Workbook: Modal Verbs: Shall & Will. Must & Have to.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Ought to. May & Might. Can.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Direct and Reported Speech

M.E. Machado Ruiz

1. Respond to the statements by giving advice or making a recommendation.

The rain is coming through the roof.
2. Complete the sentences to imply obligation, necessity or their absence.
The verdict of a jury ... be unanimous.
We ... make the job sound too difficult, or he won't take it on.
It's a public holiday tomorrow, so you ... to go to work.
You ... be alarmed; it's unnecessary.
3. Insert a modal verb in the verbs in brackets.
1. I promise I (take) you to the cinema.
2. I (carry) that case for you?
3. I really (help) my mother with the dishes.
4. I (come) in, sir? Sorry for being late at school.
5. He (drive) a car. Of course!
6. When I was six I (play) the piano.
7. You (not smoke) in here.
8. You (not come) on Saturday to school.
9. I (go) and see her at hospital.
10. When she won the race she (run) at 35 km/h.
11. I (come in), sir? Sorry for being late at work.
12. The company owes me two days off. I (have) next Monday off if I asked for it, but it is very difficult.
13. You (not drink) more if you (drive) two hours back home.
14. Look at that thin girl with that huge stomach. She (be) pregnant.
SHOULD: Aparte de ser el auxiliar del condicional, puede expresar deber leve, consejo o recomendacin, al igual que ought
You should see a doctor if you aren't feeling well.
1. Se suele usar en oraciones completivas con that detrs de verbos como suggest, decide, etc.:
He suggested that I should see a lawyer.
2. Tambin se emplea con sentido final detrs de las conjunciones so that, in order that, in case, etc.:
He banged the door so that someone should hear him.
3. En estilo directo sustituye a shall:
He asked: 'Shall I help you?' He asked whether he should help me.
4. Se puede usar tambin detrs de ciertos adjetivos que expresan placer, sorpresa, disgusto, etc.:
It is amazing that she should have laughed at you!
It is fair that your parents should hear from you.

to:

WOULD: Aparte de ser tambin auxiliar del condicional, es el equivalente de will con referencia al pasado cuando will se
usa como futuro ordinario: He knows he will be late. He knew he would be late.
1. Se usa en lugar del verbo want cuando queremos pedir algo de forma educada:
I want to see Mr. Smith. He knew he would be late.
2. Tambin lo usamos para expresar un ruego:
Would you open the window, please?
3. Indica tambin hbito o repeticin:
She would sit there for hours waiting for her son.
4. Would seguido de rather o sooner ms infinitivo sin to expresa preferencia: He would rather walk than sit.
Fill the blanks with SHOULD or WOULD:
1. It's 10.00 and they aren't here yet; they ___ have left
home earlier to be in time.
2. I suggest that you ___ ring him up if you want him to
help you.
3. ___ you wait for me, please. I'll be ready in five minute

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Shall & Will. Must & Have to.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Ought to. May & Might. Can.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Direct and Reported Speech

M.E. Machado Ruiz

4. They went to the cinema so that they ___ not miss that
extraordinary film.
5. Mary said that she ___ be back in February and ___
stay here for five months.
6. She wrote last week so that someone ___ hear from her.
7. John, ___ you bring me a glass of water, please. I'm
very thirsty.
8. I went to bed early so that my mother ___ not find me
awake.
9. When we went to France we ___ visit the Louvre day
after day.
10. We told them to stop shouting but they ___ not take
any notice and ___ go on shouting for hours

.
NEED: Como verbo especial tiene las formas del presente exclusivamente; no hay que confundirlas con las del
verbo to need (necesitar) que se conjuga normalmente. As pues la conjugacin del presente ser need para todas las
personas. En las formas interrogativa y negativa de estos dos verbos hay que tener en cuenta que o bien siguen la regla
general de todos los auxiliares o defectivos, o se conjugan con do, does y did si se trata del verbo necesitar:
I need not (needn't)
He need not (needn't)
Need I?
I don't need
He doesn't need
Do I need?
Si usamos need not seguir un infinitivo sin to. Si por el contrario usamos don't, doesn't seguir un infinitivo con
to. Needn't expresa principalmente ausencia de obligacin:
You needn't bring your coat = It isn't necessary for you to bring your coat.
Need? con cualquier persona supone que el hablante espera una respuesta negativa: Need you go so early?
Needn't seguido de un infinitivo perfecto expresa una accin innecesaria que sin embargo fue realizada:
I needn't have written to him because he rang me up soon afterwards.
DARE: Su significado es osar, atreverse. Sus formas son dare para presente y dared para pasado. En forma
afirmativa se conjuga como un verbo normal, es decir, I dare, you dare, he dares, etc. Pero en la negativa e interrogativa
se puede conjugar como un verbo ordinario o como un defectivo o auxiliar, igual que need:
I do not dare
He does not dare
I did not dare
He did not dare

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Shall & Will. Must & Have to.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Ought to. May & Might. Can.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Direct and Reported Speech

M.E. Machado Ruiz

I dare not (daren't)

He dare not
I dared not
He dared not
Las formas interrogativas y negativas con do van seguidas del infinitivo con to. Las formas sin do van seguidas
de infinitivo sin to.
He doesn't dare to say anything. He dare not say a thing.
Adems de atreverse el verbo dare tambin puede significar suponer en la expresin daresay:
I daresay there will be taxis at the station.
Tambin puede significar no importa, en otro tipo de contexto:
I daresay, it is the same thing whether the gentleman gets the express tonight or early next morning.

