MODAL VERBS

Meaning
Can = Poder, saber
Could = Podra, poda/saba,
pudiera/supiera
May = Poder, puede que
Might = Podra, podra ser que
Should and ought to = debera
Must = deber, deber de

Meaning
be able to = Ser capaz de
Had better = Ser mejor, debera
Have to = Tener que

Making sentences with

them
They are followed by bare infinitive:
I must study he should play It may
rain
They dont need auxiliary verbs in
negative or interrogative sentence:
It couldnt be worse
May I ask you a question?

Can
We use it to express ability
I can read very quickly
We also use it to express permission and
possibility. We usually prefer
could/may/might.

Can I go to the bathroom?

Drinking that water can be dangerous

Could
Past of can: We use it to express
ability in the past:
I could swim when I was 2
Conditional of can: We use it to
express permission and possiblity:
Could I have a glass of wine?
Drinking that water could be
dangerous

May and might

We use them to express permission
and possibility:
May I ask you a question? Formal
Might I ask you a question? (too
formal)
It may rain later (possible)
It might rain later (unlikely)

Be able to
Can = Present
Could = past
Was able to = past
Will be able to = future
We use could for general, inherent
capacity and was able to for punctual
capacity.
I could run before I could walk
I was able to stop the car before crashing

Should/ ought to/ had

better
We use should and ought to to express
advice and recommendation:
You ought to/should go to the doctor
We also use should to express deduction:
She left at 4pm, so she should already be here
We use had better to give stronger advice:
You had better go to the doctor

Must and have to

We use must to express personal obligation and
deduction:
I have an exam, so I must study
Youve worked a lot, you must be tired
We use have to to express external obligation:
You have to drive on the left in England.
We use had to as the past of must and have to
I had to study a lot to pass my exam.

NEGATIVE FORMS
CANT
We use cant to express
impossibility as well as
physical and moral inability:
-She cant be there
-Thats very difficult, I cant do it
-Its against my principles, I cant do it

Expressions with Cant

Can, usually in its negative form, is also part of
a few collocations:
I cant help it = No lo puedo evitar
I cant tell the difference = No s/veo la diferencia
I cant afford to buy a new car = No me puedo
permitir comprar un coche nuevo
I cant think of any examples = No se me ocurre
ningn ejemplo

NEGATIVE FORMS
MUSTNT
We use mustnt to express
strong prohibition, usually
banned by law:
-You mustnt cross if the light is red
-You mustnt talk to strangers

NEGATIVE FORMS
DONT HAVE TO
We use dont have to to
express lack of obligation:
-Its not compulsory, you dont have to
do it
-Its Saturday, he doesnt have to go to
school

Perfect modal verbs

We use them to talk about the past.
Their structure is as follows:
modal verb + present perfect
He could have become a great
teacher
They should have been nicer to her

Perfect modal verbs

He can have done it He could have done
it
He may have done it He might have
done it
He should have done it
He ought to have done it
He must have done it

Compared to simple modal

verbs
Can have doesnt exist. Only could,
may and might to express
uncertainty
must have only expresses positive
deduction, not obligation in the past
cant have as the opposite of
must have