Grammar Corner 5- Modals

8/14/2019 Grammar Corner 5- Modals

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Grammar Corner 5- MODALS

Modal verbs Verbs used instead of modals

Can kpes, tud, -hat, -hetCould kpes volt, tudott, -hatott, -hetetttudna to be able to kpes

may -hat, -het (megenged), lehetmight - -hat, -het (megenged), lehet to be allowed to- megengedik neki

to be permitted to engedlyezikneki

shall fog, -jak, -jekwill fog, valsznlegshould kellene, j lenne ha

ought to kellene, illene (ersebb, mint a should)would - -na, -ne, mlt idej rendszeressg

must kell, muszj have to kell (kls knyszer)mustnt tilosneednt nem kell, nem szksges

used to szokott

dare mer, merszel

Rules:1. You cannot use two modals in a clause : NO will may

BUT He may go home tomorrow.2. They cannot get endings: NO he mays

BUT He may go.3. The verb that follows the modal is always in short infinitive: may go, should try4. They usually form their past tense with modal+have+verb 3rd form: We might have

done our homework.Exception: can tud / could tudottTo express future or perfect tenses, we use the verbs that are used instead of modals: I

have been able to play the guitar for a year.USE

I. ABILITY - KPESSG can, could, to be able to

1. Present/past ability can/could, be able to

a. We use can/could to express general ability: I can swim. = Tudok szni.I could swim when I was three. = Mrhrom ves koromban tudtam szni.

b. We also use can when we talk about something that refers to the moment ofspeaking: Look! I can stand on my head. = Nzd! Tudok fejen llni!


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c. Can/could is used to express the continuous aspect of verbs such asfeel, hear, see,smell, taste: I can hear the baby crying. = Hallom, hogy sr a gyerek.

d. To be able to is used to express physical ability: John has broken his leg but he isstill able to walk. = John eltrte a lbt, mgis kpes jrni.

e. We use to be able to when we want to emphasise. We could also use succeed in

doing or manage to do instead: I couldnt find pineapples in three shops, but I wasable to/ managed to buy some in the fourth one. = Hrom boltban nem volt anansz,vgl a negyedikben sikerlt venni.

2. Future ability, ability in perfect tenses: can, to be able toa. Can is only possible when we decide in the moment of speaking: I cant play football

with you today, but we can go and play tomorrow. = Ma nem tudok focizni veled, deholnap tudok menni.

b. All other future and perfect forms are expressed with the help of to be able to: I havebeen able to swim for five years.

3. Unreal present and past ability: could, could have doneI could write. Tudnk rni. (De nem akarok!)I could have written when I was 4. = Tudtam volna rni ngy ves koromban. (De nemakartam!)

II. POSSIBILITY LEHETSG must/will, can, could, may, might

Must can may could might cantWill (-,?)Certain possible possible possible less possible impossible(bizonyra) (valszn, (valszn, (lehet) (lehet) (ki van zrva)

lehet) lehet)

1. Present possibilitya. We use must/may/might and could in affirmative sentences depending on how certain

we are:There is a knock on the door. It must be Jim. = Kopognak. Bizonyra Jim az.

It may/might be Jim. Taln Jim az.

It may/might as well be Jim. Akr Jim is lehet/ne.It could be Jim. Lehetne Jim. (devalsznleg nem .

b. Can usually refers to general truth in the present, otherwise it is not used inaffirmative sentences:Summers can be really hot here. = Nyron nagyon meleg tud lenni itt.

c. We refer to actions in the moment of speaking by using modal + be + verb + ing:John must be learning. = John bizonyra ppen tanul.John may/might learning. = Lehet, hogy John ppen tanul.John could be learning. = John ppen tanulhatna. (Van r lehetsge, de valsznleg

nem teszi.)


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d. In questions we use can/could:Can/Could he be learning? = Lehet, hogy pp tanul?We only use may/might in structures like: Do you think she may/might be learningnow? = Gondolod, hogy pp tanul?

e. In negative we use cannot, could not, may not, might not:It cant be John. = Ki van zrva, hogy John az.John cannot be learning. = Lehetetlen, hogy John pp tanul.(Mary couldnt be at home. = Mary nem lehetne otthon. rarely used structure)John may/might not come. Lehet, hogy John nem jn el.

2. Past possibility

a. We use must/may/might/could + past participle (have + verb3rd form):She must have learnt it. = Bizonyra megtanulta.She may/might have learnt it. = Lehet, hogy megtanulta.

She could have learnt it. = Megtanulhatta volna. (Valsznleg nem tette.)

b. In interrogative sentences we use can/could + past participle, however whenanswering, we only use may, might and could + past participle:Can/Could there have been a storm here? = Lehetsges az, hogy itt vihar volt?There must have been. = Bizonyra.There may/might/could have been. = Lehet.

c. Negative sentences are formed using can, may, might + past participleIt cant have been John who you saw last night. He has green hair, not red. = Ki vanzrva, hogy John-nal tallkoztl tegnap este. Neki zld haja van, nem piros.He may/might not have heard the bell. = Lehet, hogy nem hallotta a csngt.

