The document provides examples of modal verbs in context including can, could, may, will, would, shall, should, must, have to, ought to, be able to, be going to, had better, dare, need, and used to. It explains their meanings and usage for expressing abilities, possibilities, permissions, obligations, predictions, habits and other grammatical concepts. Examples are provided to illustrate appropriate responses when making requests or invitations with modal verbs.

1. E X A M P L E S I N C O N T E X T
MODALS

2. CAN / COULD [ PODER ]
• Can  Poder
• I can write all the memos for you.
• My secretary can´t send this at this moment.
• Some of us can come to the next meeting.
• Can he speak in public?
• What can you do?
• Could  Pude [habilidad en pasado]
• Peter could deliver the cargo last night.
• The Goods couldn´t arrive yesterday at the proper time.
• They could sell the information to our provider last June.
• Could he travel last weekend?
• Where could Charles fix his car yesterday?

3. COULD [ POSIBILIDAD ]
• Could  Podría
• Jhoana could bring some cd´s to the party.
• I couldn´t understand all the procedures on time.
• They could spend all the money just like that.
• Could the boss be certain about the incomes?
• When could you ask him to start the job?

4. MAY [ POSIBILIDAD REMOTA- DUDA ]
• May  puede que / a lo mejor
• I may pay for the hole damage on my car.
• Perhaps, She may not deliver it to my secretary.
• They may not open it according to the instructions.
• All people may be wrong about the results.
• I don´t know if you may write this as fast as I expect
it.

5. CAN – COULD – MAY
[ PETICIÓN, REQUERIMIENTO, SOLICITUD ]
• Can [ informal ]
• Can you bring me some pencils?
• Can she open this for me?
• Can someone talk to me about this issue?
• Could [ formal ]
• Could you open the window, please?
• Could the manager please call the accountant?
• Could she write this memo for me, please?
• May [ más formal – ¨polite¨ ]
• May I go out for a moment?
• May I speak to clarify the situation?
• May I write all what you have said?
• May she stay with me?

6. • Algunas respuestas adecuadas cuando se hacen
solicitudes, requerimientos y peticiones:
• Accept it 
• Sure
• No problem
• Absolutely
• Be my guest
• Sure you can/could
• Just do it
• Yes, sure
• Yes, It´s possible
• As well
• You´re allowed to
• Of course
• Off you go then
• You may
• Not Accept it 
• Sorry but no
• (it) could be a problem
• I´m not sure
• I´m not allowed
• It´s not possible
• Sorry you can´t/couldn´t
• Don´t do it, please
• Not as well permited.
• You may not
• Must not be on going
• Leave it that way
• Not at the moment
• Sorry, kind of busy / I´m busy
• I´m not available
• No way.

7. MIGHT [CHANCE, PROBABILIDAD,
PREDICCIÓN, AZAR, OBLIGACIÓN DÉBIL]
• Might  podría [predicción, probabilidad, chance, azar]
• It might be a sunny week.
• I might not win the lottery this month.
• They might get a 30% off into disccount.
• There´s a chance 50/50 you might get the job.
• It might rain in just a moment.
• Might  podría [obligación débil]
• You might be quiet for a moment, It´s not so hard.
• She might get some snacks at least.
• They might not be so bothering at each other.
• He might understand it If he will get so much effort.

8. WILL [ FUTURO LEJANO ]
WOULD [ CONDICIÓN ]
• Will  [ _ere / _ara]
• I will earn a lot of money next trimester.
• You won´t arrive on time if you lose your flight.
• Will you travel next week?
• Who will you meet with?
• Would  [ _iría]
• Marie would finish it on time.
• You wouldn´t eat that if you know where it was.
• Would the payment be deposit into my account?
• What would you do in this situation?

9. WILL [ CERTEZA ]
WOULD [ INVITACIÓN – PETICIÓN]
• Will  [petición]
• Will it be so problematic to erase it?
• Will you open this for me?
• Will  [certeza]
• She will be the best student.
• He will do it, won´t he?
• Would  [invitación – petición]
• Would you open this envelope?
• Would you like to have a cup of coffee?
• Would you prefer to go to the movies?
• Would you rather be at the concert?

10. SHALL [ FUTURO FORMAL ]
• Shall  deberé/deberemos
• I shall obey my parents.
• We shall not pass this test If we don´t study.
• I shan´t stay for too long inside the water
• Shall  [invitación formal]
• Shall we go to the reception?
• Let´s walk and talk for a moment, Shall we?
• Shall we stay for the hole discurss?

