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Verbos Modales

This document discusses the use of modal verbs to express different concepts in English including: deductions and possibilities, advice and opinions, obligation and necessity, lack of obligation, permission, and ability. It provides examples of how modal verbs like must, can, may, should, have to, need to, can, could, be able to are used to talk about present, past and future situations related to probability, suggestions, requirements, permissions and capabilities.

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Esther Gil
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83 views3 pages

Verbos Modales

This document discusses the use of modal verbs to express different concepts in English including: deductions and possibilities, advice and opinions, obligation and necessity, lack of obligation, permission, and ability. It provides examples of how modal verbs like must, can, may, should, have to, need to, can, could, be able to are used to talk about present, past and future situations related to probability, suggestions, requirements, permissions and capabilities.

Uploaded by

Esther Gil
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MODAL VERBS

DEDUCTIONS AND POSSIBILITIES To express probable conclusions that we are sure or almost sure about: - In present: * Must + infinitive without to (in affirmative sentences): She isnt at home. She must be at work. * Cant + infinitive (negative sentences): She cant like dancing. She hardly ever dances. - In the past: * Must / cant + have + participle: he said he would phone me but he didnt. He must have forgotten. - Conclusions that refer to the momento when we are speaking: * Must + be + gerund: hes very quiet. He must be thinking about something. If we are not very sure about our conclusions: * Might / may / could + infinitive (affirmative sentences): I wonder where my mobile is. It may be in the car. * Might / may not + infinitive (negative sentences): she is not here yet. She may not come. ADVICE, SUGGESTIONS AND OPINIONS In the present: should / ought to /would rather / had better + infinitive. You should phone your parents. They seem to be worried. I would rather go to the cinema than go to dance. Hadnt you better go? Its nearly midnight. Had better is normally used in negative sentences and in questions and ought to isnt normally used in questions. In the past: should / ought to + have + participle. In the past these verbs express expectations that finally did not happened or also criticism for something that happened. She should have got the post. / He shouldnt have got so angry. They ought to have waited for her. ought to have is not usual in negative sentences. OBLIGATION AND NECESSITY

To express necessity we use need to: we need to buy some batteries for the camera. To express obligation: must /have to+ infinitive. We have to be here at five. In the past: had to + infinitive. I had to cancel my holidays last year.

LACK OF OBLIGATION OR NECESSITY Present: - Dont have to: these are extra exercises. You dont have to do them if you dont want to. - Neednt: you neednt give me back my camera until next week. Past: didnt have to / didnt need to. To say that something was done but it was not necessary we can use neednt + have + participle. I neednt have bought the newspaper; my wife had already bought one. PERMISSION In present, future or in general: can / could / may. You can come a bit later. Could and may in questions is used in formal contexts. Could you help me? May I ask you a question? In the past: could, was/ were allowed to: when we were children, we were allowed to sleep at our friends houses at weekends. ABILITY To exprss an ability in the present: can. I can play the guitar. To express an ability in the past: - Could: general abilities. When I was five I could read. - Was /were able to: they express an ability in a specific situation in the past. Tom was able to persuade his parents to buy him a bike for passing his exams. To express ability in the future: When I finish high school I will be able to fulfill my dream: study medicine. Be able to can be used in any verb tense and it is the only option when we cannot use can or could. Ive been able to fix the TV (he podido arreglar la tele).

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