Shall y will se emplean para formar el futuro de los dems verbos verbos. Son, pues, auxiliares de tiempo. El
futuro en ingls, cuando lo nico que queremos expresar es que algo va a tener lugar, se construye con shall para la 1
persona del singular y plural, y will para las dems, seguidos del infinitivo sin to del verbo que conjugamos: I shall work.
They will come.
La contraccin de la forma afirmativa es 'll para todas las personas, y la contraccin de la negativa es shan't o
won't. Pero no siempre se utilizan estos dos verbos con el fin de expresar simplemente el futuro. Hay una serie de casos
en que el futuro se tie de un matiz que puede ser de mandato, splica, sugerencia, etc.:
SHALL: 1. Cuando se emplea con las primeras y terceras personas puede expresar ofrecimiento en el presente o
futuro:
Shall I help you? Shall my husband take you home?
2. Con la segunda y tercera persona expresa promesa o amenaza:
You shall have a present if you work hard. My husband shall help you as soon as he comes.
3. Con todas las personas se emplea shall en las subordinadas finales introducidas por so that, para expresar
determinacin en el presente y en el futuro: My husband drives very slowly so that I shall not be afraid.
WILL: 1. Con todas las personas, si el nfasis recae sobre l, indica determinacin o propsito:
I will not go out (I am determined to stay at home)
2. Si no se le da nfasis, expresa deseo de hacer algo, sobre todo de hacerlo en el presente, con todas las
personas:
If he is hungry I will give him something to eat.
3. Con la segunda persona suele indicar invitacin o splica si se emplea en forma interrogativa:
Will you close the window, please. Will you do me a favour, please.
4. Con todas las personas puede expresar hbito en el presente:
She will sit there for hours waiting for her
son.
5. Con la segunda y tercera persona expresa tambin deduccin:
He will be there by now.

Fill the blanks with WILL or SHALL according to the rules above:
1. ___ my mother take your children home?
2. ___ lend me a pen, please. I have lost mine.
3. They ___work for hours without getting tired.
4. I ___ go with you even if Anne doesn't want me to.
5. Nobody ___ know what you have done. I promise it.
6. If you are tired I ___ do the homework for you.

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Shall & Will. Must & Have to.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Ought to. May & Might. Can.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Direct and Reported Speech

M.E. Machado Ruiz

7. Peter ___ have a record because he has worked hard.

8. ___ you have another cup of tea?
9. I ___ be obeyed.
10. It is Tuesday; Peter ___ be back.
11. In spite of my orders your children ___ play football in
the garden.
12. I ___ not meet him. He ___ have left by the time I go
to London.

MUST: Esta es una forma nica de un verbo defectivo que no tiene ms que presente de indicativo. Su tercera
persona no tiene -s y rige siempre infinitivo sin to. La forma contracta de la negativa es mustn't. Las formas que le faltan a
este verbo, que son prcticamente todas, se pueden suplir con las expresiones to have to o to be to (tener que). Must
puede expresar: 1. Obligacin: Candidates must answer all the questions.
2. Necesidad (segn la idea del hablante): We must leave early tomorrow morning.
3. Consejo o recomendacin (en tono ms fuerte que should): You must see the film.
4. Suposicin: She must be at least forty.
Podemos usar must en lenguaje indirecto: I said he must tell you how to do it. Sin embargo, no lo podemos usar
para expresar una obligacin futura ni pasada; en su lugar usamos have to o be to, que tambin dan idea de obligacin,
pero no de parte del hablante, sino obligacin de tipo externo: You will have to have your hair cut before you join the army.
Must puede anteceder a un infinitivo perfecto. Indica entonces suposicin pasada por parte del hablante:
It must have been a shock to him.
TO HAVE TO: Lo empleamos normalmente para completar la conjugacin de must. Para formar la interrogativa y
la negativa empleamos do, does y did:
Do you have to go now? Did you have to buy a stamp?
Con el mismo significado de to have to podemos usar la forma to have got to:
I have got to go = I must go
Have you got to go? = Must you go?
En el presente de indicativo, que tambin se puede utilizar have to, hay frecuentemente una diferencia de
significado entre esta forma y must. Must expresa obligacin desde el punto de vista del que habla, y have to, como en
los otros tiempos, desde el exterior. Para expresar ausencia de obligacin o de necesidad, i.e. lo opuesto a must, se
emplea, a veces, la forma need not. Otras alternativas son: haven't got to, don't have to, don't need to.
Complete the following sentences with MUST, MUSTN'T, HAVE TO, DON'T HAVE TO o NEEDN'T:
1. If you want to pas that exam next week ...
2. Fred was 20 when I met him; he ...
3. You ___ to be ready by 4.00.
4. I am sorry I have given you so much meat. You ...
5. Don't worry, because I have an inkpot here. Tell your
brother that he ...
6. They have just upholstered the armchair. The children...
7. If you don't want to catch a cold ...
8. I am not going to help you with your homework. You ...
9. My eyes ache so much that I ...
10. It is pouring with rain and you can't go out. You ...
OUGHT TO es un verbo defectivo que rige infinitivo con to. Tiene una forma nica, ought, para todas las
personas. Se puede utilizar como presente, pasado y futuro, y expresa:
1. Obligacin, pero no por parte del hablante (como must), ni de tipo externo (have to), sino un simple recuerdo o
llamada a la atencin por parte del hablante; en este sentido es mucho menos enftico que must y muy similar a la idea
expresada normalmente por should:
You should not tell lies = You ought not to tell lies.

