MODAL VERBS - TABLE

VERB
CAN

COULD

USE

EXAMPLES

ABILITY

He can swim very well

(puede/sabe....)

ASK FOR STH.

POLITELY

Can I have some more coffee, please?

(Puedo...?)

IM/POSSIBILITY

I can't go to the cinema tonight but I can go

tomorrow.
(no puedo - puedo)

BE ABLE - to complete
verbal tenses of
"CAN"

I won't be able to go tomorrow, either.

(tampoco podr ir...)
I have just been able to do it.
(Acabo de poder hacerlo)

EXPRESS / ASK FOR PERMISSION

Can I open the window? - Yes, you can / No, you

can't.
(Puedo abrir la ventana? - S / No.

NEGATIVE
DEDUCTIONS

It can't be raining. the ground is not wet.

(No puede estar lloviendo. El suelo no est mojado)

PAST ABILITY

My father could drive at the age of twelve.

(Mi padre poda/saba...)

ASK FOR STH.

POLITELY

Could you tell me the time, please?

(Podra decirme la hora, por favor?)

IMPOSSIBILITY IN THE
PAST

The light was too bright. I couldn't open my eyes.

(La luz era demasiado brillante. No poda abrir los
ojos)

SPECULATING
("MIGHT")

This book could be Peter's. He was reading it before.

(Este libro podra ser de Peter. Lo estaba leyendo
antes)

SUGGESTIONS

We could have a drink in the pub next door.

(Podramos tomar una copa en el bar de al lado.)

INDIRECT SPEECH
FOR "CAN"

They said they could do it themselves.

(Dijeron que lo podan hacer ellos mismos.)

CRITICISM

You could have told us before!

(Nos lo podrais haber dicho antes!)

MAY

MIGHT

MUST

HAVE TO

ASK FOR STH.

May I stay a bit longer?

(Puedo quedarme un poco ms?)

PERMISSION

You may play now.

(Ya podis jugar)

POSSIBILITY

We may visit our grandparents on Saturday.

(Puede que visitemos a nuestros abuelos el sbado).

SPECULATING
("COULD-MIGHT")

She may still be asleep because the room is dark.

(Puede que todava est durmiendo porque la
habitacin est a oscuras.)

POSSIBILITY THAT STH

HAPPENS

They might invite us to the party.

(Puede que nos inviten a la fiesta.)

SPECULATING

They might have broken the window while I was

having a shower.
(Puede que rompieran/hayan roto la ventana
mientras me duchaba.)

OBLIGATION

You must go to school.

(Debes ir a clase)

PROHIBITION
(NEGATIVE)

You mustn't smoke in hospitals.

(No se puede fumar en los hospitales.)

AFFIRMATIVE
DEDUCTIONS

They must be happy. They've won the lottery.

(Deben estar contentos. Han ganado la lotera.)

OBLIGATION

In Spain, you have to be 18 to drive a car.

(En Espaa, se han de tener 18 aos para conducir
un coche.)
I had to go to the doctor yesterday becuase I didn't
feel well.
(Ayer tuve que ir al mdico porque no me
encontraba bien.)

NEED

ABSENCE OF
OBLIGATION
(NEGATIVE)

You don't have to buy anything. There's plenty of

food in the fridge.
(No tienes que comprar nada. Hay mucha comida
enla nevera)

NECESSITY

Need we go now?
Es necesario que vayamos ahora?)

PASSIVE MEANING

The treed need pruning.

(Es necesario podar los rboles).

ABSENCE OF
OBLIGATION

You needn't come back tomorrow.

(No es necesario que volvis maana.)

(NEGATIVE)

SHOULD /
OUGHT
TO

WILL

WOULD

SHALL

ADVICES

You should/ought to do more physical exercise.

(Deberas hacer ms ejercicio fsico.)

MORAL OBLIGATION

We should/ought to be more tolerant.

(Deberamos ser ms tolerantes.)

CRITICISM OF PAST
ACTIONS

She should have been quiet (+perfect)

(Debera haberse callado.)

FUTURE SITUATIONS

We will phone her tonight.

(La llamaremos esta noche.)

FUTURE PREDICTIONS

It'll be windy tomorrow.

(Maana har viento.)

PROMISES

I'll buy you a present for your birthday.

(Te comprar un regalo para tu cumpleaos.)

DECISIONS TAKEN
WHEN SPEAKING

It's hot in here. I'll open the window.

(Hace calor aqu dentro. Abrir las ventanas.)

OFFERS

I'll carry the suitcases if you like.

(Llevar las maletas si quieres.

ASK FOR STH.

POLITELY

Will you do it for me?

(Lo haras por m?)

1st TYPE
CONDITIONAL
SENTENCES
ASK FOR STH.
POLITELY
("COULD")
OFFERS

If it rains, we'll stay at home.

(Si llueve, nos quedamos/quedaremos en casa.)

PAST HABITS OR
ROUTINES
(sola)

When we were children, we would go fishing every

Saturday morning.
(Cuando ramos nios, solamos ir a pesar todos los
sbados por la maana.)

OFFERS

Shall I open the window for you?

(Te abro la ventana?)

SUGGESTIONS

What shall we do tonight?

(Qu hacemos esta noche?)

DECISIONS

I shall speak to the headmaster (I/WE)

(Hablar con el director.)

