
pain/ They couldn't have been on holiday for so long.
SHOULD/OUGHT TO} Express probability about now,
the future or generally: You ought to feel better in a few
days.
SHOULD/OUGHT TO HAVE+ PAST PTC} Express
probability about the past: They bruises ought to have
disappeared in a few days.
MODALS- DEGREE OF
CERTAINTY (CONT.)

COULD/MAY/MIGHT} Express possibility about now,

the future or generally: You should talk to your
doctor because that diet might be dangerous.
COULD/MAY/MIGHT HAVE+ PAST PTC} Express
possibility about the past: That might have been
the doctor who rang while we were out.
COULD/MIGHT HAVE+ PAST PTC} Express
possibility about a hypothetical past: If you didn't
follow your doctor's advice, you could have
become quite ill.
MODALS- CRITICISM
SHOULD HAVE+ PAST PTC.
OUGHT TO HAVE+ PAST PTC.
These forms express a criticism of past behaviour.
He ought to have made more effort.
He should have eaten more before going out.
MODALS- OBLIGATION AND
NECESSITY
MUST/ HAVE TO/ NEED TO} Express an obligation or
necessity: I must /have to/need to study for the exam.
NEEDN'T/DON'T HAVE TO/DON'T NEED TO} Express
no obligation or necessity: You needn't/don't have
to/don't need to go to the shop. There is a lot of food in
the fridge.
HAD TO} Expresses a past obligation: He had to study
hard for his exams.
NEEDN'T HAVE+ PAST PTC} Expresses a lack of past
obligation (an action that happened): They needn't
have gone to the shop. There was plenty of food in the
fridge.
1. Pasha _____ try her hardest
at school.
2. He is so tired, he _____ keep
his eyes open.
3. Tom is a great footballer.
He ____ even play in goal!
4. If she keeps trying hard,
she ____ just have a chance.
5. He is still learning. He _____
do his shoe laces up just yet.
7. When you have finished
eating, you _____ wash your
plate.
8. When they get there, they
_____ find it waiting for them.
9. The cold makes it likely
there _____ be icy roads
tomorrow.
10. When I am older, I _____ be
a millionaire.
Thank You