MODAL VERB FUNCTION EXAMPLE

ABILITY (can- could-be able to)

CAN  Ability in the present.  She can play the guitar.
 When we decided now about  They can draw.
something we’ll do in the near _ I can bring your jacket tomorrow.
future.
WILL BE ABLE TO Ability in the future.  You will be able to get a job.
 They will be able to teach in four
years.
COULD= USED TO BE ABLE TO Ability in the past. (repeated actions)  When I was a child, I could/ was
We can use was/were able to with able to play with my dolls.
no difference in meaning.  When I was a kid, I could run very
fast.
WAS/WERE ABLE TO (managed to Ability in the past (single past  The police weren’t able to catch
do) action). All tenses. the speeding car.
To show that someone had the  Despite the unstoppable fire,
ability to do something in a firefighters were able to put it
particular situation in the past. out.
COULD With the verbs: see, hear, smell,  I could remember that day.
COULDN’T/ WASN’T/ WEREN’T taste, feel, understand, guess and  Could you hear what I was
ABLE TO remember. saying?

OBLIGATION/DUTY/NECCESITY (must- have to- should/ought – need)

MUST (personal—internal) To refer to the present or future.  I must study for exam (the
It is you duty/you are obliged to do speaker decides).
sth.  I must get up early.

HAVE TO (external) It is necessary to do sth.  You have to wear uniform

When somebody else other than the (somebody else has made the
speaker decides that something is decision).
necessary.  My mum says I have to visit my
grandmother at 6 pm.
*MUST AND HAVE TO Have different meanings in  Must I tidy my room? (Do you
questions. insist that I tidy my room?)
 Do I have to tidy my room? (Is it
necessary for me to tidy my
room?)
HAVE GOT TO Has the same meaning as have to,  I have got to make a chart about
and is often used in everyday modal verbs for grammar. (the
speech. teacher decides)
 She has got to print photocopies
because her sister needs it.
HAVE TO When we need to use other tenses.  We had to call for the doctor
when Aunt Lucy fainted last
night.
 When she missed the bus, her
father had to take her to school.
SHOULD/OUGHT Less emphatic than must.  You should take your medicine.
Express duty and advice.  You ought to stop eating fast
food.
NEED  As a main verb (followed by to-  Using this method, we needn’t to
infinitive). insert the comment by the
_As a modal verb (mainly in normal way. (verb)
questions and negations). _ You needn’t go to the supermarket,
I have already bought in that place.
(modal verb)
 ABSENCE OF NECESSITY
(needn’t/don’t have to/don’t need to-didn’t need to-needn’t have done)
NEEDN’T/ DON’T HAVE TO/ DON’T It isn’t necessary to do sth.  You needn’t collect them. Mrs.
NEED TO + PRESENT INFINITIVE Shaw is giving them a lift home.
(PRESENT OR FUTURE)  You don’t have to wash the
dishes. I’ll do them later.
DIDN’T NEEED TO/ DIDN’T HAVE It was not necessary to do sth.  Tom didn’t need to go to school.
TO Suggest that an action did not  She didn’t have to buy the cake,
happened in the past because we Ann bought one.
knew then that it was not necessary.
NEEDN’T + BARE PERFECT It was not necessary to do sth, but it  You needn’t have lend me a rule.
INFINITIVE was done. I’d already bought one.
This structure shows than an action  You needn’t have bought any
happened in the past, even thought bread. I’d already bought some.
it was not necessary.
PROHIBITION (mustn’t- can’t)
MUSTN’T/CAN’T It is forbidden to do sth/you are not  You mustn’t smoke inside any
allowed to do sth/it is against the building.
rules/ law to do sth.  You can't park here, this is a bus
stop.
LOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS (must-can’t/couldn’t) (sure)
MUST I’m sure/certain that something is  She must be very rich, she’s got a
true. huge house and an expensive car.
Must is used in affirmative sentences  They’re wearing light clothes. It
and expresses positive logical must be summer.
assumptions.
CAN’T/COULDN’T I’m sure that something isn’t true,  I’m certain he doesn’t know the
real, etc. secret. He can’t know the secret.
They are used in negations and  It is Sunday. He can’t be at
expresses negative logical school.
assumptions.
PROBABILITY (should-ought) (probably)
SHOULD/OUGHT To express that something is likely to  This is the exam week, they
happen in the present or future. should be studying hard.
 It’s late. She ought to be at
home.
POSSIBILITY (can-could/may-might) (perhaps)
CAN + PRESENT INFINITIVE General possibility-it is theoretically  It can snow tomorrow.
possible.  This road can get very busy. (In
This structure is used in affirmative general, not in a specific
sentences to show that something is situation).
possible theoretically or in general,
that is, when we are not referring to
a specific situation.
COULD/MAY/MIGHT + PRESENT It is possible/ it is likely/ perhaps.  Tomorrow is the Miley’s party.
INFINITIVE It is used to show that something is She might visit at her because
likely to happen in a specific she is her friend.
situation.  The road can get very busy
tomorrow afternoon because
there is a demonstration.
CAN/COULD/MIGHT In questions but we do not use may.  (A) I got a bouquet of flowers,
but there was no card.
(B) Who can the flowers by from?
COULD/MIGHT + PERFECT INFINITIVE It was possible, but it didn’t happen.  Yesterday, I left the car unlocked.
(refers to the past) It could/might have been stolen,
 but luckily it wasn’t.
 Yesterday she ran into him. She
could have been confessed her
feelings, but she didn't.
PERMISSION
*ASKING FOR PERMISSION =Do you/would you mind if …?  “Can I use your rule for a
CAN/COULD/MAY/MIGHT I…? _Could and may are more polite than minute?”
can. Might is formal. May and might “Of course”.
are used to ask for permission when  “Might I see the boss, please?”
we do not know the other person “Certainly”.
very well. We normally reply with:
“certainly”, “of course”, “why not?”,
“no, I’m afraid you can’t”.
*GIVING PERMISSION You are allowed to do sth. *You may make a phone call here.
CAN (informal)/MAY (formal) *May is usually used in writing. _Could I borrow your dictionary?
_We do not use could or might to Yes, you can/ yes, you may.
give permission.
*REFUSING PERMISSION You are not allowed to do sth.  You may not come to class.
CAN’T/MUSN’T/MAY NOT May not=formal.  Children can’t/mustn’t enter this
area.
*TALKING ABOUT PERMISSION To refer to laws and regulations.  All citizens over the age of 18
CAN/BE ALLOWED TO can/are allowed to vote. (law)
 The society are allowed to access
to public health.
MAY/BE ALLOWED TO In questions.  May I use your phone? (Will you
allow me to use your phone?)
 Are we allowed to use the office?
(What is the rule).
COULD/WAS-WERE ALLOWED TO To say that we had permission to do  I could/was allowed to go to
something in the past. parties when I was young. (I was
BUT: we use was/were allowed to, to allowed to go to parties in
say that we had permission to do general).
something in a particular situation in  She wasn’t allowed to go to the
the past. party when she was a child.
REQUESTS (can-could-will-would-may-might)
CAN/COULD/WILL/WOULD YOU…? We use this structure to ask  Can you buy me some sweets?
someone to do something for us.  Could you send me the report,
Can and Will are informal. Would please?
and could are more polite.
MIGHT/MAY/CAN/COULD I…? To ask for something politely. Might  Can I have a piece of that cake,
is formal and is not often used. please?
 Sorry. Can we take a photo
together, please?

