English Grammar and Exercises for ESL learners.

English Modal VerbsModal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb which express the mood of another verb. They are usedto express ideas such as possibility, prediction, speculation, deduction and necessity.

ModalConceptExample

CanAbility:

Permission:

Offers :Julie can swim.

Can I come with you? ('May' is also used.)

Can I help you?

CouldPossibility:

Past ability :

Permission :

Requests :That story could be true - who knows!

Charlie could swim when he was four years old.

Could I use your phone please?

Could you tell me the way to the station please?

MayPossibility :

Permission :The President may come to our officesif the meeting finishes before 5 pm.

May I borrow your dictionary?

MightSlight possibility :

Past form of 'may'in reported speech.We might win a prize but I doubt it.

The President said he might come.

ShouldAdvice :

Logical deduction :You should take an umbrella in case it rains.

I've revised so I should be ready for the test.

Ought toAdvice :

Logical deduction :You ought to write to your grandmother.

30 ought to be enough for the taxi.

ShallFuture tense auxiliary :

Offers/suggestionswith ''I' and 'we'I shall be in London on Monday (or I'll be ...).

Shall I order a taxi?Shall we begin the meeting now?

WillFuture tense auxiliary:

Invitations/offers :The ticket will cost about 50.

Will you join us for coffee? Won't you come in?