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MODAL VERBS ENTRI SE G

The document provides an overview of modal verbs, including their types, functions, and rules of usage. It explains how modal verbs express ability, permission, advice, obligation, and possibility, along with examples for each category. Additionally, it discusses nuances between similar modals and their application in different tenses and contexts.

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17 views9 pages

MODAL VERBS ENTRI SE G

The document provides an overview of modal verbs, including their types, functions, and rules of usage. It explains how modal verbs express ability, permission, advice, obligation, and possibility, along with examples for each category. Additionally, it discusses nuances between similar modals and their application in different tenses and contexts.

Uploaded by

abyjob90
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MODAL VERBS

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

They are auxiliary verbs like be, do & have because they work
together with main verbs (in their bare infinitive form without to).

Examples:

• I can walk
• I could go

What’s their job?

Modal Verbs are used to express something. They have a purpose.

They add ideas like ability, possibility, uncertainty, obligation to


other verbs.

Rules:

1. A modal verb is followed by an infinitive verb (basic form)


without ‘to’. Eg: She can speak fluent English. He won’t come
today.
2. Modal verbs don’t have past, present or perfect tenses as
regular verbs. (Not 100% true though) e.g.: could(can), would
(will)
3. MV are auxiliary verbs i.e., you can make negative by adding
not next to it
TYPE MODAL VERB EXAMPLE
Ability Can, could • Phil can speak
well in English.
• He could speak
French at the
age of 6

Permission Can, could, may • May I open the


window?
• Can I borrow
your pen?

Advice Should, ought to • You should


work hard.
• You ought to
visit your doc
once in a year.

Obligation Must, have to • I must


memorize all
these tenses.
• You have to
take off your
shoes before
you enter the
church.

Possibility Might, may, could, • It might rain


can today.
• It looks nice,
but it might be
expensive
Modal Verbs: Asking Permission
Informal Polite

- Can I borrow your pen for - Could I please have a glass


a min? of water?
- Can I speak to Neethu? - Could I open the window

Formal Polite

- May I ask a question? Would you mind if I ask you


- May we go home now? something?
Possibility & Probability: how likely something is.
Modal Verbs with a main verb

How likely is it that action to happen?

It will happen (certain, sure)

It should happen (a good chance, its likely/ probable)

Can it happen? (Is it possible?)

It couldn’t happen. (it’s unlikely)

will- future- confident

• The sun will rise tomorrow.


• Ann will be late.
• you will get cold.

will- reassurance.

• You will pass the exam.


• It will be okay.

will not - certainly not

will not (won’t)

‘If they walk, they won’t reach on time.’


must- sure of something is happening in the present.

usually, we have a reason to explain it.

Examples:

• The baby is crying. he must be hungry.


• I thought Manoj would be here by now. she must be stuck in
traffic.
• They didn’t eat any of the meat. they must be vegetarian.

must have- to talk about the past when one is quite sure about
something happened.

must have+ v3 (talking about past, applicable to a few others)

• After flying for 32 hours, you must have felt exhausted.


• I thought I’d do better in the exam. I must have been nervous.

Should- something is likely, not 100% sure, believe it to be true.

• They left an hour ago, they should be here by now.


• If they take the car, they should arrive by three

Should have- to talk about the past

• I didn’t realize he was unwell. we should have taken him to a


doctor.
Possibility
When we make general statements about something that is possible,
use can.

Example:

• People can be rude.


• It can be dangerous walking at night in Kerala.
• It can take over 12 hours to hike through those mountains.

The above are general statements and are not specific as I am not
saying exactly what is happening.

could can be used as the past tense of can in this context.

‘We could live for days without going outside during corona’.

When we are unsure of the present and future, we use could, may,
might.

something is possible, but not guaranteed or certain.

Examples:

• If you wait near the library, you could see the principal leaving.
• They might arrive before lunch.
• I may need to borrow your car.
• It could rain this afternoon. (There is a chance in future)
• Anand might/may/ could arrive before us. (Present or future)

To represent past, we use same modal verb+ have+ v3

• I am worried, something could have happened to them.


• They might have finished the dinner by now.
Difference between ‘might’ and ‘may’.
might can be a little less likely than may but they are close enough
and can be used just as similar.

‘He might or may come in September.’

impossibilities- not likely

Examples:

• You can’t be serious. (Unlikely to be true)


• When we heard their victory, we couldn’t believe it.

1)If you are certain about something, use will/ won’t, if impossible.

2)If you are sure about something and a reason for believing it, use
must or should

3)If you talking about something generally that’s possible use can

4)If you are not certain but it’s possible, use might, may or could
can, could (do), and could have (done)
case1: "could" is the past form of "can"

Examples:

• I can smell something burning. (Now, there is something


burning.)
• I could smell something burning. (In the past, there was
something burning.)

case2: "could" to talk about present and/or future possibility.

Examples:

• Don't eat this bread; it could be stale. (Present possibility)


• He has been in prison for two months, and could be released
next week. (Future possibility)

Note: in these situations, we can also use "can" instead of "could".


however, "could" is less sure than "can".

Examples:

• She can win the competition. (Future - sure)


• Who knows? she could win the competition. (Future - less sure)

case3: unreal actions/situations, we use "could" not "can:

Examples:

• I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse. (Not I can eat a horse)


• I’m so tired. I could sleep for a week. (Not I can sleep for a
week)
Compare:

- We can have some fish for dinner. (Realistic - surer)


- We could have some fish for dinner. (Realistic - less sure)
- We could have a whale for dinner. (unrealistic)

We use could have (done) to talk about the past.

Examples:

- Though the situation is bad, it could be worse. (now)


- Though the situation was bad, it could have been worse. (past)

Something could have happened = it was possible, but it did not


happen:

examples:

- It's a good thing I got my umbrella. I could have been soaked.


- You could have done your homework, if you wanted to.

"I couldn't do" has two meanings:

1) It would not be possible now; I would not be able to:

‘I couldn't walk a further step. I am really exhausted.’ (now)

2) It would not have been possible in the past, I would not be able to:

I couldn't walk a further step. I was exhausted. (past)

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