Modal Verbs

Will
1. Strong comands
You will come here at once.
2. Strong requests
Will you stop talking about this?
3. Someone's behaviour or characteristic habit
I will drop things when people sleep.
4. Promise
I won't lie to yo.
5. Refusal
I won't do that.
6. Unwillinguess
The car won't start.
7. Invitation
Will you have another sandwich?
8. Decision taken at the moment of speaking
'I'm thirsty.' 'I will bring you a glass of water.'
Would
1. Polite request
Would you do me a favour?
2. Past refusal
He wouldn't lend us money.
3. Past habit or typical characteristic of the subject
He would come here every night and wait for her.
4. A subject insisted on doing something contrary to someone's wishes
He would get into fights even if we told him to stay away from it.
5. As "used to", a repeated action and event in the past but only "used to' can refer to past
states
When we were kids we would (used to) go skiing every winter.
I would used to have a small car.
6. Probability
That would be their car.
7. In indirect speech
8. In subjonctive (after "wish")
Can
1. Intelectual ability (in the present)
I can speak English.
Physical ability (in the present)
I can run 2 km.
In these two cases, "can" may be repleaced with "(to) be able to", "(to) know how to",
"(to) be capable of"
2. Permission (in informal language) (in the present)
Can I borrow your dictionary. (=be allowed/permitted to)
3. Possibility (in the present) due to circumstances
I can ski at Predeal now because there is a lot of snow.
4. Polite request
Can you wait a few moments?
5. Can't + present infinite = negative logical deduction about a present action (of the verb "to
be")
'I'm hungry.'. 'You can't be hungry. You've just have dinner.'
6. Can't + perfect infinite = negative logical deduction about past actions
'Did she typed the report?' 'She can't have typed it because she was on holiday.'
Could
1. Intelectual ability (in the past)
I could speak French when I was a child.
Physical ability (in the past)
I could run faster than her when I was a child.
In these two cases, "could" may be repleaced with "(to) be able to", "(to) know how to",
"(to) be capable of"
2. Past permission
On Sundays we could stay in bed until 10. (=be permitted to)
3. Past possibility due to circumstances.
Last year I could sky in Predeal because it was a lot of snow.
4. Conditional
It's foggy. The airport could be closed.
5. Polite request
Could wou wait a few seconds?
6. Couldn't + present infinitive = negative logical deduction of a present action of the verb "to
be"
'I'm hungry.'. 'You couldn't be hungry. You've just have dinner.'
7. Could + perfect infinitive = unfullfilled past action
You could have helped me.
8. Couldn't + perfect infinitive = negative logical deduction of a past action.
'Did she typed the report?' 'She couldn't have typed it because she was on holiday.'
May
1. Asking permission
May I go?
2. Giving permission
Yes, you may/No, you may not.
When we want to express interdiction, we use mustn't: You mustn't walk on the grass.
3. Polite request
May I use your phone?
4. Present possibility
He may come today.
5. Supposition about a past action
He may have arrived.
6. Subjonctive
Come what may!
Might
1. Polite request (a higher degree of uncertainly than "may")
Might I use your phone?
2. Future possibility
It might raise tomorrow.
3. In indirect speech
He said he might come.
4. In conditional clauses
If you shouted he might hear you
I might by willing to help you if you ask me nicely. (possibility)
5. Supposition
He might hear you.
6. Irritation due to unfullfillment of an action
You might have given me a copy of that paper.
Irritation/reproach because a past action hasn't been accomplished
You might have told me what had happened.
Shall
1. Obligation - in contracts and other legal documents (III
rd
pers. subject to refer to obligation)
The seller shall be responsible for the goods.
2. Asking advice, in inter. sentences, I
st
pers sg
Where shall I put the flowers?
3. Making a suggestion
Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
4. Making an offer
Shall I help you?
5. Formal instruction
All the students shall attend classes
6. Strong commands (formal)
You shall do as I say.
7. Promise
I shall give you something for your birthday.
8. Volition/Determination
We shall overcome.
Should/Ought to
1. Asking and giving an advice
You should read the book.
2. Obligation and duty
You should pay your debts.
3. Mild obligation to do something in the past but it was not done
You should have helped him.
4. Probability at the moment of speaking, or in the future
He should be at work now. He'a usually at work at this time.
5. To express the idea that you expected something to happen, but it didn't
I'm not waiting anymore. He should have been here hours ago.
6. In subordinate clauses
a) subject clauses: It's strange that he should go away.
b) direct object cl.: I suggest that we should leave.
c) conditional clauses: If he should come, tell him to wait.
d) purpose clauses (aff): She put her glasses on so that no one should see her tears.
e) purpose clauses (neg): He was afraid lest someone should see him.
Need
1. Lack of obligation needn't
regarding present: You needn't come.
regarding past: You needn't have come (you come)
You didn't need to come (you didn't)
in interrogative clauses the use of "need" instead of "must" shows that the speaker
hope for a negative answer.
Need I wash the clothes? I hope not.
Must
1. Obligation
You must stop because the trafffic light is red.
Must = inner obligation (imposed by the speaker): I must go.
= urgent, important obligation: I must be at the hospital at two.
Have to = obligation comes from "outside" the speaker: We have to go. (It's closing.)
= habitual obligation: I have to at the hospital at two. (I work here)
2. Interdiction mustn't
You mustn't move.
3. Logical deduction (regarding aff.)
She must be at home. She left an hour ago.
She's got a ten. She must have worked hard (logical deduction in the past)
Use to
1. Past habit
I used to smoke a lot.
2. Past state
I used to have a car.
3. Often constrasts a past state of affairs with the present
I used to work in bank. Now i work in a restaurant.