CAN -Permission To ask and give permission

-Requests When you ask someone to do

something for you
CANT -Prohibition A form of prohibition, similar
-Disbelief to mustnt
When you think something is
not possible
COULD -Ability and The uses of could are the
possibility in the same as can when speaking
past about the past.
Less degree of However, you can use could
possibility in the instead of can to speak about
present (3) the present when you feel
+ Polite Requests that there is less possibility,
or when you want to be more
polite
COULDNT Prohibition (in the past)
Disbelief (in the past)
MUST -Obligation In fact must and have to are
and -Deduction interchangeable. Yet, must is
HAVE TO a bit stronger than have to.
But, it mainly depends on the
opinion of the speaker. Both
verbs are used to imply that it
is necessary to do
something.
Must and have to are also
used when we make
deductions.
DONT HAVE TO Negative forms of These semi-modals are used
DONT NEED must and have to to state that it is not
NEEDNT necessary to do something.
Be careful! MUSTNT is not
the negative form of MUST
MUSTNT -External You think that it is necessary
Prohibition NOT TO DO SOMETHING
(law or rule) You cant do something
-Internal because it is against the law
Prohibition or the rules of a society, a
(speakers place, etc.
opinion)
SHOULD -Advice Should is stronger than
OUGHT TO -Opinion Ought to
Ought to is more polite than
Should
MAY -Possibility in a It may rain tomorrow / Paul
lesser degree (2) may come to my party
-Asking for May I enter? May I have
permission(very another cup of tea?
polite) Tess is late. She may be lost
-Deduction(less in the city
sure)
MIGHT -Possibility in a It might rain tomorrow,
lesser degree (1) although according to the
-Deduction (less forecast, there is only a 25%
sure) of possibility.
Although its quite late, they
might be sleeping
WOULD -Offers/invitations Would you like another piece
-Very polite of cake?
requests Would you mind closing the
door?
SHALL -Suggestions Shall we go out tonight?
-Future We shall overcome this crisis
predictions