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Modals

This document provides a table summarizing the uses and examples of various modal verbs in English including: can, could, may, might, must, have to, need, ought to, should, shall, will, and would. For each modal verb, the table outlines its uses for ability, permission, possibility, requests, deductions, obligations, advice, and more. Examples are provided to illustrate the different uses.

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88 views2 pages

Modals

This document provides a table summarizing the uses and examples of various modal verbs in English including: can, could, may, might, must, have to, need, ought to, should, shall, will, and would. For each modal verb, the table outlines its uses for ability, permission, possibility, requests, deductions, obligations, advice, and more. Examples are provided to illustrate the different uses.

Uploaded by

giorgia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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TABLE OF MODALS AND ASSOCIATED VERBS

Verb Use Example

be able to ability / capacity – After the operation, John was able to walk again
(past; present and future) (= single occasion – past)
– I’m able to play tennis twice a week (= circumstance
permit me to do this)
– I will be able to visit Paris next year (= nothing should
prevent me from doing this)

manage to ability / capacity of doing something – I managed to get two tickets for the concert (= a degree
with a degree difficult (past, present, of difficulty was involved)
futur) – I manage to play tennis twice a week
– I hope you will manage to come (= even though you
may encounter difficulty im doing this)

can → ability / capacity (present) → I can swim (I have the skill)


→ permission → You can go to the cinema
→ possibility → Smoking can cause cancer
→ request → Can I have a biscuit, please?
→ negative deduction (present) → You can’t be hungry, you have eaten two pizzas

could → ability / capacity (past) → I could swim when I was 7


→ permission → We could go to the cinema once a week when we
were teenagers
→ possibility → This vase could be very valuable
→ request → Could I use your phone?
→ suggestion → You could buy Mary some flowers
→ negative deduction (past) → It couldn’t have been John because he has an alibi

may → permission → You may leave the room


→ possibility → He may be waiting for us when we arrive
→ request → May I use your phone, please? (formal request)
→ speculation → John may have gone to Spain

might → permission → John might come to your party


→ possibility → Someone might have already told his wife
→ suggestion → You might not want to drink this because it’s very
bitter
→ conditional → If you invite him, he might come / If you had invited
him, he might have come to your party

must → deduction → He failed the exam, he must be disappointed


→ necessity → To overcome these difficulties we must all work
together
→ obligation → John must work harder if he wants to pass his exam
(subjective obligation)
→ prohibition → You mustn’t use this computer
→ empathic advice → You must see this film, it’s really great

have to → obligation → You have to stop when the traffic light is red (imposed
obligation)
→ negative : not necessary → I don’t have to go to work tomorrow (not necessary)
→ negative : not done (past) → I didn't have to water the flowers yesterday because it
rained
Verb Use Example

need → necessity → Do you think I need to take an umbrella?


→ negative: not necessary (future) → You don’t need water the flowers as John will be back
tomorrow (not necessary)
→ negative: not necessary but done → I needn’t have watered the flowers because it rained
(past) in the afternoon (done, but not necessary)

ought to → deduction → He has studied very hard, he ought to pass the exam
→ assumption → He ought to have received the parcel by now
→ advice → You ought to go to the doctor tomorrow / You
oughtn’t to smoke so much
→ recommendation → You ought to tell him the truth

had better → advice → You had better take those wet clothes off
→ recommendation → You had better tell me the truth

should → assumption / deduction → The plane should be landing now


→ advice → You should go to the doctor
→ recommendation → You should take one of this pills every day
→ necessity → You should be wearing a coat, it’s very cold
→ obligation → I should be studying but I’m too tired
→ prediction → This should be a very good film
→ prohibition → You should never repeat what you have just said

shall → speculation → Where shall / will we be this time next year?


→ suggestion → Shall we invite John or not?
→ decision → I shall / will marry John even without your permission
→ future → We shall overcome
→ asking for advice → What shall we do?
→ offering to do something → Shall we pick you up at 7.00 am?

will → assumption → He will have plenty of time to get to the airport


→ deduction → He left home an hour ago, he’ll arrive any minute now
→ future (inevitable) → He will be 27 next month
→ offering to do something → I’ll do the shopping
→ promise → I will marry you
→ intention → I will wait for you
→ decision (emphasis) → You will go to school whether you want or not
→ prediction → It will rain in Rome tomorrow
→ conditional → If it rain tomorrow, I will / won’t go to the cinema

would → possibility → Would John come with us?


→ request → Would you please answer the question?
→ speculation → What would I have done without you?
→ past tense “will” (indirect speech) → John said he would take me to the cinema
→ customary past action → She would take the dog for a walk every morning
before going to work
→ invitation → Would you like to come with us?
→ preference → I would rather have a cup of coffee
→ conditional → If I were you, I would leave / If I had known you
wanted to go to the concert I would have bought you a
ticket

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