Modal Verbs in English

1. Funda KOCAOĞLU
01021309
English Language and Literature

2. 
 In English language, a Modal “auxiliary” verbs are
helping verbs. Modal verbs are used to express ideas
such as possibility, intention, obligation and
necessity.
 Can Could
 May Might
 Must
 Shall Should
 Will Would
What are modal
verbs?

3. 
 Modal verbs do not take “-s”, “-ing” or “-ed” in
the third person.
 Examples:
 He can speak Chinese.
 NOT He cans speak Chinese.
 She should be here by 9:00.
 You use “not” to make modal verbs negative,
even in Simple Present and Simple Past.
 Example:
 He sould not write horrible things about others.

4. 
 Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past
tenses or the future tenses:
 Example:
 He will can go by the car. NOT CORRECT
 Modal verbs come before the subject in
questions:
 Example: May I come to your house to visit your
mother?
 Negative forms: Modal verbs have “n’t” or “not”
after them in the negative.
 Example: “mustn’t” – “needn’t”, there is no
don’t/doesn’t.

5. 
 ABILITY: I can sing and play the guitar.
 POSSIBILITY/IMPOSSIBILITY: Any child can
grow up to be president.
 PERMISSION: She cannot stay out after 10PM.
 OPORTUNITY: We can stay with my brother
when we are in Paris.
 REQUEST: Can you hand me the stapler?
 WİLLİNGNESS: I can teach you?
CAN

6. 
 PAST ABILITY: Nancy could ski like a pro by
the age of 11.
 POSSIBILITY: Extreme rain could cause the
river to flood the city.
 CONDITIONAL: We could go on the trip if I
didn’t have to work this weekend.
 SUGGESTION: You could see a movie or go out
to dinner.
 REQUEST: Could I use your computer to email
my boss?
COULD

7. 
 POSSIBILITY: Cheryl may be at home, or perhaps at
work.
 GIVE PERMISSION: Jessica, you may leave the
table when you have finished your dinner.
 REQUEST PERMISSION: May I use your
bathroom.
MAY

8. 
 POSSIBILITY: Your purse might be in the living
room.
 CONDITIONAL: If I didn’t have to work, I
might go with you.
 SUGGESTION: You might visit the botanical
gardens during your visit.
 REQUEST: Might I borrow your pen?
MIGHT

9. 
 CERTAINTY: This must be the right address!
 NECESSITY: Students must pass an entrance
examination to study at this school.
 STRONG RECOMMENDATION: You must
take some medicine for that cough.
 PROHIBITION: Jenny, you must not play in the
street!
MUST

10. 
 British English
 FUTURE ACTION: I shall be replaced by
someone from the New York office.
 SUGGESTION: Shall we begin dinner?
 PROMISE: I shall take care of everything for
you.
SHALL

11. 
 RECOMMENDATION / ADVİCE: You really
should start eating better.
 OBLİGATION: I should be at work before 9.00
AM.
 EXPECTATION: Susan should be in New York
by next week. Her new job starts on Monday.
SHOULD

12. 
 FUTURE ACTION: The marketing director will
be replaced by someone from the New York
office.
 PREDICTION: He thinks it will rain tomorrow.
 VOLUNTARY ACTION: I will make dinner
tonight.
 PROMİSE: I will give you a call on Monday.
WILL

13. 
 PAST OF “WILL” : I knew that she would be
very successful in her career.
 CONDITIONAL: If he were an actor, he would
be in adventure movies.
 REPETITION IN PAST: When I was a child, I
would always play volleyball.
WOULD

14. 
 ADVICE: You ought to go to the dentist before
you leave.
 NOTİCE
 Remember that "ought to" loses the "to" in the
negative. Instead of "ought not to," we say "ought
not." "Ought not" is more commonly used in
British English. Americans prefer "should not."
 You ought not stop smoke so much.
 She ought not take such risks while skiing.
OUGHT TO

15. 
 EXERCISES:
 There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You ___buy any.
 It's a hospital. You___ smoke.
 He had been working for more than 11 hours. He ___ be tired after
such hard work. He ___prefer to get some rest.
 I ___ speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Morocco.
But after we moved back to Canada, I had very little exposure to the
language and forgot almost everything I knew as a child. Now,
I ____ just say a few things in the language.
 The teacher said we ___read this book for our own pleasure as it is
optional. But we ___read it if we don't want to.
 ____ you stand on your head for more than a minute? No,I ____.
 If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you___ to work hard.
 Take an umbrella. It___rain later.
 You ___leave small objects lying around . Such objects_____be
swallowed by children.
 People ____ walk on grass.
 Drivers ___stop when the traffic lights are red.
 ____ I ask a question? Yes, of course.
 You ____take your umbrella. It is not raining.
 ______ you speak Italian? No, I ____ .