11. • Algunas respuestas adecuadas cuando se hacen
invitaciones y peticiones:
• Accept it 
• Sure
• No problem
• Absolutely
• That´s so kind
• Kindly accept it
• Yes, I will
• It´s possible now
• Of course
• Off you go then
• Let´s go then
• After you, please
• Come what may
• Not Accept it 
• Sorry not possible
• Could be a problem
• I´m not sure
• I´m not allowed to
• It´s not possible
• Kindly reject it
• Sorry, I´m busy
• Not as well permited.
• I wouldn´t dare
• Not at this moment
• Sorry not supposed to accept it

12. SHOULD [ CONSEJO, SUGERENCIA,
OBLIGACIÓN DÉBIL ]
• Should  deberías [consejo / sugerencia]
• It should be a nice dog.
• You should go to the doctor.
• She shouldn´t smoke so many cigarrettes.
• What should I do?
• Should I carry those boxes to my bedroom?
• Should  deberías [obligación débil]
• You should be quiet at least for an hour.
• She should get some snacks at least.
• He shouldn´t not be so bothering with him.
• He should understand the lesson, for being polite.

13. MUST [ OBLIGACIÓN / PROHIBICIÓN ]
• Must  debes
• You must obey the law.
• She must walk on the pedestrian.
• They must accept the corrections on their mistakes.
• Mustn´t  no debes
• You mustn´t be so annoying to her sister.
• She must not stealth money.
• They mustn´t cross in red light with your car.

14. HAVE TO – HAS TO [ DEBER INDIRECTO ]
• Have to – Has to  debes
• You have to eat your vegetables.
• She has to buy some whippers.
• The students have to accept the donations.
• Don´t have to / Doesn´t have to  no debes
• You don´t have to pay all the bill.
• Karla doesn´t have to stay until 9 p.m.
• Some goods don´t have to be labeled.
• Do you have to bring some money?
• Where does Karine have to leave the package?

15. OUGHT TO [ DEBER FORMAL ]
• Ought to  deberá
• You ought to take some pills to get well.
• We ought to know the correct procedure.
• The students ought not to stay at the hallway in class
periods.
• Jhoan ought not to be here after closing.

16. BE ABLE TO [ CAPACIDAD ]
• Am-Is-Are Able to  ser capaz de
• You are able to play the spanish guitar.
• I am not able to speak in public.
• She isn´t able to express properly about the problem.
• What are you able to do?
• Is he able to buy all fruits at the basket?
• Was-Were Able to  era capaz de
• Jhonny was able to type 5000 words.
• I wasn´t able to turn on the machinery.
• They weren´t able to swim in the ocean.
• What were you able to do for money?
• Was he able to sell all his stuffs?
• Will be Able to … Would be Able to … Have / Has been able to

17. BE GOING TO [ PLANES FUTUROS ]
• Am-Is-Are Going to  voy a
• You are going to sell your house soon.
• I am not going to the party. I fell sick.
• He isn´t going to rest very well with all that noise.
• Where are your parents going to travel?
• Are you going to stay in that hotel?

18. BE GOING TO [ CAMBIAR PLANES FUTUROS
]
• Was - Were  iba a
• You were going to sell that computer next week.
• I was not going to that cruise. Not really my thing.
• He wasn´t going to work for 10 hours, but only for 8
hours instead.
• Where were your parents going to travel?
• Was he going to stay in that hotel?

19. HAD BETTER`[ULTIMATUM / CONSEJO
FUERTE]
• You'd better tell her everything.
• I had better get back to work.
• We'd better meet early.
• You'd better not say anything.
• I'd better not come.
• We had better not miss the start of his presentation.
• I'd better get back to work or my boss will be angry with
me.

20. DARE [ ATREVIMIENTO, CONFLICTOS,
PROBLEMAS ]
• Dare [present-past]  atrever / atrevi
• You dare speak to me in that tone.
• Charles and Bonnie daren´t get into that house.
• The employess dare not finish the product in such a
terrible condition.
• Jhoan dared spend all the money he has.
• Dare you open that door?
• Did you dare argue against the boss?
• You didn’t dare copy the answers.

21. NEED [ NECESIDAD ]
• Need [present-past]  requiere de – requeria de
/ necesita - necesitaba
• Fernando need swim a lot to be on a great shape.
• He needed buy some clothes.
• The students needn’t scream so loud.
• Jhoan needed be here after the closing.
• She didn’t need arrange the T.V

22. USED TO [ COSTUMBRE ]
• Used to  acostumbraba a
• You used to watch T.V. all night long.
• People didn´t use to be so mean.
• What did she use to read to her daughter?
• Did Peter use to play wii with his friends?