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Modal verbs are verbs with unique characteristics. They work with the main
verb to add extra meaning to a sentence, for example, obligation or
permission.
Modal verbs share the following characteristics:
We put an infinitive without to after most modal verbs (but not ought to)
Present : can
We use the modal verb can / cant to talk about present ability.
e.g. : I cant swim very far now.
Past : could / be able to
e.g. : He cant have passed his driving test. Hes very sad.
POSSIBILITY
Present : We use may (not) / might (not) / could (not) to talk about:
present or future possibility
e.g. : Ive lost my cheque book. Someone may / might / could have
stolen it.
Its not very late. They may / might / could not have gone to
bed yet.
ADVICE
Present :
we use should (not) / ought (not) to to give advice and make
recommendations.
e.g. : You should / ought to go to bed.
You should /ought to tell the police.
We use had better (not) + infinitive without to to give very strong advice
or make threats.
e.g. : You had better go or youll be late.
You had better not be late or youll be grounded next
weekend.
necessay .
e.g. : He didnt need to do it. (= It wasnt necessary for him to do it.
Perhaps he did it, perhaps he didnt)
We usually use neednt have + past participle to say that an action was not
PERMISSION
We use can(t) to talk about permission in the present.
e.g. Can I open the window?
We use be allowed to (which is not a modal verb) to talk about permission
in other tenses.
e.g. : He wont be allowed to watch this TV programme.
They havent been allowed to attend the lecture.
We can also use could to talk about general permission in the past but not