3. Future possibility

a. For expressing future possibility, we use will, may, might, could. Shall andshould/ought to are also possible:It will certainly be a storm tomorrow. = Holnap biztosan vihar lesz.It may/might/could be a storm tomorrow. = Lehet, hogy holnap vihar lesz.I shall/should be at home tomorrow. = Holnap valsznleg itthon leszek.The test ought not to be too difficult. = Nem kellene tl nehznek lenni a tesztnek.

(Valsznleg nem lesz az.)b. Can is not normally used to talk about future possibilities. However, we use it when

we want to refer to a choice of different possibilities in the future:Where shall we go next week? We can either go to Balaton or to the mountains.

III. PERMISSION ENGEDLY can, could, may, might be allowed to

1. We ask for permission in the present. We use can/could/may/might depending on howpolite we want to be.

can could may might (rarely used)least polite polite more polite the most polite


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However, we only use can or may to give permission:

Mum, can/could I go and play? = Anya, mehetek jtszani?Yes, you can./ No, you cant. = Igen/nem mehetsz.(You could. = Elvben mehetnl, de nem engedlek el.)

May/Might I come with you, mister? = Jhetek nnel, uram?Yes, you may. /No, you may not. = Igen/nem jhet.(You might. = Akr jhetne, de nem szeretnm.)

We can also use be not allowed to (nem engedik), mustnt (tilos), shouldnt (nemkellene), oughtnt to (nem kellene), had better not (jobb lenne, ha nem) to refuse

permission.

You shouldnt/had better not go there. = Jobb lenne, ha nem mennl oda.

2.

a. We use could, was/were allowed/permitted to to express past permission:

When I was a child, I could only stay up late in the holidays. =Gyerekkoromban csak a sznetekben maradhattam fenn ksig.We were not allowed to wear tattoos at school. = Iskolskoromban nem lehetetttetovlsunk.

b. To express unreal permission in the past, we use should not/ought not to + have +verb 3rd form:

You shouldnt have/oughtnt have to come here. = Nem lett volna szabadidejnnd.

3. In the future we use can or will be able to:

We can/will be able to stay here for the whole week. = Itt maradhatunk egsz hten.

IV. ADVICE TANCS should, ought to, need1. We use should and ought to to express advice in present tense:

You should sleep more. = Tbbet kellene aludnod.You ought to sleep more. = Tnyleg tbbet kellene aludnod. (stronger advice)

2. We use shouldnt or rarely oughtnt to to express criticism in the present. If wewant to say that something is not necessary, we use neednt:You shouldnt wash the dishes, its Marys turn. = Nem kellene mosogatnod, Mari asoros.You neednt wash the dishes, we have a dishwasher. = Nem kell elmosogatnod, van

mosogatgpnk.


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3. We use should/ought to + have + verb 3rd form to talk about advice referring to thepast:You should/ought to have gone to that party. = El kellett volna menned arra a bulira.

4. We use shouldnt / oughtnt to + have + verb 3rd form to express criticism concerningthe past:

You shouldnt have eaten the whole cake. = Nem kellett volna megenned az egsztortt. (Nem volt szp tled.)You neednt have brought that umbrella, it isnt cloudy. = Nem kellett volna elhoznodaz ernyt, nem felhs az g.

V. OBLIGATION KNYSZER

Must have to need to had better ought to should

very strong strong necessity milder obl. advice adviceinner outside

1. To express obligation in the present, we usually use must and have to. Must isusually used to express inner obligation, namely that the person wants to dosomething. However, we also use must to express very strong obligation independentfrom the persons wishes, and we use it to talk about signs. Will is also used toexpress strong orders.When we talk about something that the person is obliged to do from the outside, suchas rules, laws, etc, we use have to:

I must go now, I have a lot of work to do. = Mennem kell, egy csom dolgom van.Students in Britain have to wear uniforms. = Nagybritanniban a dikoknakegyenruht kell hordani.You mustnt step on grass! = Fre lpni tilos!You must do it! = Meg kell tenned! (Mert n gy akarom!)You will do it! = Megteszed! (Parancsolom!)

2. Past obligation is expressed with had to:

When I was a student I had to wear uniform. = Amikor dik voltam, egyenruht kelletthordanom.

4. Future obligation: will + have toYou will have to go now. = Most mr el kell menned.

VI. OFFERS AJNLAT shall I/we?

To make offers, we use shall I/we?:Shall I carry your bag? = Vigyem a tskdat?

VII. REQUESTS KRSEK will can would couldleast polite more polite polite polite

Can/Could/Would you help me, please? = Segtenl, krlek?Sure. = Persze. (Nem utastunk vissza krst!)

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Grammar Corner 5- Modals