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MODAL VERBS
Ainhoa Colet, Marina Griera, Maria
Menéndez and Anni Schlueter
INDEX
• WHAT ARE MODAL VERBS
• WHEN DO WE USE MODAL VERBS
• TYPES
• EXERCISES
WHAT ARE MODAL VERBS?
Modal verbs are special verbs which behave
very differently from normal verbs.
can  could
may  might
must  ought to
shall  should
will  would
Differences:
1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third
person.
He can speak Chinese.
She should be here by 9:00.
2. You use "not" to make modal verbs
negative, even in Simple Present and
Simple Past.
He should not be late.
They might not come to the party.
3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the
past tenses or the future tenses.
He will can go with us. Not Correct
She musted study very hard. Not Correct
WHEN DO WE USE MODAL VERBS?
TYPES
• Obligation and permission
• Necessity
• Ability and possibility
• Assumptions and interpretations
• Suggesting and advising 1
• Suggesting and advising 2
• Probability and certainty
Obligation and Permission
Necessity
•Need + infinitive with to
I need to lose some weight, i will go to the gim.
•Not need/needn’t
•Don’t need + infinitive with to OR needn’t + infinitive without to
You needn’t apologize, you have done nothing wrong.
•Will/won’t need + infinitive with to
I won’t need to book a ticket in advance.
•Didn’t need + infinitive with to
I didn’t need to ask because I already knew the answer.
•Needn’t have + past participle
I needn’t have worried because in fact everything was fine.
• Need + -ing/need to be + past participle
Your hair needs cutting/ to be cut.
• There + be+ no need (+ for someone) + infinitive with to
There’s no need (for you) to get upset – I’m only joking.
Ability
-
General Ability: something that once you have learned, you can do it any
time you want.
Specific Ability: something you can do or not in a particular situation
In the present:
• Can/Can’t
General/Specific
In the past:
• Could/Couldn’t:
General
• Couldn’t/Was able to
Specific
• Could + have + Past Participle
Ability someone had in the past but didn’t use
In the future:
• Will/Won’t be able to
General
• Can/Can’t
Specific
Possibility
• “The way I see/feel things in the present circumstances, it is
possible that (if I have anything to do with it)
...could/might/may/can…”
The way I feel things in the present circumstances, it is
possible that I could win the lottery this weekend
The way I see things in the present circumstances, it is
possible that, if I have anything to do with it, Barça will be the best
football team in the world in 5 years
• Could and Might: express remoteness of past time, unlikely
occurrence and shyness or respect.
I could have won the lottery if I had bought the ticket
I might win the lottery if I buy a ticket
• May and Might: express a more personal involvement in the
creation of the possibility.
I may become rich if i play the lottery
I might be able to buy a new house if I play the lottery
Assumptions
• Must:
• Sure/certain that something is true
• Used in affirmative sentences
You have been practising all day, you must be exhausted
• Can’t / Couldn’t:
• Certain that something is not true or real.
• Used in negative sentences
That can’t be my husband, he is in London.
Interpretations
May, might or could
Possible interpretation of a situation, action or event.
• May (not)/might (not)/could + infinitive withou to [PRESENT
SIMPLE]
They may be out.
• May (not)/might (not)/could + continuous infinitive without to
[PRESENT CONTINUOUS]
He might be joking.
• May (not)/might (not)/could + perfect infinitive without to [PAST
SIMPLE/PRESENT PERFECT]
He could have lost my adress.
• May (not)/might (not)/could + perfect continuous infinitive
without to [PAST CONTINUOUS/PRESENT PERFECT CONTIN.]
She might not have been earning too much.
Suggesting and advising 1
• Should/ought to + infinitive (without to) [PRESENT/FUTURE]
Should I take the job or not?
You ought to tell the truth at all times.
• Should/ought to + continuous infinitive [PRESENT
CONTINUOUS]
You should be thinking about your future.
I have taken the tablets and I ought to be feeling better, but I
still feel bad.
• Should/ought to + perfect infinitive [PAST SIMPLE/PRESENT
PERFECT]
You ought to have been more careful.
They shouldn’t have lost the match, they were better.
• Should/ought to + perfect continuous infinitive [PAST
CONITNUOUS/PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS]
I should have been studying but I was enjoying myself.
I ought to have been making more progress than I was.
Note: the negative forms of ought to are oughtn’t and ought not, but those are
not often used (shouldn’t).
Suggesting and advising 2
Suggest, recommend and propose
• Present verb (that) + second subject + subjunctive/ (should)
infinitive without to
I suggest (that) you accept the offer.
• Past verb (that) + second subject + subjunctive/ (should) infinitive
without to
She proposed (that) they (should) start their own company.
• Verb + -ing
They recommended living there because of the pleasant way of live.
Aditional structures with recommend
• Recommend someone + infinitive with to
They recommend you to book early.
• Recommend someone something (questons only)
Could you recommend me a good hotel?
• Recommend something to someone
I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to anyone, the food was tasteless.
Advise and warn
• Verb + someone (+ not) + infinitive with to
I warned you not to trust him.
• Verb + someone (+ that) + second subject + should + infinitive
without to
My teacher advised me (that) I should read this book.
• Verb + someone (+ that) + second subject + reported speech
I advised her that it was a bad idea.
• Verb + someone against + -ing
I warned you against trusting him.
Probability and certainty
To say how sure we are about something that had happened/ is happening or will
happen.
1- To talk about the present:
must + infinitive
might/ might not + infinitive
could/ could not + infinitive
may/ may not + infinitive
can’t + infinitive
will/ won’t = he will be at the supermarket buying food
should/ shouldn’t = we should be there in 10 minutes
it shouldn’t take a long time drive to the station
can = whether can be worse in London
2- To talk about the past:
might/ might not + have + past participle = she might have worked late
could/ couldn’t + have + part participle = he must have written the letter
may/ may not + have+ past participle = they may have loosen the bus
can’t + have + past participle = she can’t have gone to the party
will/ won’t + have + past participle = the train will arrive before now
should + have + past participle = the plane should have left by now
could + have + past participle = he could have been working late
SONG
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmezIIrFQmY
ADVICE COLUMNS
We (must) thank you for listening