MODAL VERBS IN ENGLISH

Example: “She couldn´t talk until she was three.” BE ABLE TO not a modal verb: it is used to express ability in the future, but also when we want to talk about capability in perfect te

MODAL VERBS

Modals are very special verbs which have some special

characteristics

1.They do not add –S in 3rd person singular of Present

Simple

I can speak three languages / He can speak three

languages

2.They do not need the auxiliary DO / DOES in negative and

interrogative forms

She might not come / Should I apply?

3.They do not admit the –ING form

4 They are followed by INFINITIVE without TO ( except for

OUGHT TO)

Modal verbs can express:

ABILITY (CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO)

CAN : we use it to express ability in the present

Example: “I can use a computer.”

COULD: we use it to express capability in the past

Example: “She couldn´t talk until she was three.”

BE ABLE TO (not a modal verb): it is used to express ability

in the future, but also when we want to talk about

capability in perfect tenses.

Example: “I´ll be able to work next weekend.”

Example: “They haven´t been able to find someone for the job.”

POSSIBILITY AND CERTAINTY

(COULD, MAY, MIGHT, MUST, CAN´T)

• COULD, MAY, MAY NOT, MIGHT, AND MIGHT NOT are used to express possibility in the present and future tenses.

Example: “It could be a good job”

Example: “You might not get an interview”

• CAN´T : it is used to express that something seems impossible.

Example: “It can´t be midnight already”

• MUST: we use it when we are certain about something Example: “He must be on holiday”

But be careful because we cannot use mustn´t to

express certainty about a fact In this case, we´ll use can´t

Example: “There´s no answer He can´t be at home”.

NECESSITY, OBLIGATION (MUST, HAVE TO, NEED)

• MUST and HAVE TO are used to express obligation,

although must is stronger than have to.

Example: “You must be reliable”

Example: “You have to do three years of training”

• MUSTN´T: we use it in order to express prohibition.

Example: “You mustn´t eat in the classroom”

• DON´T HAVE TO and NEEDN´T: There is no obligation

to do something.

Example: “You needn´t go to the cinema so early, the film doesn´t start until 7 o´clock”

Example: “We don´t have to work at weekends”

• NEED (without to) is only used in negative and

interrogative forms.

• NEED TO (affirmative form) : it expresses

necessity.

Example: “I need to find a job”

PERMISSION (CAN, COULD, BE ALLOWED TO)

• CAN: it is used to express permission in the

present tense.

Example: “Can I leave now?”

• BE ALLOWED TO (not a modal verb): it replaces can

in the past and future tenses.

Example: “My sister won´t be allowed to go to the party”

• COULD: it is also used to talk about general

permission in the past.

Example: “You couldn´t go out alone until you were 15.”

However, could cannot be used to talk about

permission at a specific moment in the past In this case, we´ll use be allowed to.

Example: “At sixteen, I was allowed to get a job on Saturdays.”

ADVICE (SHOULD, OUGHT TO, HAD BETTER)

• OUGHT TO and SHOULD: they are used to give advice

They have a similar meaning but ought to is more

formal than should.

Example: “You ought to apply for the job” / “ You should apply for the job”

• HAD BETTER + infinitive (without to) is used to give

advice and to express intention.

Example: “You´d better study harder”

Example: “I´d better leave now”

• HAD BETTER NOT is used to warn somebody about

something.

Example: “You´d better not be late or I´ll go without

you”

MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES

Some modal verbs can be used with have + past

participle to talk about past events.

• MIGHT, MAY and COULD HAVE + participle refer to

something which was possible in the past.

Example: “He may / might / could have left the company”

• COULD HAVE + participle can also be used to talk about

an alternative in the past, although it is not possible

anymore.

Example: “You could have been a doctor” (you aren´t a doctor)

• MUST HAVE + participle is used to express certainty or

logical deduction about the past.

Example: “You must have seen it” (I´m sure you did)

• CAN´T HAVE + participle is used to talk about

something impossible in the past.

Example: “He can´t have understood the question”

• SHOULD HAVE + participle expresses an opinion

about past events which we cannot change.

Example: “She should have taken some advice from her friends” (she didn´t)

• SHOULDN´T HAVE + participle is used to express

regret or criticism about past events.

Example: “They shouldn´t have gone out late last

night but they did”

NOW LET´S PRACTICE!

Rewrite each sentence without changing the meaning.

a) You didn´t study at all Bad mistake!

You SHOULD HAVE STUDIED.

b)Did you manage to find the keys?

Were

c)It wasn't necessary to get up so early in the end

I didn't

d) Perhaps Leanne forgot our date

Leanne might

e) It was possible for you to have got lost

You could

f) It would have been a good idea not to trust him

You should

g) Smoking in class is prohibited

You mustn´t

h) Mum went shopping but it wasn´t necessary

Mum needn‘t

i) It would be better to tell him You ought .

j) I´m sure they aren´t at home All the lights are off They can't

b were you able to find the keys?

c I didn´t have to get up so early.

d Leanne might have forgotten our date.

e You could have got lost.

f You shouldn’t have trusted him.

g You mustn´t smoke in class.

h Mum needn´t have gone shopping.

i You ought to tell him.

j They can´t be at home The lights are off.

Replace the words in italics with appropriate modal verbs.

“Wonderful, it´s Sunday and (a) not necessary for me to get up

at 7 o´clock (b) I´ll possibly stay in bed a bit longer although I think the children (c) are probably awake now and I´ll (d) be

themselves I´d better get up immediately because (e) perhaps

they (f) are probably not very hungry yet (g) It would have been

evening But all this thinking and not acting is really silly! (h) It

my bedroom slippers? That damn dog (i) has probably hidden them again! (j) It would be a good idea for us to train it better, but I suppose we (k) weren´t obliged to buy it in the first place, and after all, it´s only a puppy.

Oh, I´d forgotten! (l) It´s just possible that Alan will be back

from his business trip today-marvellous! One adult isn´t

enough to look after four children, a puppy, and three goldfish! Why (m) did he refuse to take me with him? (n) It was possible

Never again!”

• a I needn´t

• b might

• c may be

• d have to

• e might

• f can´t be

• g should have

• h I must

• i must have

• j should

• k didn´t have to

• l Alan may be

• m couldn´t take

• n could have got