Would you pass me the salt, please?

(Me podras pasar la sal, por favor?)
Would you like some tea?
(Quieres t? Te apetece tomar un t?)

USED TO

BE USED
TO +
-ing NOUN
GET USED
TO +
-ing
NOUN
HAD
BETTER

PAST HABITS OR
ROUTINES ("Would")

I used to take my nephews to the zoo when they

came to town.
(Sola llevar a mis sobrinos al zoo cuando venan a la
ciudad.)

PAST STATEMENTS
(impossible with
"would")

It used to rain more often in the past.

(En el pasado sola llover ms a menudo.)
We didn't use to out at night a few years ago.
(No solamos salir de noche hace unos aos.)

"estar acostumbrado
a"

I'm used to going to bed late.

(Estoy acostumbrado a acostarme tarde.)

"acostumbrarse a"

I can't get used to the rain.

(No me puedo acostumbrar a la lluvia.)

ADVICE OR
SUGGESTION

It's getting dark. We'd better go home now.

(Se est haciendo de noche. Ser mejor que nos
vayamos a casa ya.)
You'd better not tell him the news.
(Sera mejor que no le dieras la noticia.)

WOULD
RATHER

PREFERENCES

I'd rather stay at home.

(Prefiero quedarme en casa.)
I'd rather read than watch TV.
(Prefiero leer que ver la televisin.)
I'r rather she studied harder.
(Preferira que estudiara ms.)

MIXED EXERCISES
(from "English grammar... with exercises"
for Bachillerato - Printing Press Pearson-Longman)

1. Choose the most appropriate modal verb

a. Take your umbrella. It ... rain in a minute.
b. Excuse me, ... you tell me the way to Victoria Station, please?
c. The children ... be sleeping now. There are no lights in their bedroom.
d. We ... go to your party tomorrow.
e. You ... smoke in class.
f. ... you speak Italian?
g. This is my advice: you ... work so much.
h. You ... get up early tomorrow. it's Sunday.

2. Rewrite these sentences using modal verbs

a. It's not necessary for you to clean the house now.
You ...

b. Perhaps it will be sunny tomorrow.

It ...
c. When I was eight years old, I didn't know how to swim.
When I was eight years old ...
d. Paul is a very good singer.
Paul ...
e. In many British schools it is compulsory to wear a uniform.
You...
f. I would have been able to see him if I had arrived earlier.
I...
g. I'm sure they haven't arrived yet. The door is still locked.
They...

3. Choose the modal verb that best completes the sentence.

a. what

shall/will we do this evening?

b. when I was a child, I

c. I

was used to/used to play football in the street.

would rather/had better read comics than watch TV.

d. You

might/should do more physical exercise. It would do you good.

e. I'm afraid I

mustn't/can't help you now. I'm too busy.

f. If you don't study, you

g. We
h. A:

wouldn't/won't be able to pass your exams.

might/can go to the beach on Saturday. It all depends on the weather.

Can/May

you ski?

B: Yes, I learnt to ski a long time ago.

4. Match the sentences with the pictures.

1

1. Stop

a. you must go ahead only.

2. Give way

b. You mustn't overtake.

3. No entry

c. you must stop.

4. No right turn
5. No overtaking

d. You must be careful. The road is slippery.

e. You mustn't turn left.

6. No cycling

f. You mustn't stop.

7. Give priority to vehicles

g. You must give priority to vehicles

from the other direction

from opposite direction

8. Ahead Only

h. You mustn't ride a bicycle.

9. No stopping

i. You mustn't enter.

10. Slippery road

j. You must give way to traffic on major road.

5. Match the sentence halves.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Why don't you take your umbrella?

If she'd stayed a little bit longer.
don't worry about the language.
That looks heavy.
will Mary be there?
Isn't that James?

a) Shall I give you a hand?

b) I can speak French
c) She could have met them.
d) I'm not sure; she might.
e) It may rain.
f) No, it can't be. He's in Australia.

6. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verbs in

brackets.
- When I was a child, I used to .................................... (play) chess with my friends.
- We're used to ..................................... (get up) early.
- We ought to ............................... (have) told them before.
- My grandfather can't get used to ....................................... (live) in the town centre.
- You needn't ................................... (do) so much homework tonight.
- I used to ..................................... (work) as a postman before I got married.

7. Correct the errors in these sentences.

- We must to go to bed early tonight.
.............................................

- I used to going camping when I was younger.

.............................................
- We'd rather to go to the cinema than stay at home.
.............................................
- Sheila can not sing very well.
.............................................
- If you don't speak slowly, we won't be able understand you.
.............................................
- Where will we go tonight? why don't we go to the disco?
.............................................

8. Translate these sentences into English.

- No debis entrar en esa habitacin.
.....................................................................................................................................................
........
- Podra decirme la hora, por favor?
.....................................................................................................................................................
........
- Deberas estudiar ms para el examen.
.....................................................................................................................................................
........
- Sera mejor que nos quedramos con ella.
.....................................................................................................................................................
........
- No es necesario que vengis esta tarde.
.....................................................................................................................................................
........
- Mira esas nubles. Puede que llueva ms tarde.
.....................................................................................................................................................
........

9. In your notebook, write ten actions you used to do when you

were a child.