MODAL VERBS

Verbs:
Can /could- may /might- shall/ should will/ would- must- ought to- neednt
used to.
(Have to/ dont have to- be able to are not modal verbs, but they are studied
together with the modals since they are used in the tenses in which modals cannot
be used)
Characteristics:

They are auxiliary verbs, so they share the characteristics of these group
of verbs: No use of do/ does/ did to form the negative or the
interrogative form. Example: She mustnt smoke as she is very ill.
Could I go out for a moment?
No s on the third sing. Person of the Present simple tense.
Example: Peter may arrive late tonight because he is working long hours
this week.
Most of them only have the Present and/ or Past tenses. They havent
got infinitive, or gerund or participle, so they cannot form perfect tenses or
future tenses.
Example : I must get up early for work today Yesterday I had to get up
early.// Now I cant pay you, but I will be able to do it tomorrow. // I have
never been able to eat snails.
They are followed by the BASE FORM (= infinitive without to), except for
ought to, need to and used to.
Examples: You should go to the doctor BUT You ought to go to the doctor.
Most of the modal verbs have got a basic meaning and a modal
meaning. This means that when we use the verb with its modal meaning
both the present and past forms of the same verb relate to the same time (
usually present or future). For example, can expresses ability in its primary
meaning, and then can is the present and could is the past, but it also
expresses possibility (modal meaning), and then both can and could refer
to the present or future time, so if we want to express past possibility, we
need the modal perfect can/ could + have+ p.p.
Example: To ask for permission:
Can / could I go out tonight, dad? ( the use of the present or the past form
only means that we are more or less sure about the permission; could here
does never refer to a past situation)
To express possibility:
She might go to the party tonight, but it isnt likely ( might here refers to a
future situation- tonight- but the possibility is remote). In this case, if we
wanted to talk about a past possibility we would need a modal perfect:
might + have + p.p. : She might have been to the party last Saturday,
but I didnt see her.

Uses
Use /function
Ability
Asking for Permission

Present
Can
She can play the violin
May /might (polite)
Can /could (informal)
Could I smoke here?
May I borrow your pen, please?

Past
Could/ be able to
When I was 8 I couldnt/wasnt able to speak English
Was/were allowed to
When I was a teenager I wasnt allowed to smoke.

Past Habits
(only past reference)
Prohibition

Used to/ Would

The Egyptians used to bury their Pharaons in Pyramids.
Mustnt /cant
Wasnt/werent allowed to/couldnt
th
You mustnt
In the 19 century, women werent allowed to/ couldnt
You cant smoke in a petrol vote.
station
Obligation
Must / have to/ need to
Had to
Children must obey their At Primary school,I had to wear a uniform
parents
Lack of Obligation (*)
Neednt / dont have to
Neednt have + Past Participle
You neednt bring the cake: Ive Didnt have to
already made one.
You neednt have come, but now youre here, you can
You dont have to bring a cake: help me
Ive already bought it
I didnt have to study because the exam was postponed.
Positive Certainty(*)
Must
Must have+ pp
She must be ill: she hasnt They didnt arrive at the party: they must have got lost
come to school for a week
Negative Certainty(*)
Cant
Cant have + pp
He cant be ill: He is at the bar He cant have been ill yesterday: I saw him in the street
just now!
and he looked perfect.
Probability(*)
Could/ may/ might
Could/ may/ might have + pp
She may/might go to Miami She may have arrived but I Havent seen her yet.
next summer
They might have invited Peter, but it is very unlikely:
they dont get on well.
Advice(*)
Should / Ought to
Should/ ought to have + pp
You should/ ought to call the You should / ought to have invited John, but you didnt
doctor: I feel terrible
and he is furious now.
Polite Requests(*)
Can/Could (informal) ?
May/ might (formal) .?
(only present or future Will/ would .?
reference)
Can/ could I use your
umbrella?
Will/would you help me,
please?
Offers(*)
Shall I.? May I? Can I?:
(only present/ future Shall I help you?
reference)
Can I help you?
May I help you? (very formal)
Will: Ill open the door for you.
Suggestions(*)
We could
(only present or future We could go to the pub/
reference)
Shall we?
Shall we go to the pub?

Note: (*) indicates the modals which use a perfect form to refer to the past:
modal + have+ p.p.