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Modal Verb Expressing Example: Modals

A modal is a verb that combines with another verb to indicate mood or tense. Modals express necessity, uncertainty, possibility, or permission. Common modal verbs include: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would. Modals are used with other verbs to express ideas like obligation, ability, permission, possibility, advice, and prohibition.

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107 views2 pages

Modal Verb Expressing Example: Modals

A modal is a verb that combines with another verb to indicate mood or tense. Modals express necessity, uncertainty, possibility, or permission. Common modal verbs include: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would. Modals are used with other verbs to express ideas like obligation, ability, permission, possibility, advice, and prohibition.

Uploaded by

rayan kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Modals

A modal is a verb that combines with another verb to indicate mood or tense. A modal,
also known as a modal auxiliary or modal verb, expresses necessity, uncertainty, possibility,
or permission.

Modal Verb Expressing Example

Strong obligation You must stop when the traffic lights


turn red.
must
logical conclusion / He must be very tired. He's been
Certainty 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.

polite permission Excuse me, could I just say


could
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 I need not buy tomatoes. There are


need not
of obligation plenty of

should/ought 50 % obligation I should / ought to see a doctor. I


to have a terrible headache.

advice You should / ought to revise your


lessons

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

Exercise

I. Circle the modal verb in each sentence and write its expression.
1. I could find out my test score next week.
2. Could you pass me the ketchup?
3. I could play basketball very well.
4. He shall bring the food very soon.
5. May I sit down now?
6. I can speak a little Spanish.
7. You should stop smoking because it is bad for you.

II. Complete the sentences with a suitable modal verb. Use must, don’t have to, might,
should, must have, mustn’t, could not and shouldn’t
1. You __________drive on the pavement. It is illegal.,
2. You ___________say that. It is not nice.
3. I ______________go to work tomorrow because it’s a public holiday.
4. I ____________buy this CD, but I’m not sure.
5. She didn’t study enough. She ____________passed her exam.
6. He is not there. He _____________gone out.
7. You ____________eat more vegetables. They are good for you.
8. You ___________be 18 before you can take driving license.

III. Write a sentence with each modal verb given below:


1. Would
2. Must
3. May
4. Should

IV. Complete the passage with suitable modals


1. Ted’s flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He __________be exhausted after
such a long flight. He __________prefer to stay in tonight and take some rest. If he wants to
get a better feeling for how the city is laid out, he ______walk downtown and explore the
city. Ted’s son is 9 months old baby. You _____leave small objects lying around. Such objects
if swallowed, __________cause serious injury. 

***************

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