Transcript modal verbs

MODAL VERBS
UNIT 3 2º Bachillerato
IES VALMAYOR
OUTLINE
 GENERAL FEATURES
 MODAL VERBS/SEMI MODALS
 Different meanings and uses
GENERAL FEATURES
 THEY ARE FOLLOWED BY BARE INFINITIVE (EXCEPT
OUGHT TO/HAVE TO)
 Ex: She should be here by five o´clock
 They do not have TENSES or forms (-ed, -ing, 3rd
person singular –s)
 Ex: He can speak five different languages
 They act as auxiliaries in questions and negative
sentences.
 Ex: She might not come since she is very angry with
me/ Should I speak to her?
 We do not find those features in be able to, have
to,need (this one can be modal or ordinary verb)
MODALS EXPRESSING ABILITY
 CAN: PRESENT ABILITY
 EX: She can read minds.
 COULD: PAST ABILITY
 Ex: At the age of five , she could read
and write.
SEMI-MODAL VERBS
 BE ABLE TO
 To express ability in all those tenses CAN,
COULD can´t be used
 Ex: she hasn´t been able to find a job yet
 Was/were able(managed just once) to vs
could (general ability in the past)
 Ex: At the age of six, I could play the piano
 Ex: At the age of six, I couldn´t play the piano.
But once, I was able to play the happy birthday
song once.
MODALS OF POSSIBILITY AND
CERTAINTY
 100% SURE. must
 50% POSSIBLE may/might
 0% SURE / IMPOSSIBLE can´t
MODALS OF CERTAINTY
 MUST (Guess, deduction)
 EX: Lucy must be the winner. She’s the
fastest one.
 CAN’T (Negative deduction)
 EX: Lucy can´t be the winner. She’s not
very fast.
MODALS OF POSSIBILITY
 MAY/MIGHT/CAN/COULD
 (might and could are less probable
 Might: past of may: The car looked
like it might explode any time.
 Ex: It may rain tomorrow. You might
fall of the ladder.
MODALS OF OBLIGATION
 MUST (Inner/speaker obligation)
 EX: You must study harder if you want to pass
your exams
 Have to (Rules)
 Ex: Girls have to wear uniform in private schools




That difference tends to disappear
Have to
Semi-modal in form
For all the tenses where MUST cannot be
used.
 She had to get up early last Saturday since she
had to attend a very important lecture
PROHIBITION/NO OBLIGATION
 MUSTN´T (PROHIBITION)
 Ex: You mustn´t lie on your CV
 NEED (NECESSITY)
 You need to take some time off
 (NOT HAVE TO) NO OBLIGATION
 Ex: you don´t have to pick me up if you don´t
want to (it´s not compulsory)
 NEEDN´T isn´t followed by to
 Ex:You needn’t study for this exam.
MODALS OF ADVICE
 SHOULD/OUGHT TO
 They are used to express advice
 Ex: You ought not to apply for that job.
 Ex: He should walk to school.
 Ex: You shouldn’t eat so many
chocolates.
Permission
 CAN/MAY/COULD
 It depends on the degree of
politeness (May is more formal)
 Can / May I come in?
 Could I come in Mr Robinson?
WILL/WOULD/SHALL
 SHALL
 OFFER/SUGGESTION:Shall I help
you?
 WOULD
 Offer: Would you like a cup of tea?
 Past habit: I would visit my
grandparents every weekend. (used
to) and past of will.
WILL
 Future and predictions: We will be
there on time.
 Polite request: Will you please fetch
me the book?
MODALS+PERFECT INFINITIVES
 MIGHT/MAY/COULD HAVE +PAST
PARTICIPLE (They refer to the past)
 Something which was possible in the
past but it didn´t finally happen
 EX: She could have taken the job but
she didn´t.
 I might have phoned her
MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES
 Must have….
 Logical inference about the past
 Ex: you must have seen John at the
party.
 They must have felt very upset after the
incident.
MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES
 Can’t have….. ( It’s impossible that)
 Ex: She can’t have understood the
question.
 That can’t be Tom, because Tom is taller.
SHOULD HAVE+ PAST PARTICIPLE
 To express your opinions about
something in the past that was not
right or an advice that wasn’t
followed.
 Ex: He should have apologised.
 Ex: You should have come with us.
SHOULDN´T HAVE
 It´s used to express or show regret
or express some criticism
 I shouldn´t have drunk that much
 He shouldn’t have behaved like that.
HAD BETTER
 FORM
 HAD BETTER+ BARE INFINITIVE
 HAD BETTER NOT+BARE INFINITIVE
 Ex: We´d better stop for petrol soon.
The tank is almost empty
 Use: We use it for a particular
situation and not for general advice
 Warning: You’d better stop shouting.
WOULD RATHER
 FORM
 WOULD RATHER+BARE INFINITIVE
 WOULD RATHER NOT+BARE
INFINITIVE
 Ex: I´d rather not go out this evening if
you don´t mind
 Ex: I´d rather stay at home than go out
WOULD RATHER
 I´d rather you did something
 Notice the difference:
 I´d rather cook the dinner now. I´m in a
hurry
 I´d rather you didn´t cook. You are a
terrible chef
RATHER
 Used together with prefer
 I prefer coke to water
 I prefer drinking coke to drinking water
 I prefer drinking coke rather than water