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Shall & Will. Must & Have to.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Ought to. May & Might. Can.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Direct and Reported Speech

M.E. Machado Ruiz

2. Tambin se puede emplear expresando consejo, igualmente en este caso con menos nfasis que must:
You ought to read this book.
3. Ought to puede ir seguido de infinitivo perfecto, igual que should, para lamentar algo que no se realiz:
I can't do anything for you now. You ought to have told me yesterday afternoon.
Complete the following sentences with OUGHT TO followed by an infinitive or a perfect infinitive:
1. I knew your father would get furious; you ...
2. Peter is always playing cards. He ...
3. My father works too much for his age. He ...
4. It's too late to write that letter now. It ...
5. Why is that baby plaing in the middle of the street? I
think his mother ...
6. John ... if he wanted to buy a new scotter.
7. He will get into trouble. He ...

MAY es otro verbo defectivo. Sus formas son: Presente: May. Futuro: May. Presente/pasado y condicinal: Might.
Las contracciones de las formas negativas son: Mayn't, mightn't.
May expresa permiso, lo mismo en forma interrogativa que afirmativa:
You may open the window if you are feeling hot.
May y Might pueden expresar tambin:
1. Posibilidad: He may/might come tomorrow. En el estilo indirecto utilizamos might si el verbo principal est en
pasado: He said that he might come the following day.
2. Suposicin en el pasado: may y might seguidos de infinitivo perfecto: The other road might have been better.
3. Podemos usar ambos tiempos en oraciones condicionales: If you called him he might answer back.
4. Usamos may y might seguidos de as well para expresar una intencionalidad vaga:
He might as well apply for the job. (He doesn't care about it)
CAN: Las formas de este verbo defectivo son:
1. Can para todas las personas de presente, incluida la 3 del singular. Su forma negativa contracta es can't y sin
contraccin cannot.
2. La forma de 'pasado' es could. La negativa contracta es couldn't.
Can puede expresar:
1. Permiso (para pedirlo o concederlo): Can I speak to you for a moment? You can speak to the patient if you
wish.
Con ms nfasis en la idea de permiso usaramos could, may o might: Could I speak to you for a moment, please?
2. Posibilidad: You can come if you want to. Para expresar posibilidad en el futuro no podemos utilizar can;
tenemos que utilizar to be able to o el giro manage to (que implica tambin habilidad).
3. Habilidad o capacidad: Can you type? = Sabes escribir?
Manage to y to be able to no expresan capacidad del sujeto, sino ms bien que la accin ha sido llevada a trmino o
realizada totalmente:
Although he was hurt, he managed/he was able to explain the accident.
4. Suposicin (negativa): He can't be forty. It couldn't be her husband; he died two years ago.
To be able to es el verbo que se emplea para suplir los tiempos que le faltan a can. Son todos los compuestos (porque no
tiene participio), el futuro y condicional (porque no tiene infinitivo).
Complete the following sentences with CAN, COULD or one of the forms of TO BE ABLE TO:

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Shall & Will. Must & Have to.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Workbook: Modal Verbs: Ought to. May & Might. Can.

M.E. Machado Ruiz

Direct and Reported Speech

M.E. Machado Ruiz

1. He ... drive my car whenever he wanted to.

2. Mary ... speak English because she never studied it at
school.
3. You ... see that film by the end of next week.
4. Why they ... buy the fur coat? Because they hadn't any
money left.
5. Rose ... speak French fluently.
6. She ... read half of it by lunch time.
7. I knew I ... translate such a difficult paragraph.
8. They ... to visit New York if Charles hadn't lent them
the money.
9. Your sister ... sing very well in a few years.
10. They ... improve their spelling two years before they
left school.
11. Do you think they ... to solve that crossword without
your help?
12. I admire you; I ... do anything like that.
13. Tell them they ... come whenever they want to see us.