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Modal Verbs

We have lots of modal verbs, such as: Can Shall Could Should May Ought to Might Must Will Need Would Dare

USE of Modal Verbs


We use modal verbs to talk about possibility, willingness, ability, obligation, certainty and permission. Examples: It might rain. (possibility) Will you help me?(willingness) Can she swim? (ability) You must be home by 11 oclock. (obligation) You havent eaten all day. You must be hungry. (centainty) May I borrow your car? (permission)

FORM of Modal Verbs

We form the affirmative by putting the modal verb between the subject and the full verb. We should go Subject (or pronoun) + Modal verb + Verb Modal verbs take the same form in all pronouns. The verb doesnt change after modal verb. We should goes We should going We should went We should to go

FORM of Modal Verbs

NEGATIVE FORM: We form the negative by putting not after the modal verb. She cant swim It might not rain INTERROGATIVE FORM: We form questions by inverting the subject and the modal verb. She can swim. Can she swim? We should go. Should we go?

Ability
CAN COULD BE ABLE TO Expresses general Expresses general Expresses ability in the ability in the past. general ability in present. the past and in the present. It means Puedo It means Pude It means Tengo o tuve la habilidad de I could play the I was / am able to play the guitar guitar

I can play the guitar

Permission
CAN Is the most common. COULD MAY MIGHT Less direct and formal Is less direct More formal and polite than than can or can could

It gives permission

General It gives permission to permission do something in the past

Obligation and Necessity


MUST We use must when the authority comes from the speaker. HAVE TO We use have to when the autthority comes from outside the speaker.

It is used in the present and Used in the past (Had to) in the future You must be home by 10 oclock QUESTIONS: Use of do/does in present simple and did in the past. I have to be home by 10

Obligation and Necessity


MUSTNT NEEDNT Obligation not Is not It is not It is not to do necessary to necessary to necessary to something do something do something do something DONT HAVE DONT NEED TO TO

You musnt smoke in a hospital

I dont have I dont need I neednt get to get up to get up. Im up today. today. on holiday.

Obligation and Advice


SHOULD
Obligation

OUGHT TO HAD BETTER


Obligation

SHALL

and Expresses a We use it when duty duty (laws or strong we want to rules) recommendation know Ask for and give in a particular someones Ask for and advice situation. opinion, or Say what is right give advice Present or future, when we want Say what is or wrong advice or right or wrong not past. instructions. Shall I?

and

Possibility
MAY
Used

MIGHT
Used

COULD in present or future +Could It doesnt express posibility in negative Where is Simon? He could be in the living room

in present Used in present or future or future +++May ++Might

There is someone at the door, it may be Sarah

We might go to the beach

Probability
SHOULD It is used to say that something is probable at the moment of speaking, or in the future. OUGHT TO It is used to say that something is probable at the moment of speaking, or in the future.

Sally should be at work by He ought to pass his now. driving test easily.

Request
CAN
It

COULD
It

MAY
We

WILL

WOULD

is used to ask for something

is used to It is used to ask for ask for something something Less Direct The most and more polite formal

use it to We use it to ask someone to ask someone to do something do something for us. for us, but is more polite.

It

is used to It is used to It is used to ask for ask for ask for permission and permission and permission to ask someone to ask someone to do to do something for something for us. us, but is more polite.

Would

like: Polite way of saying what we want. I would like a glass of water, please

Offers
Will Shall Can
It is used to offer to do something for someone.
It

Could

Would

It is used to Shall I? is used say that we are to offer to do willing to do something for something or tosomeone. offer to do something.

is used to It is used with offer to do like, prefer and something for rather, to make someone. polite offers Is more polite and invitations. and less direct.

I will help you Shall I help with your you? suitcase.

I can send this I could lend letter for you. you money if you want.

Would you like to go to a party on Saturday?

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