OFFERS (I’ll-shall/can/could)
I’LL I’m willing to do something  You look tired. I’ll do the washing
(informal) up for you.
 You look busy. I’ll help you.

SHALL/CAN/COULD I/WE…? Would you like me/us to…? /Do you  Shall I give you a hand with
want me/us to…? the preparations?
 Can I help you with this?

SUGGESTION (shall-can-could)
 SHALL I/WE…? Why don’t we …?/How about…?/  We could have the meeting on
I/WE CAN/COULD What about…? /Let’s… Tuesday instead.
_We use shall in questions when we  We could go to the cinema
are asking for suggestions or tomorrow, what do you think?
instructions.

ADVICE (should-ought-must)
SHOULD/OUGHT + PRESENT = I advise you to/you had better do  It's very cold, you should dress
INFINITIVE sth. warmly.
*We use must to give strong advice  You ought to go rest, you look
very tired.

CRITICISM
SHOULD/OUGHT TO + PERFECT =It would have been better if you  You shouldn’t left the car
INFINITIVE had… unlocked.
We use this structures to criticize  You should have paid
someone else’s actions. attention to class but you
didn't.

LOGICAL ASSUMPTION STRUCTURE

PRESENT (and future)
MV + INFINITIVE  She loves her job but I’m sure she needs a day off as well.
(PRESENT INF.) She must need a day off.
 Perhaps he will be home soon.
He may be home soon.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS (future continuous)
MV + BE + ING  Jordan didn’t have homework so perhaps he is playing football now.
(PRESENT CONTINUOUS Jordan could be playing football now.
INFINITIVE)  I’m sure she isn’t driving now, her car broke down this morning.
She can’t be driving now, her car broke down this morning.
 Perhaps she is visiting a friend.
She may be visiting a friend.
PAST SIMPLE (past perfect)
MV + HAVE + V3  It’s possible I lost my earring on the bus yesterday.
(PERFECT INF.) I may have lost my earring on the bus yesterday.
 I’m certain she went to bed early, her lights were off at 10.
She must have gone to bed early.
 I’m sure Molly didn’t steal the jewels, she was with me that night.
Molly can’t have stolen the jewels.
 It’s likely they have gone to the cinema.
They might have gone to the cinema.
PAST CONTINUOUS (present perfect continuous- past perfect continuous)
MV + HAVE BEEN + ING  Maybe Nora was having a shower when I called her.
(PERFECT CONT. INF) She might have been having a shower.
 It’s possible she has been delayed in traffic.
She may have been delaying in traffic.