possibility

/ impossibility

I can / can't open the door. It's locked.

request permission / permission / refusal

of permission
We should earn more money next year.

prediction

Can

Should
You should / should't work harder.

ability / inability

I will / won't be able to open the door.

C an I go out with my friends? Yes, you can.

/ No, you can't.

They can / can't speak C hinese

I was (not) allowed to go out.

They will / won't be able to speak C hinese

after 1 lesson.

advice (weak obligation)

disbelief (negative)

After such a quiet day as today, you can't

be tired.

Ought to
Help
May I go out with my friends? Yes, you
may go out.

C an you help me?

permission / request permission (very

polite)

May I take your coat?

offers (polite)

possibility (in the past)

May

request permission (polite)

She may come tonight.

She might come tonight.

C ould I go out with my friends?

They could / couldn't speak C hinese when
they were children.

ability (in the past)

MODALS

hypothetical possibility (in the past)

Might

disbelief (negative)

They were (not) able to speak C hinese

when they were children.

After such a quiet day as yesterday, you

couldn't be tired.

doubt (it's possible but unprobable)

Help (polite)

It's raining now! I needn't have watered

the garden.

I was (not) able to open the door.

doubt ( = it's possible)

Could
I might have opened the door, but it was
locked.

I could / couldn't open the door. It was

locked.

C ould you help me?

unnecessary and performed action = waste

of time

Need
You didn't need to tell her since she already
knew the result.

obligation (self, internal)

I must tell you the truth.

unnecessary but not performed action

Must
I am to go on holiday tomorrow.

prohibiton (negative)

belief

You mustn't touch the paintings in a

museum

After such a day, you must be tired.

future events

Be to

I was to go on holiday tomorrow.

obligation (external)
Visitors are to leave the museum at 6pm.

obligation (formal)

You have to pay your taxes.

Have to
no obligation (negative)

Have something done

You don't have to use all the boxes.

passive meaning

I will / am going to / had / have my car

repaired.