Modal verbs 1 Grammar sheets Bachillerato

MODALS/SEMI-MODALS (present)
--- No “s” in the third person singular. She must come today.
--- No auxiliary(modals are auxiliaries). Can you understand me?
--- No “to” before or after. They should finish the report.
--- No tenses. In the future, people will be able to read minds.

Verb Function Examples

a. Ability in the present I can play tennis./I can’t play tennis.
b. Request Can you help me?
CAN c. Permission Can I use your pen?
d. Impossibility You can’t see the doctor today.
e. Prohibition You can’t park here.
f. Deduction (negative) That man can’t be John. He’s in hospital.
a. Ability in the past She could play the piano when she was
b. Polite permission(podría) three.
COULD c. Polite request (podrías) Could I talk to you for a minute?
d. Possibility (remote) Could you repeat, please?
I suppose aliens could visit the Earth.
Anything is possible.
I am able to play tennis. (= I can play)
I was able to swim at ten. (= I could swim)
a. Ability in all tenses. I will be able to drive next year.
BE ABLE TO I have been able to finish today.
I want to be able to speak English.
I like being able to speak English.
You should cross the street carefully.
SHOULD = a. Advice (debería) You ought to sleep eight hours a day.
OUGHT TO You shouldn’t drink alcohol.
You ought not to smoke so much.
You oughtn’t to leave the window open.
a. Possibility (puede que) It may rain later./He may not come today.
MAY b. Polite permission May I use your phone?
You may leave the room.
c. Prohibition You may not smoke here.
a. Small or remote It might snow tomorrow.
MIGHT possibility (pudiera ser Tom might not be interested in the film.
que) They mightn’t be at the library
Might I see your driving licence, please?
b. Formal permission
a. Obligation/necessity in We must follow the school rules.
MUST the present(deber, tener You must do your homework every day.
que). He must be here. His car is outside.
b. Deduction
You have to follow the school rules.(=must)
I had to water the plants yesterday.
HAVE TO a. Obligation /necessity in Tomorrow I’ll have to get up early.
all tenses. (deber, tener I have had to finish the project alone.
que) I like having to get up early.

MUSTN’T a. Prohibition (no deber) You mustn’t be absent from school.

You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.

You needn’t come if you don’t want to.
HAVE TO (negative) a. No necessity/no She doesn’t have to make her bed.
obligation (no tener que) She needn’t make her bed.
NEEDN’T = She doesn’t need to make her bed.
DON’T/DOESN’T Tomorrow is Sunday, I won’t have to get
NEED TO up early.
Yesterday was Saturday and I didn’t have
to go to school.
Modal verbs 1 Grammar sheets Bachillerato
MODALS/SEMI-MODALS (present)
--- No “s” in the third person singular. She must come today.
--- No auxiliary(modals are auxiliaries). Can you understand me?
--- No “to” before or after. They should finish the report.
--- No tenses. In the future, people will be able to read minds.

Functions of Modals Examples

We express ABILITY with: My dog can catch a ball but it can’t throw one
Can you play the violin? No, I can’t. I can play the
a. CAN: ability in the present & guitar.
future. When he was two Rob could walk but he couldn’t
b. COULD: ability in the past. swim
c. BE ABLE TO: ability in all tenses. They’ve been able to run 15 km in two hours.
We’ll be able to help you tomorrow.
Being able to speak English is very useful nowadays.

We express POSSIBILITY/PROBABILITY
with: It’s late but Jade may/might still be awake
a. MAY: perhaps, very possible.  It may/might rain this afternoon.
b. MIGHT: possible but less certain. I suppose aliens could visit the Earth. Anything is
c. COULD: remote possibility. possible.
d. MUST: certainty, deduction. They look alike. They must be twins.
e. CAN’T: impossible, negative That can’t be my jacket. I don’t have any red jackets!
certainty Can he still be at work?
f. CAN HE BE?: is it possible?
We express PERMISSION with:
Asking for permission:
a. CAN: informal Can I borrow your pencil?
b. MAY: formal May I come in, please?
c. MIGHT: more formal Might I see your driving licence, please?
Giving or refusing permission:
d. CAN/CAN’T You can have more cake if you want.
You can’t enter this room.
e. MAY: more formal You may stay a little longer.

We make REQUESTS, OFFERS &

SUGGESTIONS with:
a. CAN: requests. Can you help me tidy my room?
b. COULD: polite Could you open that window, please?
requests/suggestions. Would you like some more coffee?
c. WOULD YOU LIKE: polite offers. Shall we begin now?/Shall I carry the books for you?
d. SHALL I/WE: suggestions/offers. Will you do me a favour?
e. WILL: offers/requests/promises. You don’t look well. Should I call a doctor?
f. SHOULD: polite suggestions
We express ADVICE with:
a. SHOULD/OUGHT TO You should study harder./You ought to go to the
b. HAD BETTER (stronger) doctor.
It’s very late. I’d better go now
We express OBLIGATION & NECESSITY:
a. MUST: strong obligation or The work must be done before tomorrow.
personal feeling of necessity. I must wash my hair tonight.
b. HAVE TO: external obligation. I had to get up at 6.00 yesterday to go to the school
trip.

