MODALS
MODALS
• Modal verbs are a category of the
auxiliaries: they too are 'helping' verbs.
• They help the main verb to express a range
of meani ng s: po ssi bi l i t y, pro babi l i t y,
certainty, permission, requests, instructions,
suggestions, offers and invitations, wants
and wishes, obligation and necessity.
MODAL MEANING EXAMPLE
can, could, may, Possibility • Can you unlock this door for
might me?
• This might come in useful.
• It could have been a disastrous
accident.
• When may she get up?
cannot/can't, Probability and certainty • You must be Dr. Green.
must, ought to, • He can't have told me the
should, will whole story.
• We ought to arrive home by
noon.
• That must be the postman now.
MODAL MEANING EXAMPLE
can, could, be, Ability • He cannot sing for toffee.
able to • He could read and write from a
very young age.
• She was able to sign her name
with difficulty.
• She couldn't stop laughing.
can, could, may Permission • You can use my car if you want.
• You may speak now, John.
• Can I ask a question?
MODAL MEANING EXAMPLE
can, could, will, Instructions and • Would you give John a message for
would requests me, please?
• Would you do me a favor?
• Could you explain that again for me?
• I would like this work finished by
Friday.
could, may, Suggestions • You could try again later.
might, shall • Yo u m i g ht l i ke to t r y t h i s n e w
shampoo.
• You may as well start again. Shall we
change the subject?
MODAL MEANING EXAMPLE
can, could, Offers and invitations • Will you have a cup of tea?
shall, will, would • Would you like a biscuit?
• I could give you a lift to
the shops.
• Shall we dance?
must, mustn't, have to, Obligation and • I have to go now.
have got to necessity • I must get to the
interview in good time.
As shown in the above matrix, the modals have
corresponding negative forms:
can can't /cannot, could/couldn't, may/mayn't
(British English - rare) might/mightn't,
must/mustn't shall/shan't (British English - rare)
should/shouldn't,
will/won't, would/wouldn't
• Traditional grammars made a very sharp distinction between
shall and will. They recommended that shall should be used
to express future time with I as subject (I shall arrive at six ),
and that will should be used with all other subjects ('He will
arrive at six. ).
• The reverse was recommended when expressing intention:
‘I will work hard', but 'He shall work hard'.
• In fact, these distinctions no longer apply in common use, if
they ever did apply. The word shall has more or less
disappeared from American English, and there is evidence
that it is also in decline in British English, except perhaps in
the most formal contexts. Will is the preferred form in both
varieties.
The modals express two main types of meaning:
1. human control over events, such as is involved in permission,
intention, ability, or obligation:
• You may leave now. (I give you permission to.. )
• I could speak Greek when I was young. (I knew how to ...)
• You must go to bed at once. (I require you to...)
2. judgement whether an event was, is, or will be likely to
happen:
• They may be away for the weekend. ('It is possible that they
are)
• That could be your mother. ('I is possible that it is . ..)
• It must be past midnight. ('It is certainly the case that it is . .)
MODALS AND THEIR USE
1.
Can Use Examples
ability to do in the present I can speak English.
(substitute form: to be able to)
permission to do in the present (substitute Can I go to the cinema, please?
form: to be allowed to)
Request Can you wait a moment, please?
Offer I can lend you my car till tomorrow.
Suggestion Can we visit Grandma at the weekend?
Possibility It can get very hot in Tuguegarao.
2. Could
Use Examples
ability to do in the past I could speak English.
(substitute form: to be able to)
permission to do in the past (substitute I could go to the cinema.
form: to be allowed to)
polite question * Could go to the cinema, please?
polite request * Could you wait a moment, please?
polite offer* I could lend you my car tomorrow.
polite suggestion* Could we visit Grandma at the weekend?
possibility* It could get very hot in Tuguegarao.
3. May
Use Examples
Possibility It may rain today.
permission to do in the present May I go to the cinema?
(substitute form: to be allowed to)
polite suggestion May I help you?
4. Might
Use Examples
Possibility (less possible than may)* It might rain today.
hesitant offer * Might I help you?
5. Must
Use Examples
force, necessity I must go to the supermarket today.
Possibility You must be tired.
advice, recommendation You must see the new film with Brad Pitt.
6. Must not/ may not
Use Examples
prohibition (must is a little stronger) You musn’t work on dad’s
computer.
You may not work on dad’s
computer.
7. need not
Use Examples
not necessary I needn't go to the supermarket, we’re going to
the restaurant today.
8. ought to (similar to should - ought to; sounds a little less subjective)
Use Examples
Advice You ought to drive carefully in bad weather.
Obligation You ought to switch off the light when you leave
the room.
9. Shall (used instead of will in the 1st person)
Use Examples
Suggestion Shall I carry your bag?
10. Should
Use Examples
Advice You should drive carefully in bad weather.
Obligation You should switch off the light when you
leave the room.
11. Will
Use Examples
wish, request, demand, order (less Will you please shut the door?
polite than would)
prediction, assumption I think it will rain on Friday.
Promise I will stop smoking.
spontaneous decision Can somebody drive me to the
station? -I will.
Habits She's strange, she'll sit for hours
without talking.
12. Would
Use Examples
wish, request (more polite than Would you shut the door, please?
will)
habits in the past Sometimes he would bring me
flowers.
Note: * These are no past forms; they refer to the future.
References:
• (Glencoe Writer's Choice) McGraw-Hill Glencoe - Glencoe Writer's Choice_ Grammar and Composition, Grade 12-The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. (2009) (1)
• - Writer's choice _ grammar and composition-Glencoe_McGraw-Hill (2001)
• English Language Proficiency(Authors:PaulineBatang, ElizabethBautista,MarieClaudetteCalanoga, MaritesCatabay,
MaridenCauilan,AllanDelaCruz,ShellaDelaCruz,LauranaLingan,MaribelMalana,JomelManuel,RiaTamayo,ConchitaTemporal)
