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Auxiliary Verbs, Modal Auxiliaries) Are

Modal verbs are special verbs that provide additional information about the function of the main verb that follows. They express meanings like permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, lack of necessity, advice, possibility, and probability. Some common modal verbs are can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must. Modal verbs are irregular as they do not change form and are followed by the bare infinitive of the main verb without "to". They have a variety of uses and functions in English.

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108 views3 pages

Auxiliary Verbs, Modal Auxiliaries) Are

Modal verbs are special verbs that provide additional information about the function of the main verb that follows. They express meanings like permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, lack of necessity, advice, possibility, and probability. Some common modal verbs are can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must. Modal verbs are irregular as they do not change form and are followed by the bare infinitive of the main verb without "to". They have a variety of uses and functions in English.

Uploaded by

Aijamal Sartaeva
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What are modal verbs?

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal


auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are
special verbs which behave irregularly in
English. They are different from normal
verbs like "work, play, visit..." They give
additional information about the function of
the main verb that follows it. They have a
great variety of communicative functions.

Here are some characteristics of modal


verbs:

 They never change their form. You can't


add "s", "ed", "ing"...
 They are always followed by an infinitive
without "to" (e.i. the bare infinitive.)
 They are used to indicate modality allow speakers to express certainty, possibility,
willingness, obligation, necessity, ability

List of modal verbs


Here is a list of modal verbs:

can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should,


must
The verbs or expressions dare, ought to, had better, and need not behave like
modal auxiliaries to a large extent and my be added to the above list

Use of modal verbs:


Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:

1. Permission
2. Ability
3. Obligation
4. Prohibition
5. Lack of necessity
6. Advice
7. possibility
8. probability

Examples of modal verbs


Here is a list of modals with examples:
Modal Verb Expressing Example
Strong obligation You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
must logical conclusion / Certainty He must be very tired. He's been working all
day long.
must not prohibition You must not smoke in the hospital.
ability I can swim.
can permission Can I use your phone please?
possibility Smoking can cause cancer.
ability in the past When I was younger I could run fast.
could polite permission Excuse me, could I just say something?
possibility It could rain tomorrow!
permission May I use your phone please?
may
possibility, probability It may rain tomorrow!
polite permission Might I suggest an idea?
might
possibility, probability I might go on holiday to Australia next year.
lack of necessity/absence of I need not buy tomatoes. There are plenty of
need not
obligation tomatoes in the fridge.
50 % obligation I should / ought to see a doctor. I have a
terrible headache.
should/ought
advice You should / ought to revise your lessons
to
logical conclusion He should / ought to be very tired. He's been
working all day long.
had better advice You 'd better revise your lessons
Remember
Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to", also called the bare
infinitive.

Examples:

 You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.


 You should see to the doctor.
 There are a lot of tomatoes in the fridge. You need not buy any.

Related pages
 Modals
 Present and past of modals
 Exercise on modals
 Exercise on modals in the past
 Exercise on modals: mustn't or needn't
 Exercise on the meaning of modals
 Must and have to
 Shall and will

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