MODAL VERBS

What are modal verbs?

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs
which behave irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play,
visit..." They are used to indicate modality. They give additional information about the function
of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of communicative functions.

Use of modal verbs:

Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:
1. Permission
2. Ability
3. Obligation
4. Prohibition
5. Lack of necessity
6. Advice
7. possibility
8. probability

Remember
Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to"
Examples:

You must stop when the traffic lights turn red

You should see to the doctor

There are a lot of tomatoes in the fridge. You need not buy any.

Exception:

You ought to go to the doctor

A list of modals:
Modal Verb

Meaning

can

100 % obligation

I must stop when the traffic

lights turn red.

to be very probable

logical conclusion
(deduction)

He must be very tired after such

enormous work

not to be allowed to

prohibition

You must not smoke in the

hospital.

to be able to

ability

I can swim

to be allowed to

permission

Can I use your phone please?

it is possible

possibility

Smoking can cause cancer !

to be able to

ability in the past

When I was younger I could

stay up all night and not get
tired..

to be allowed to

more polite permission

Excuse me, could I just say

something?

it is possible

possibility

It could rain tomorrow!

to be allowed to

permission

May I use your phone please?

could

may

it is possible, probable possibility, probability

to be allowed to

might

need

Example

to have to
must

must not

Expressing

It may rain tomorrow!

more polite permission Might I use your phone please?

weak possibility,
it is possible, probable
probability

I might come and visit you in

America next year, if I can save
enough money.

necessary

Need I say more?

necessity

need not

not necessary

lack of
necessity/absence of
obligation

used to say or ask what

is the correct or best
50 % obligation
thing to do
should/ought to suggest an action or
to
to show that it is
advice
necessary
to be very probable
had better

logical conclusion
(deduction)

to suggest an action or
to show that it is
advice
necessary

I need not buy any tomatoes.

There are plenty in the fridge.
I should / ought to see a doctor.
I have a terrible headache.
You should / ought to revise
your lessons
He should / ought to be very
tired after such enormous work
You 'd better revise your lessons

Examples Exercise on Modals :

1. There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You needn't buy any.
2. It's a hospital. You mustn't smoke.
3. He had been working for more than 11 hours. He must be tired after such haed work.
He may prefer to get some rest.
4. I could speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Morocco. But after we
moved back to Canada, I had very little exposure to the language and forgot almost
everything I knew as a child. Now, I can just say a few things in the language.
5. The teacher said we can read this book for our own pleasure as it is optional. But we
can read it if we don't want to.
6.

Can you stand on your head for more than a minute? No, I can't.

7. If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you need to work hard. .

8. Take an umbrella. It might rain later.

9. You shouldn't leave small objects lying around . Such objects may be swallowed by
children.
10. People mustn't walk on grass.
11. Drivers must stop when the traffic lights are red.
12. May I ask a question? Yes, of course.
13. You needn't take your umbrella. It is not raining.
14. Can you speak Italian? No, I can't.

Modals in the Present and Past

Generally speaking modals in the past have the following form:

modal + have + past participle

Example:

Present:
You should see a doctor.

Past:
You should have seen a doctor

Except for modals that express obligation,ability and lack of necessity:

Obligation:
Present = I must / have to work hard. -- Past = I had to work hard.

Ability:
Present = I can run fast. -- Past = I could run fast when I was young.

Lack of necessity:
Present = You don't have to / needn't take your umbrella. -- Past = You didn't have to /
didn't need to take your umbrella.
Modals in the Present

Modals in the Past

Obligation

You must / have to stop when the traffic

lights are red.

You had to stop.

Advice

You should see a doctor.

You should have seen a doctor

Prohibition

You mustn't smoke here.

You mustn't have smoked there.

Ability

I can run fast.

I could run fast. now I am old.

Certainty

He has a Rolls Royce. He must be very

rich.
He can't be American. His English is
terrible.

He must have been rich. He had a

big house and an expensive car.
He can't have written that poem.
He was illiterate.

Permission

Can I go out?

She could drive her father's car

when she was only 15.

Possibility

It may / can / could / might rain. It's

cloudy.

I guess it may / can / could / might

have been Lacy on the phone.

Lack of
necessity

You don't have to / needn't buy any

tomatoes. There are plenty in the fridge.

You didn't have to / didn't need to

buy tomatoes.

Examples Exercise on Modals in the Present and Past :

1. He can't be French. French. His French is terrible.
2. The kids are calm today. They must be tired.
3. Although Leila was very hungry, she didn't eat very much. She couldn't have liked the
food.
4. The phone is ringing. It must be Mary. She promised she would call.
5. John had a terrible accident. He had to stop when the traffic lights were red.
6. I don't know why she got so many bad grades. She might have been lazy studying.
7. I didn't know you needed help. You should have told me.

8. I am so tired. I need some rest. I think I should take a week off.

9. He could run so fast when he was young.
10. Nancy can't have gone on holidy. I have just met her in the street.