We express LACK OF NECESSITY &

PROHIBITION with:
a. MUSTN’T: prohibition. You mustn’t park here. It is forbidden.
b. CAN’T: prohibition. You can’t borrow a book without your library card.
c. DON’T NEED TO: it is not You don’t need to do it now. You can do it later.
necessary. You don’t have to do it now. You can do it later.
d. DON’T HAVE TO: it is not
Modal verbs 1 Grammar sheets Bachillerato
necessary.

REPHRASINGS ON MODAL VERBS

Finish the second sentence without changing the original meaning. Pay attention to the
underlined clues!!
Example It’s forbidden to smoke in public places. You mustn’t smoke in public places.
1. I’m sure she’s sleeping.
She______________________________________________________________________
2. You’d better ask for some advice.
You____________________________________________________________
3. It isn’t necessary to do the ironing today.
You______________________________________________________
4. Would you mind if I used your phone?
May/Might________________________________________________?
5. I advise you to drive more slowly.
You_____________________________________________________________
6. I’m sure he’s lying to you.
He_____________________________________________________________________
7. It’s possible that Ann is looking for a new job.
Ann_________________________________________________
8. You are not allowed to leave until the exam has finished.
You ____________________________________________________________________________________________
9. You aren’t allowed to take photos in the cathedral.
You_____________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Is it possible that hats are coming back into fashion?
Could__________________________________________________________________________________________?
11. I mustn’t forget to buy some cheese. I _________________________________________________
12. Mrs Jones needn’t go if she doesn’t want to. Mrs
Jones____________________________________________
13. It’s possible that she doesn’t understand our language .
She _____________________________________________________________________________________________
14. John has not permission to borrow the car tonight.
John___________________________________________
15. It’s not necessary to take a lot of luggage when going on holiday.
You don’t_______________________________________________________________________________________
16. My grandfather could speak five languages. My grandfather
was__________________________________
17. I’m certain that Ben is not in Berlin.
Ben____________________________________________________________
18. It is compulsory to wear a uniform in my school.
We________________________________________________
19. If I were you, I’d go to the dentist. You
ought______________________________________________________
20. Do you want me to give you an aspirin? Shall
____________________________________________________?
21. It’s a bad idea to drive so fast. You
ought_________________________________________________________
22. Sasha is able to run 20 km in an hour.
Sasha_______________________________________________________
Modal verbs 1 Grammar sheets Bachillerato
23. Perhaps those two women don’t really like each other.
Those two women_______________________________________________________________________________
24. He can’t play tennis anymore. He
________________________________________________________________
25. I didn’t manage to swim until I was nine. I
_________________________________________________________
26. I was unable to go out of the water in time.
I_______________________________________________________
27. Would you mind if I came in? May_______________________________________________________________
28. It’s not necessary to lock the door.
You___________________________________________________________
29. It’s a good idea to check your change. You______________________________________________________
30. It’s impossible that the computer is working. The
computer________________________________________

REPHRASINGS ON MODAL VERBS (key)

Finish the second sentence without changing the original meaning.
Example It’s forbidden to smoke in public places. You mustn’t smoke in public places.
1. I’m sure she’s sleeping. She must be sleeping.
2. You’d better ask for some advice. You should ask for advice
3. It isn’t necessary to do the ironing today. You don’t have to/need to/needn’t do the…
4. Would you mind if I used your phone? May/Might I use your phone, (please)?
5. I advise you to drive more slowly. You should/ought to drive …
6. I’m sure he’s lying to you. He must be lying to you.
7. It’s possible that Ann is looking for a new job. Ann may/might be looking for a new job.
8. You are not allowed to leave until the exam has finished.
You can’t/mustn’t leave until the exam…
9. You aren’t allowed to take photos in the cathedral.
You can’t/mustn’t take photos…
10. Is it possible that hats are coming back into fashion?
Could hats be coming back into fashion?
11. I mustn’t forget to buy some cheese. I must remember to buy some cheese.
12. Mrs Jones needn’t go if she doesn’t want to. Mrs Jones doesn’t need to/doesn’t have to go
if she…
13. It’s possible that she doesn’t understand our language.
She may/might/could not understand our language.
14. John has not permission to borrow the car tonight. John can’t borrow the car tonight.
15. It’s not necessary to take a lot of luggage when going on holiday.
You don’t have to/need to take a lot of luggage when going on holiday.
16. My grandfather could speak five languages. My grandfather was able to speak five
languages.
17. I’m certain that Ben is not in Berlin. Ben can’t be in Berlin.
18. It is compulsory to wear a uniform in my school. We have to/(must) wear a uniform in my
school.
19. If I were you, I’d go to the dentist. You ought to go to the dentist.
Modal verbs 1 Grammar sheets Bachillerato
20. Do you want me to give you an aspirin? Shall I give you an aspirin??
21. It’s a bad idea to drive so fast. You ought not to drive so fast.
22. Sasha is able to run 20 km in an hour. Sasha can run 20 km in an hour.
23. Perhaps those two women don’t really like each other.
Those two women may/might not really like each other.
24. He can’t play tennis anymore. He isn’t able to play tennis anymore.
25. I didn’t manage to swim until I was nine. I couldn’t/wasn’t able to swim until I was nine.
26. I was unable to go out of the water in time. I couldn’t/wasn’t able to go out of the water in
time.
27. Would you mind if I came in? May I come in?
28. It’s not necessary to lock the door. You don’t have to/don’t need to lock the door.
29. It’s a good idea to check your change. You should/ought to check your change.
30. It’s impossible that the computer is working. The computer can’t be working.