SHRI RADHEY INSTITUTE

MODALS

A MODAL VERB IS A TYPE OF AUXILIARY VERB ,USUALLY USED IN

SENTENCE TO SHOW POSSIBILITY,NECESSITY,PERMISSION ,ABILITY AND
OBLIGATION ETC.

CAN & COULD

CAN :-

 PRESENT ABILITY

e.g. I can swim .

 (INFORMAL) PERMISSION (GIVE/SEEK)

E.g. Can I go to play football ?
e.g. Yes, you can go to your friend’s birthday party

 POSSIBILITY
e.g. News can be false too ./ you can easily get lost in this town.

 MAKE A REQUEST (INFORMAL)

E.g. can you tell me the time ?

 MAKE AN OFFER (INFORMAL)

e.g. can I help you ?

 SUGGESTION
e.g. you can buy this house
 COULD

 PAST TENSE OF CAN

E.g. I could not go to school as I was ill.

 PAST ABILITY
e.g. I could climb trees when I was a child .

 INDICATE POSSIBILITY (WEAK)

E.g. They could be at home (may be they are at home)/you could become a doctor

 MORE FORMAL & POLITE PERMISSION

e.g. Could we go home now ?

 MAKE A POLITE REQUEST

e.g. could you tell me the time ?

 MAKE A SUGGESTION
e.g. you could eat out tonight ./you could call me for help.

 CONDITIONAL SITUATION
e.g. I could visit London if I had enough money .
SHALL /SHOULD

SHALL :-

 INDICATES A FUTURE ACTION (NORMALLY USED WITH I/WE

e.g. I shall go to market.

 TO MAKE SUGGESTION OR OFFER/TO ASK FOR ADVICE (with the first

person( I/WE) in the interrogative.
e.g. Shall we go for a walk ? (suggestion)
e.g. Shall I drive the car ? (offer)
e.g. What shall we do this weekend ? (advice)
e.g. we shall pay the fine . (promise/assurance)

 TO EXPRESS COMMAND,THREAT,WARNING ,PROMISE,

ASSUARANCE,DETERMINATION etc. WITH THE SECOND & THIRD
PERSON (you,he ,she,they etc)
e.g. you shall do as you are told . (command)
e.g. He shall be in deep trouble if he fails the test.(threat)
e.g. They shall protect their honour (determination)
e.g. you shall obey the rules (formal obligation)

SHOULD :-

 MAKE A RECOMMENDATION
e.g. you should watch this film.It’s very interesting .

 INDICATE LIKELIHOOD

e.g. My baby brother must be asleep by now /they should be at airport now

 ADVICE
 e.g. you should not lie to your parents.

 OBLIGATION
e.g. I really should be in the office by 8:00 a.m.

 EXPECTATIONS
e.g. She should be here by now.

 CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
e.g. I should not say anything if I were you.

 PROBABLE CONDITION
e.g. If mother should see me out at such an hour, she will be angry.

LEST & SHOULD :-

 LEST HAS A NEGATIVE MEANING
 IT SHOULD NOT BE USED WITH “NOT”
 THE ONLY AUXILIARY VERB THAT CAN FOLLOW LEST IS SHOULD

EXAMPLE ********WORK HARD LEST YOU SHOULD FALL .

 THE SAME IDEA CAN BE EXPRESSED USING THE EXPRESSION “OR ELSE”
e.g. Work hard,or else you will fail.

MUST/OUGHT TO
 MUST :-

 INDICATE STRONG OBLIGATION (what speaker thinks is necessary)

e.g. cyclists must wear helmets ./we must start the interview

 TO EXPRESS DUTY
e.g. you must obey the orders of your officers

 TO EXPRESS NECESSITY,COMPULSION,PROHIBITION
e.g. I must switch off the computer now.
e.g. You must not wear casuals at work.

 TO EXPRESS EMPHATIC ADVICE OR DETERMINATION

e.g. you must see the principal at once
e.g. we must get together soon for dinner

 TO EXPRESS ASSUMPTION,CONCLUSION,CERTAINTY,STRONG
POSSIBILITY
e.g. she is not here.she must have left already .
e.g. He must have reached the station by now.
e.g. she talks very less,she must be shy.
e.g. your parents must be proud of you

 RECOMMENDATION (STRONG)
e.g. you must watch this movie .

