MODAL VERBS = (ou anmalos) so uma classe de verbos que possuem caractersticas distintas

dos comuns.
May & Can - Pode
Might -------- Pode
Must - Deve
Could - Poderia; pude; puderia; pudesse; pde...
Should - Deveria
Shall = Will
Can May Might
H x
P x
x
S x
x
x
Ought to, used to, to be used to.
Existem ainda aqueles que podem ser modais ou comuns, como o caso do need e do dare,
mas isso eu no vou discutir hoje.
Caractersticas:
1 No usa auxiliar.
Can you swim? (perceba que a estrutura a mesmo da pergunta com o auxiliar do)
- Logo no possui futuro: Will can
- Alternativa: poder = ser capaz de: I wont be able to finish the vdeo with a dry shirt.
Deverei = terei que / precisar : I will need to. / She will have to
2- Ele mesmo se negativa:
Cant / Cannot
May not
Mightnt/ Might not
Couldnt / Could not
Mustnt / Must not
Shouldnt / Should not
Shant / Shall not
3 No tm formas terminadas em -s, -ing ou -ed.
She knows how to swim. (reparem o s do verbo know)
She can swim. (na regra comum o verbo conjugado na 3 pessoa deveria ser seguido de -s)
4 no podem ser utilizados um logo aps o outro:
I like playing guitar (peceba que o verbo like e play vm seguidos)
You could should talk to me first. (esta forma est incorreta)
5 so seguidos de verbos no infinitivo, sem to, nas sentenas afirmativas:
I can drive.
You should pray more.
5 permitem-nos exprimir capacidade, possibilidade, permisso, obrigao, proibio, forte
probabilidade, etc.:
He can play tennis. Ele sabe jogar tnis. (capacidade)
She might come. Ela pode vir. (possibilidade)
You may go. Podes ir. (permisso)

You must study. Tens de estudar. (obrigao)

You mustnt smoke here. No podes fumar aqui. (proibio)
He must be tired. Ele deve estar cansado. (forte probabilidade)
6 so por vezes chamados verbos defectivos devido a ausncia de formas que os outros
verbos possuem, como por exemplo, a forma no infinitivo. Nestes casos, recorrem-se a outros
verbos, como por ex. be able to em vez de can:
Ill be able to give you an answer soon. [ Serei capaz de lhe dar uma resposta em breve. ]
I wont be able to do it for tomorrow. [ No serei capaz de o fazer para amanh. ]
He was able to open the door. [ Ele conseguiu abrir a porta. ]
7 Apenas quatro verbos modais tm a forma no passado, mas no so verdadeiramente
verbos do passado:
Can could
May might
I hope that helps.
See you!
Alessandro, I liked your post on modal verbs: may might, should, ought, etc. One of my friends
was curious about the usage of may and might so,I asked some native speakers in chat about
how they use may and might. I think the answer might help your English Experts readers, too, so
I am posting it here.
Summary:
May and might are interchangeable in informal conversation. I may go to the movies = I might
go to the movies.
May is used to ask and grant permission.
Might is more hypothetical, more formal, and more polite than may. (Sometimes it is almost a
command when you use might it is merely a suggestion when you use may).
Might has less probability of occurrence in comparison with may
When saying I may go to the movies the chance is perhaps, say 45% 60%, but I might go to
the movies the chance of going is perhaps, say 25% 45% Note that I am not precise in this
explanation. Different people might attribute higher or lower percentages, but there was
consensus that may implies a higher probability than might.
A transcript of the chat follows:
Mary: may i ask a question?
Mary: what is the difference between might and may?
Friend #1: may gives permission
Friend #2: I may go to the movies/I might go to the movies.
Friend #1: Yes you may
Friend #1: might means possibly
Friend #6: might is more hypothetical and polite than may, I think

Mary: I may go to the movies and I might go to the movies

Friend #5: Might has less probability of occurrence in comparison with May
Friend #2: May I go the movies?
Friend #2: Might I go the movies?
Mary: i think that might is more formal sometimes too as in this sentence: Might I have this
dance?
Friend #2: I may go there, I might go there..
Friend #2: May I ? (kiss you? It means he wants to kiss you now)
Friend #2: Might I? (ask you out? means he wants to ask you out sometime (not now), and he is
not sure that the possibility can come true).
Mary: you might want to pay heed to company policies because they are there for a reason is
an example of another formal usage of might.
Friend #2: May I go with you?
Mary: it sounds more strict to say, you might want to pay attention than you may want to pay
attention, right?
Friend #2: may and might are interchangeable
Friend #3: may i ask you a stupid question?
FRIEND #4H: May is polite
Friend #2: You might want to pay attention to the company policies because they are there for a
reason.
Friend #5: When saying I may go to the movies chance is perhaps, say 45%, but I might go to
the movies the chance of going is perhaps, say 25% Note that I am not precise in this
explanation.. Please ask an English language expert
Mary: I appreciate it
FRIEND #4: possibility
Mary: good example you might want to pay attention
FRIEND #4: May is a polite away of asking for something
Mary: formal and informal
Mary: it is almost a command when you use might in the sentence You might want to pay
attention especially when a boss or teacher says it.
Mary: it is merely a suggestion when you use may
Friend #2: I might go to the movies.. I may go to the movies.
Mary: wow friend #5 you are putting into words what my feeling tells me, but I couldnt
express it as well as you thank you
Friend #2: May I go to the movies?
Friend #2: Might I go to the movies?
Friend #7: You cannot say May someone tell me what does this mean? You would have to say
Can someone tell me or could someone tell me

As you can see English Experts readers, chats can be very informative. Please join us at the blog
chat which meets almost every evening.