ALI EL BETTANI

AL QUDS Modal auxiliaries

Modal Synonymous PRESENT FORM PAST FORM

Verbs Expressions

Am / is / are Asmae can swim as perfectly Khalil could lift heavy staff
able as a fish. when he was a boy.
Asmae is able to swim.
ABILITY / INABILITY

Be + unable Khalil was able to lift heavy

Can / She knows how to swim.
Was / Were staff when he was a boy.
Could Nabil can’t /doesn’t know
able Khalil managed to lift heavy
how to speak foreign
staff when he was a boy.
Managed to + languages.
infinitive He was unable to speak English
Nabil is unable to speak when he was fourteen.
Were /was + foreign languages.
not able or
Can’t/ They are not able to solve They couldn’t / didn’t manage
unable
couldn’t to solve that math exercise. It
the math exercise.
Didn’t manage was too difficult.
to

You can use my mobile if You could use my mobile if

Can you want. you want.
PERMISSION

Be allowed
Could You’re allowed to use my
mobile. You were allowed to use my
May mobile phone.
Be permitted You may smoke here. It’s
Might smoking area.
You’re permitted to smoke
here.

Perhaps – Our team can/may/might Our team might have won the
maybe – win the match next Sunday. game if the referee had blown
Could I think – the whistle for the penalty.
I believe There’s a chance that our
Can team will win the match It’s possible that our team won
POSSIBILITY

I suppose
May I guess – the match.
You could find an answer.
Might It’s possible You just concentrate more. You could have found the
It’s likely Perhaps you will find an right answer. Just concentrate
There’ s a
Possibility

answer. Just concentrate It is likely that you found the

chance
Possibly right answer.
You ‘re likely to have found
the right answer
 Rachida looked young. She
Rachida looks young. She can’t have been forty.
can’t be forty.
It’s impossible that they had
IMPOSSIBLITY

It’s It’s impossible that Rachida been / have been / were at

Can’t impossible is forty. home
I rang the bell several times
May not I’m certain and no one answered me.
+ not They couldn’t have been at
home.
I’m certain they weren’t at
home.

It’s obligatoryDrivers must stop when the They had to stop when the
It’s mandatory light is red. light was red.
Must It’s I have to put on my coat
They were obliged to stop
compulsory because it is cold. when the light was red.
Have to
It’s necessary It’s necessary for you to put
I had to put on my coat
OBLIGATION

Should It’s important on your coat. because it was cold.

You’re required to put on
It’s essential your coat. It was obligatory for you to
You’re obliged put on a coat.
you need
you’re
required
You’re
supposed.

You look pale. You must You looked pale. You must
LOGICAL DEDUCTION / CERTAINTY

I’m sure – be sick. have been sick.

Absolutely
sure I’m sure you are sick. I’m almost certain that he has
been sick.
Must I’m certain He is yawning and rubbing his
I’m almost certain that he was
eyes. He must be sleepy.
I’m sick.
cocksure He is certainly sleepy.
He was yawning and rubbing
Surely Surely he is sleepy. his eyes. He must have
Undoubtedly been sleepy.
He’s definitely sleepy.
Definitely He was certainly sick.
There’s no He’s undoubtedly sleepy
doubt There’s no doubt that he was
sick.
 It’s advisable You should have a medical I should have had a medical
ADVICE / REGRET / REPROACH

check-up every year. check-up last year.

Should It’s a good It’s advisable that you had a
idea Drivers ought to medical check-up last year
ought to maintain their vehicles.
It’s the right He ought to have
Maroua shouldn’t drink maintained his car before the
Had thing alcohol in she’s pregnant.
accident.
better It’s not good for Maroua to It would have been a good idea
It’s a bad idea drink alcohol. if drivers had maintained their
Shouldn’t vehicles
Maroua shouldn’t have drunk
alcohol if she had
been pregnant.

It’s optional You don’t have to buy a You didn’t need to buy a
Don’t ticket. I’ve already done it. ticket. We didn’t go to the
LACK OF OBLIGATION / UNNECESSITY

have to There’s a You needn’t do the chores. cinema.

choice Fatima has just done it.
Needn’t You needn’t have bought a
You’ve the It’s unnecessary to buy a ticket. I bought one for you.
Don’t choice ticket.
need It was unnecessary for you to
You’re not You’re not required to do
the chores. buy a ticket. We didn’t go to
Didn’t obliged the cinema.
need
You’re not It was not necessary for you to
Needn’t required buy a ticket.
have + I bought one for you.
It’s
past
participle
unnecessary
It’s not
obligatory

It’s You can’t smoke in the You couldn’t smoke in the

prohibited classroom. classroom.
Mustn’t It’s forbidden to smoke in
PROHIBITION

It’s forbidden the classroom. You weren’t allowed to smoke

May not Be + not + It’ prohibited to smoke in in the classroom.
allowed the classroom.
Can’t You mustn’t get into the
Be + not + You weren’t permitted to get
mosque with your shoes.
permitted into the mosque with your
You’re not allowed to get
shoes.
into the mosque with your
shoes.