OUGHT TO :-

 MORAL OBLIGATION
 e.g. we ought not to waste food.
e.g. we ought not to be dishonest
e.g. we ought to respect our elders

 Desire for something to happen

E.g. He ought to apologise

 ADVICE
E.g. you ought to exercise daily .(karni hi chahiye)

*****’ought to’ expresses duty ,inner conscience,a sensibleaction or advice.

************* ought to and should have similar meanings

****should can be used in place of ought to
****Should is more commonly used than ought to
***********should is more formal than ought to

WILL/WOULD

WILL:-

 INDICATE BELIEFS ABOUT PRESENT

e.g. John will be in his office .

 INDICATES BELIEFS ABOUT THE FUTURE

e.g. We will be late .

 INDICATE FUTURE ACTION/EVENTS

e.g. Mohan will book the venue .

 TO EXPRESS WILLINGNESS,INTENTION,PROMISE,DETERMINATION
WHEN USED WITH THE FIRST PERSON (I/WE)AS SUBJECT.
e.g. I will meet you tomorrow.
e.g. I will put in my best effort to complete the task.
  MAKE PROMISE AND OFFER

e.g. I will give you a lift home after the party./I will call you daily.

 MAKE AN INFORMAL REQUEST

e.g. Will you get the door ?

 PREDICTION
e.g. It will rain tomorrow .

 THREAT
I will sue you .

 Strong determination
e.g. I will exercise daily

 Command
e.g. you will stay quiet now.

 TO EXPRESS A CHARACTERISTIC
HABIT,ASSUMPTION ,INVITATION ,REQUEST,INSISTENCE
e.g. A cat will usually chase the mouse (characteristic habit)
e.g. He will have left for Delhi by now (assumption)
e.g. will you shut the door,please ? (request)
e.g. she will not abide by the rules (insistence)

NOTE : “WILL” IS NEVER USED WITH THE FIRST PERSON IN THE

INTERROGATIVE

WOULD :-

 PAST FORM OF “WILL”

e.g. I thought we would be late .

 INDICATE PAST HABIT AND ROUTINE

e.g. She would often work late.
 MAKE A POLITE REQUEST
e.g. Would you call back later ?/would you like if I join you ?

 IMAGINARY SITUATIONS
e.g .i would not like the movie.(shayad mujhe movie pasand nhi aayegi)

 PREFERENCE
e.g. I would like to have tea./iwould go to the cinema today.

 CONDITIONALS
 E.g. you would like him after you meet.

 TO EXPRESS A STRONG WISH ,PREFERENCE

e.g. I wish you would get a chance to visit the sea coast.
e.g. I would rather sleep early than repent later

MAY/MIGHT

MAY:-
 INDICATE POSSIBILITY
e.g. It may rain today .The sky is overcast./Kyan may arrive late .

 ASK PERMISSION (FORMAL)

e.g. May I come in ?

 GIVE PERMISSION (FORMAL)

e.g. You may come.

 REFUSE PERMISSION (FORMAL & EMPHATIC)

e.g. students may not wear jeans.

 POLITE OFFER
e.g. May I help you ,sir ?

 EXPRESSING WISHES FOR FUTURE

e.g. May God bless you !

 TO EXPRESS A PURPOSE
e.g. He is practising hard so that he may win the race .
 MIGHT:-

 INDICATE POSSIBILITY
e.g . it might rain today .

 ASK PERMISSION (VERY POLITE)

e.g. Might I use your phone ?

 MAKE A SUGGESTION (VERY POLITE)

e.g. you might try calling the helpdesk./you might catch a taxi

 MIGHT IS USED AS “PAST OF MAY”

e.g. he said that he might be late .

 REQUEST
Might I have a cup of tea ?

 CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
e.g. If I get late ,I might not get the entry .

 TO EXPRESS GUESS
 E.g. That might be aunt Agnes.

USED TO :-

 IT IS USED TO EXPRESS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED FREQUENTLY

DURING A PERIOD IN THE PAST
 WE USE THE HELPING VERB “DID” TO MAKE THE NEGATIVE AND
INTERROGATIVE WITH “USED TO”
FOR EXAMPLE :- I USED TO PLAY CRICKET IN THE PAST.

DID YOU USE TO DANCE A LOT ?

NEED :-

 EXPRESS NECESSITY OR OBLIGATION AND IT IS FOLLOWED BY A BASE

FORM.

EXAMPLE :- SHE NEED GO THERE

SHE NEED NOT GO THERE

NEED SHE GO THERE ?

DARE :-
  IT IS USED TO EXPRESS THAT SOMEONE IS NOT AFRAID OF SOMETHING
–FOLLOWED BY A BASE FORM .IT IS GENERALLY USED WITH NEGATIVE
& INTERROGATIVE .

FOR EXAMPLE :- NO ONE DARE GO THERE

DAREN’T HE GO THERE ?

HOW DARE YOU ?