MODAL VERBS 1.

OBLIGATION: MUST & HAVE TO

Must expresses internal (personal) obligation, whereas have to expresses a general obligation based on a rule or a law. Eg: You must visit your grandparents Nurses have to wear a uniform.

However, sometimes there is no difference. Eg: I must / have to go now.

In addition, when we ask questions or in contexts where must cant be used for example, the future or the past- we use have to. Eg: Do you have to work full-time? I had to get up early when I was at school Youll have to work hard if you want to go to University

2.

PROHIBITION AND LACK OF NECESSITY: MUSTNT; DONT HAVE TO, NEEDNT.

Mustnt and dont have to / neednt express very different ideas. Mustnt means that you have the obligation of not doing something, whereas dont have to / neednt mean lack of obligation, you are not obliged to do something, you can do something if you want to. Eg: You mustnt take drugs You She 3. dont have to get up early on Sunday neednt doesnt have to get up early on Sunday

PERMISION (FORMAL AND INFORMAL) : MAY (NOT) & CAN(NOT)

We use can to ask for permission in informal situations, may is more formal. In the contexts where these forms are not possible (future or past), they will be substitutted by be allowed to. Eg: Can I go to the toilet, Julia? (to a friend) May I come in? (to a person we dont know) When I was young, I was allowed to go back home at twelve at night.

3.

CERTAINTY, HIGH PROBABILITY; POSSIBILITY AND IMPOSSIBILITY : WILL (ONLY FUTURE)) / MUST; CAN/ COULD/ MAY/ MIGHT; CANT/COULDNT.

The verbs above express different degrees of possibility and probability, si they depend on the speakers point of view and on the context. Generally speaking, we could use this chart to show it graphically. He will be in love (futur) He must be in love He can be in love He could be in love He may be in love He might be in love 100 % segur 95 % segur 60% segur POSSIBILITY 40 % segur IMPOSSIBILITY CERTAINTY HIGH PROBABILITY

He cant be in love 100 % segur He couldnt be in love (passat)

4.

ADVICE : SHOULD / OUGHT TO; COULD.

Should & ought to can be used in the same way. Perhaps should is used more often because its pronunciation is easier. Eg: A: I have a terrible headache B: You should / ought to go to the doctor

Could expresses both advice and possibility. Eg: 5. A: I cant give up smoking B: You could try those new tablets to help you

ABILITY OR CAPACITY TO DO SOMETHING : CAN / COULD; BE ABLE TO. We can express ability in the present with can o be able to (less usual). Eg: I can speak French, but I cant speak Russian I am able to ride a motorbike, but I am not able to drive a car

Could can mean ability in the past on the one hand (especially if there is a time reference in the past) or a hypothetical ability. Eg: He could speak French when he was five years old (sabia) He was able to speakFrench when he was five years old (sabia) He could speak French, if he studied harder (podria saber, sabria)

When we talk about the past (perfect tenses) or the future we use be able to. Eg: 6. In two months time I will be able to interpret your dreams (podr) He hadnt been able to pilot that plane (no havia pogut)

REQUESTS : MAY/ CAN; COULD / WOULD; WILL First, we can make a difference of formality between can and may: may is more formal than can. Eg: (you are talking to the principal of your school) May I come in? (you are talking to a friend) Can I come in?

Could and Would are also used for formal requests, but they can also convey the idea that the speaker expects a negative answer. Eg: (you are talking to your father) Could you give me 200? I want to have lunch with my girlfriend (you are talking to a woman in an office) Could / Would lend me your pen?

Will can be also used for requests. Eg: 7. Will you help me with my Maths homework? (Majudes...)

OFFERINGS AND SUGGESTIONS : WILL / SHALL / SHOULD; WOULD

Shall / will express the intention or the will of fulfilling the actionvoluntat, thats why they are used in suggestions and offerings. Shall always goes with I or we, will can go with all pronouns. Eg: Shall we go to the cinema? Ill answer the phone for you Shall I carry your bags? Ill open the door for you

Should is used for formal suggestions. Would is more usual than should and it is also kinder. Eg: Should we go to the cinema? Would you like a drink?

READ THE NOTES AND COMPLETE THE CHART ABOUT MODAL VERBS : ATTITUDE Obligation, necessity (Present) (Past) (5) ___________ MODALS/ SEMI-MODALS (1)______________ (2) ______________ Had to (6) ____________ / (7) ______________ Could (9) ___________ No obligation or necessity Certainty (future) High probability Possibility Mustnt Dont have to / neednt Will (11) _____________ (13) _____________ (15) ____________1 May Might (17) _____________ (19) _____________ EXAMPLE SENTENCES I (3) ________________ have a shower. On Saturday night, I (4) ________________ be home by midnight When I was a child, I had to go to bed at nine. You shouldnt smoke so much You (8) ________________ talk to her. You could try to eat less chocolate. You (10) ________________ write on your desk She doesnt have to tell me now. You neednt come Romeo will be in love in a month. This music (12) ________________ be from Psycho If you (14) ________________ come, phone me If I (16) ________________ tell you my secret, I would tell you, but I cant I may come if you ask me nicely Ive read the weather forecast. It might rain in Canary Island. A: Look at this boy. Its Brad Pitt. B: He (18) ________________ Brad Pitt. He is too old. A: I saw your brother yesterday. B: You (20) _____________ . Hes is Paris. (To your brother) (21_____________I borrow your bike? (To your new boss) (22) _____________ I leave my job a little earlier tomorrow? (A lawyer to a client) (23) _____________ you like to sign here, please? Im desperate. (24) _____________ you help me? (25) _____________ we go to the cinema? Would you like to come to the cinema with me?

Impossibility (Present) (Past)

Requests

Can May Could / Would

Will Offerings/ Suggestions Invitations Shall / Will / Should & Would

Could can a hypothetical possibility (as in this example), or a past possibility, as in: In the 19th century people couldnt use computers. This also applies to ability: I could have better marks if I studied more or I could walk when I was one year old.