ModalsModals

(Modal Verbs)(Modal Verbs)

What are They ?What are They ?

can

could

may might

must

shouldwill

shall

would

We use Modal verbs to talk about an ability/a duty/ a need /a necessity/wanting/ability .

have to

need to

ought to

What is special about them? What is special about them?

Modal verbs behave very differently from normal verbs. Here are some important differences:

HowHow??

1. Modal verbs are always followed by a verb in its base formbase form.

EXAMPLES:He can speakspeak Chinese.

Compare: I speak Chinese.He speaksspeaks Chinese

You may taketake the book to school. She may taketake the book to school.

Compare: You taketake the books to school.

She takes takes the books to school.

HowHow??

2 .Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third person in the present simple.

EXAMPLES:• He speaksspeaks Chinese.• He can  speakspeak Chinese. (NOT- He cans

speak…)

• She eatseats a sandwich at 9:30• She may eat eat a sandwich at 9:30. (NOT-She

mays eat…)

3. You use "not" to make modal verbs negative, even in Simple Present and Simple Past. (We don’t use the helping verb “do”)

EXAMPLES:He should not bebe late.They might not comecome to the party.Compare: I don’t should eat to much chocolates.I cannot eateat any more cakes.

HowHow??

4 .Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.

EXAMPLES:

He will can go with us.  WRONG

She must studied very hard. WRONG

HowHow??

• Many modal verbs cannot be used in all of the English tenses. That's why we need to know their meaning and the substitute for these modal verbs.

Modal Verbs and their Modal Verbs and their substitutessubstitutes

will- will not - wonwill- will not - won ’’tt

We use this modal to speak about future actions that we are sure/ convinced about.

Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow will bewill be Wednesday.= I know it because this is a known fact.

He will not/won’t bewill not/won’t be in the class tomorrow. = I know it because he is going on vacation.

will- will not(=wonwill- will not(=won ’’t)t)

Can Can –– Could Be Could Be –– able to able to

We use these modals to express:• General ability/ disability• possibility / impossibility • opportunity • Permission• request

CanCan

I cancan walk.= I have the general ability to dothe action of walking.

I can’tcan’t hear you, it is too noisy.=I don’t have the ability to hear what you are saying because of the noise.

CanCanI have some free time. I cancan help her now. =I have the opportunity to help her.

I can'tcan't help her  now because I don't have any time. =I don’t have the opportunity to help her.

Can Can CouldCould

In the past, can changes to could.

He couldcould speak only Chinese whenhe was a kid. He couldncouldn’’tt speak tohis neighbor who speaks only English.

(General ability)

Practice-can/could

maymay

=future possibility/getting or taking permission

• I maymay choose the red dress to wear in the party. =I have two dresses. There is a chance that I will

choose to wear the red dress and not the blue one.

• Today, he maymay come on time. =Although usually he comes late,

There is a possibility that today he will come on time.

maymay

• MayMay I come to visit you at 5 o’clock? =I want to come to you but I’m not sure that you

want me to come/that you will be at home/that you will let me enter .

• You maymay take only one candy. =Although there are more candies, I permit you

to take only one of them!

maymay

mightmight=possibility

• We may may come on time, but if you miss the bus, we mightmight be late.

=here is the possibility that we will be late

• If you advertise on the Internet you mightmight get a lot of spam to your e-mail box.=Although you don’t want to get spam, there’s a

risk that you will get it.

mightmight

shouldshould= advice or a strong suggestion.

• If you want to be a champion you shouldshould practice every day.

• When you make a cheese cake, you shouldshould first check that you have cheese.

Examples-:

must - mustnmust - mustn’’ttMust – very strong advice/ obligationMustn't – things you're not allowed to

do

ExampleExample-:-:

• She is sick. She has high fever. She mustmust take a pill.= very strong advice/ obligation

• You mustnmustn’’tt ride your bike without a helmet!= you're not allowed to do.

Student worksheet 1Student worksheet 1Modals and Related Expressions

must have to 1 .I ……….be at the meeting by 10:00. I will

probably ………..take a taxi if I want to be on time.

2 .You ………..submit the application if it has not been completely filled out. Check that the name, address, and background information are correct .

3 .It ………have been David. He's the only one who would send you flowers.

Worksheet 2Worksheet 2

might should must1 .Nancy said you didn't need to buy her anything

for her birthday, but I really think you ……………at least get her some flowers or a nice bottle of wine .

2 .Debbie said she was really busy this week, but I think she …………… show up at the party if she doesn't have to work overtime on Friday .

3 .Nina said she would come over right after work, so she …………. be here by 6:00 .

4 .Oh my God, he's unconscious. Don't move him - he ……….. have internal injuries. Somebody call an ambulance .

Worksheet 3Worksheet 3

Must / mustn’t need to/don’t need to should/shouldn’t

1 George has travelled a lot. He …………speak many languages.

2 I can hear you quite well. You ……………. not shout.

3 I´m not sure where I go for my holidays but I ………… go to Italy.

4 She ………… ride her bike at night without lights. It's forbidden.