MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS

Will ▪ Shall ▪ May & Might ▪ Would ▪ Can & Could ▪ Must ▪ Should ▪
Ought to

The modal auxiliary verbs are verbs which 'help' other verbs to express a
meaning: it is important to realise that "modal verbs" have no meaning by
themselves.

A FEW BASIC GRAMMATICAL RULES APPLYING TO MODAL VERBS

▪ modal verbs are NEVER used with other auxiliary verbs such as do, does, did
etc. The negative is formed simply by adding "not" after the verb; questions are
formed by inversion of the verb and subject:

You should not do that.

Could you pick me up when I've finished?

▪ modal verbs NEVER change form: you can never add an “-s”, “-ed” or
“-ing” to a modal verb

▪ modal verbs are NEVER followed by to, with the exception of ought to

▪ modal verbs are also called “defective” because some of them cannot be used
in all of the tenses – so they have the substitutes:

MODAL VERB SUBSTITUTE EXAMPLE

must to have to You’ll have to do it later.
can to be able to I’ll be able to pay you tomorrow.
may to be allowed to I was allowed to / permitted to leave.
to be permitted to

WHAT SORT OF MEANINGS DO MODALS GIVE TO OTHER VERBS?

The meanings are usually connected with ideas of DOUBT, CERTAINTY,

POSSIBILITY and PROBABILITY, OBLIGATION, NECESSITY,
PERMISSION and ABILITY (or lack of these).

ABILITY – can (past could), be able to (all tenses)

Three kinds of ability may be indicated by can and be able to:

- physical ability: I can (am able to) lift this desk.
- learned ability: She can (is able to) play the piano.
I could (was able to) swim when I was three.
She will be able to drive after a few more driving lessons.
- have the power to: This factory can produce a thousand of cars a day.

PERMISSION – may (past might), can (past could)

Strict schoolbooks rules say we must use only may for permission. However,
cultivated speakers frequently use can for permission:

- in questions: May / can I use your phone?

May / can Joe go out with us?

- in answers, granting / denying permission: You may / can use my phone.

Yes, Joe may / can / will be allowed to go out with you tomorrow.

The past forms of may and can are also used in requests:

Might / could I use your phone?

(In this sentence, when using might, the speaker does not really believe that he is
going to get permission).

OBLIGATION, ADVISABILITY, NECESSITY – should, ought to, must,

have to

- obligation (What one is expected to do): You should / ought to read more.
The university should provide more sports facilities.
- advisability (What is wise for one to do): You should / ought to see that film.
You shouldn't be drinking if you're on antibiotics.

While statements with should and ought to suggest a desirable course of action,
statements with must and have to suggest a more urgent course of action.
Must is generally felt as stronger than have to.

Must is often used to indicate 'personal' obligation; what you think you yourself
or other people/things must do. If the obligation comes from outside (e.g. a rule
or law), then have to is often (but not always) preferred:

I really must get some exercise.

You must / will have to get up early tomorrow.
People must try to be more tolerant of each other.
If you own a car, you have to pay an annual road tax.
You are in the army now. You have to call me “Sir”.

In the sense of necessity, the past form of must is had to:

I had to meet my cousin yesterday.

Have got to is the British English equivalent of have to. It has only a present
form:

The bombing has got to stop sometime.

The auxiliary need can be used in place of must in questions and negatives:

Strikes need not be caused by bad pays. OR

Strikes don’t have to be caused by bad pays.

We didn’t need to / didn’t have to cook in the army.

Must not denotes a prohibition:

Students mustn’t smoke in the toilettes.

You mustn’t cross the street when the red light is on.
He mustn’t go there alone. It’s too dangerous.

POSSIBILITY – may, can, might, could

May & might sometimes have virtually the same meaning; they are used to talk
about possibilities in the past, present or future. ("Could" is also sometimes
used).
May is sometimes a little bit "more sure" (50% chance); whereas might
expresses more doubt (maybe only a 30% chance).

He may win the contest if he works hard.

If the heavy rains continue, they can damage the crops.
Look at those clouds in the sky. It might rain soon.
Where are my glasses? They could be behind the sofa.
England might win the World Cup, you never know.
May have, might have, and could have are used only for past possibility, not for
permission or ability:

He might have / could have passed the examination if he had studied harder.
Something could / may / might have gone wrong.

