MODAL VERBS

MODAL VERBS: can, could; may, might; shall, should; will, would; must

PAST AND FUTURE OF MODALS: be able to; have toand had to

VERBS THAT ARE LIKE MODALS: used to; had better; need

MODAL VERBS

The modal verbs are a special group of auxiliary verbs.They are different from most other verbs in four ways:

+ infinitives without toCan I use your phone? (NOT Can I to use...)

no –s in the third person singular (he, she, it)John can speak Croatian. (NOT John cans...)

no do in modal questions and negativesCan you help me? (NOT Do you can help me?)

no infinitives or participles

CAN AND COULD

I can speak English. Can you sing?To talk about the past, we use could. I couldn’t understand the teacher yesterday. How could you say that to me?Can does not have an infinitive or a past participle. Instead, we use to be able and been able + infinitive with to.I want to be able to speak German.I have never been able to swim.We can ask people to do things (make requests) with can you...? This is informal; we often use it when we are talking to friends or in shops and restaurants.Can you bring me some more butter?Could you...? is more formal and polite. Could you possibly...? is very polite.Excuse me, could you tell me what time it is?

MUST

In affirmative sentences (+), we use must when we mean: ‘This is necessary.’

I must get up early tomorrow.

In affirmative sentences (+), we also use must when we mean: ‘This is a very good idea.’

You must visit us while we are in Zagreb.

In questions (?) we use must when we mean: ‘Is this really necessary?’

Must you talk so loud?

Must has no past or infinitive. Instead, we use had to and have to.

I didn’t have to pay.

My mother had to leave school at sixteen.

MUST / CAN’T: CERTAINTY

We can use must to say that something seems sure/certain.

Mark’s gone to bed. He must be tired. (= I’m certain that he is tired.)

The negative of must (to talk about certainty) is can’t.

It can’t be true. (= It’s certainly not true.)

HAVE TO AND MUST

• I have to do something = it’s necessary to do it, I’m obliged to do itYou can’t turn right here. You have to turn left.

• We use do / does / did for questions and negative sentences (for the present and past simple)What do I have to do to get a new driving license?

• You can use must to give your own opinion (for example, to say what you think is necessary or to recommend someone to do something)Mark is a really nice person. You must meet him. (I recommend this)

• Must is often used in written rules and instructions(exam instruction) You must write your answers in ink.

MUST, MUSTN’T, NEEDN’T

• You must do something = it is necessary that you do itDon’t tell anybody what I said. You must keep it a secret.

• You mustn’t do something = it is necessary that you do not do it (so don’t do it)You must keep it a secret. You mustn’t tell anybody else. (don’t tell anybody else)

• You needn’t do something = you don’t need to do it (but you can if you like)We’ve got plenty of time. We needn’t hurry.

• Instead of needn’t, you can use don’t / doesn’t need to.We needn’t hurry. OR We don’t need to hurry

• Remember: don’t need to BUT needn’t do (without to).

PERFECT MODAL VERBS

If somebody didn’t do something that was possible, we can say he/she could have done it.I could have gone to the university but I didn’t want to.If we say that something must have happened, we mean that we feel sure that it (has) happened.The exam was easy. I must have passed.

WOULD

We use the expression I’d like (= I would like) to ask for things. We can offer things with would you like...?We can use would like to to talk about things that people want to do.I’d like to learn Chinese.We can use would you like to in invitations.Would you like to join me for dinner?

SHOULDWe use should to talk about a good thing to do.You should be more careful.

We use must to talk about what is necessary, and we use should to talk about what is good.

I must get a new passport: I’m traveling next month.

I should eat more fruit but I don’t like it.

MAY AND MIGHTWe use may to say that things are possible – maybe they are (not) true, or maybe they will (not) happen.I may go to Split next weekend.Note the difference between may not be (= ‘maybe is not’) and can’t be (= ‘is certainly not’).She may not be at home – I’ll phone and find out.She can’t be at home: she went to Spain this morning.In very formal situations, we often use May I...? to ask if something is OK.May I have your name, please, madam?We can use might in the same way as may – especially if we are not so sure about things.I might not be here tomorrow.Might is unusual in questions.

USED TO

We use used to + infinitive for finished situations and habits: things that were true but are not now.I used to play video games but I stopped.I didn’t use to like fish but now I do.

PERFECT MODAL VERBSIf somebody didn’t do something that was important, we can say he/she should have done it. If somebody did something wrong, we can say he/she shouldn’t have done it.Ann should have gone to the doctor yesterday but she forgot.I should have studied harder when I was at school.You shouldn’t have told the policeman that he was stupid.If somebody didn’t do something that was possible, we can say he/she could have done it.I could have gone to the university but I didn’t want to.If we say something might have happened, we mean that maybe it (has) happened.Tom isn’t answering the phone. He may have gone out.If we say that something must have happened, we mean that we feel sure that it (has) happened.