INFERENCE / DEDUCTION – must, should

Must is often used to make a guess about an event in the present or in the past:

- inference about present time:

His eyes are closed. He must be sleeping.
She looks marvellous. She must be happy.

- inference about past time:

I can’t find my watch anywhere. I must have lost it.

The letter should get to you tomorrow - I posted it first class.

Modal verbs are also used to express the following:

POLITE REQUESTS - can, could, will, would

Will you open the window, please? It's very hot in here.
Could you repeat it, please?
Would you pass me the book, please?
Can you do it for me, please?

WILLINGNESS - will

You stay there! I'll fetch the drinks.

Betty is really a good friend of yours. She will help you with your homework

OFFERS – shall, will

Shall is a form of will, used mostly in the first person. Its use, however, is
decreasing, and in any case in spoken English it would be contracted to "-ll" and
be indistinguishable from will:
You just clear the table. I’ll wash the dishes.
Shall I wash the dishes?

MAKING SUGGESTIONS – shall

Shall we go to the cinema tonight?

TALKING ABOUT PAST HABITS – would

Here would has similar meaning to used to:

When I was small, we would always visit relatives on Christmas Day.

When the Pilgrims needed food, they would go hunting and fishing.

EXERCISE 1

What do the modal verbs express in the following sentences (permission,

advisability, willingness, ability, etc.)?

1. We must eat in order to live.

2. They might be having dinner just now.
3. He owns a boat and an aeroplane. He must be rich.
4. It is a clear day. The stars should be very bright tonight.
5. I can fix that for you right away.
6. You may be right after all.
7. The air conditioner should be cleaned once a year.
8. The error can be corrected quite easily.
9. She is able to type.
10. You mustn’t spend so much money.
11. She ought to eat less if she wants to lose weight.
12. Will you help me with the homework, please?
13. Shall we take a taxi?
14. Just relax. I’ll make beds.
15. While he was ill he would sleep for hors.
16. Something could have gone wrong.
 EXERCISE 2

Finish the sentences using the given modal verbs:

can _____________________________________________
must ____________________________________________
mustn’t __________________________________________
needn’t __________________________________________
should ___________________________________________
might ____________________________________________
A nurse

can ______________________________________________
must _____________________________________________
mustn’t ___________________________________________
needn’t ___________________________________________
should ____________________________________________
might _____________________________________________
An astronaut

can _______________________________________________
must ______________________________________________
mustn’t ____________________________________________
needn’t ____________________________________________
should _____________________________________________
might ______________________________________________
Policemen

can _______________________________________________
must ______________________________________________
mustn’t ____________________________________________
needn’t ____________________________________________
should _____________________________________________
might ______________________________________________

A ballet dancer

can’t _______________________________________________
must ______________________________________________
mustn’t ____________________________________________
needn’t ____________________________________________
should _____________________________________________
might ______________________________________________
Students
 EXERCISE 3

Write down the following sentences in the future and in the past:

1. Peter can play the piano.

2. Can she do it?
3. You must stop it.
4. She needn’t write it.
5. Must we go?

EXERCISE 4

Translate the following sentences into English using the modal verbs:

1. Svaki vozač to može učiniti.

2. Moj tata govori pet stranih jezika.
3. Kad mu je bilo četiri godine, znao je voziti bicikl.
4. Možeš li mi pomoći?
Sad ti ne mogu pomoći, ali sutra ću ti moći pomoći.
5. Smije li Paul ostati vani do ponoći?
Danas ne smije, ali u subotu će smjeti.
6. Ti bi trebala otići zubaru.
7. Kupio je stan i auto. Mora da je dobio na lutriji.
8. Gdje je Charles? Mogao bi biti u uredu.
9. Moram li pojesti sve ovo?
Ne moraš to pojesti sada, ali morat ćeš sutra.
10. Jučer je morao raditi 16 sati.
11. Ne uzrujavaj se. Ja ću se za to pobrinuti.
12. To ne može biti istina.
13. Molim te, hoćeš li odvesti Billa kući?
14. Moraš li uvijek ovako puno raditi?