16. 
 ANSWERS:
 There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You needn’t buy any.
 It's a hospital. You mustn’t smoke.
 He had been working for more than 11 hours. He must be tired
after such hard work. He may prefer to get some rest.
 I could speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in
Morocco. But after we moved back to Canada, I had very little
exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as
a child. Now, I can just say a few things in the language.
 The teacher said we can read this book for our own pleasure as it
is optional. But we can read it if we don't want to.
 Can you stand on your head for more than a minute? No,I can’t.
 If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you need to work
hard.
 Take an umbrella. It might rain later.
 You shouldn’t leave small objects lying around . Such objects may
be swallowed by children.
 People mustn’t walk on grass.
 Drivers must stop when the traffic lights are red.
 May I ask a question? Yes, of course.
 You needn’t take your umbrella. It is not raining.
 Can you speak Italian? No, I can’t .

17. 
 I didn’t feel very well yesterday. I ..... eat
anything.
 cannot
 couldn’t
 mustn’t
 You ..... look at me when I am talking to you.
 could
 should
 would
 I was using my pencil a minute ago. It ..... be
here somewhere!
 can
 could
 would
 must

18.  We can use modal verbs to talk about how sure or unsure
we are about something in the past just as we use modals
in the present with a slight change in the form.
 He must be really happy about his promotion. (present
deduction)
 He must have been very happy when he was told about
his promotion. (past deduction)
 When we use a modal verb to talk about a situation where
we are not expressing a fact but we are using deduction
the form is MODAL + have + past participle (verb 3)
PAST MODALS

19.  We use must + perfect infinitive when we feel sure
about something in the past.
 Exemples:
 Peter has arrived late. He must have been in a treffic
jam.
 The thieves must have come in through the window.
Look – it’s still open.
 I must have left my keys in the car. I can’t find them.
Must have + past participle

20. 
 We use ‘might have/may have/could have + past
participle’ when we are not sure about something
but we think it was possible.
 EXAMPLES:
 He may have said he was coming but I can’t really
remember. I wasn’t listening.
 I might have been here when I was a child but I can’t
really remember.
 He was supposed to be here an hour ago but he
could have been stuck in a traffic jam.
Might/May/Could + perfect infinitive

21. 
 We are making a deduction about something that
didn’t happen in the past based on present evidence.
 EXAMPLES:
 You can’t have read the instructions properly.
They’re perfectly clear.
 You can’t have seen him this morning. He was with
me all the time.
 She can’t have liked the show. She hates musicals.
Can’t Have + past participle

22. 
 Use it to express the idea that something was
desirable or needed but didn’t take place.
 EXAMPLE:
 I should have left my house earlier.
 Shouldn’t have: Something took place but it wasn’t
desirable.
 EXAMPLE:
 I shouldn’t have yelled at you yesterday. I’m sorry.
Should Have + past participle

23. 
 It is opposite meaning to should have . It indicates
that something was done but it wasn’t necessary.
The person who did it thought it was necessary.
 EXAMPLE:
 You needn’t have bought it.
Needn’t Have + past participle

24.  Use them to say that something that possible in the
past but we know that it didn’t in fact happen.
 EXAMPLE:
 If marry hadn’t been there, my son might/could have
fallen downand hurt himself. He was so lucky.
Mıght / Could Have + past
participle

25. 
 Use would have to imagine a result (if something
had been different in the past).
 EXAMPLE:
 If we had arrived earlier, we would have caught our
flight.
Would Have + past participle

26. 
 She ___ misunderstood my directions. Why else is she late?
 must have
 can't have
 He ___ gone to the beach. He hates being in the sun.
 may have
 can't have
 I ___ written down the number incorrectly. I've just called a hospital not
the restaurant.
 must have
 might have
 They ___ been at the cafe but I didn't see them.
 could have
 must have
 John ___ been very happy when he found out he was going to be a father.
He's wanted this for a long time.
 may have
 must have
 He ___ gone to the city centre. He did say he wanted to go shopping.
 can't have
 could have

27. 
 Complete the sentences with a verb given in past modal form.
Use short forms if possible. Type the verb into the box.
 EXAMPLE:
 Why was she upset?
 I don't know. She might have had some bad news.
 A James was at the party last night.
 He ___(be)! He's in China.
 You ____(be) pleased when you passed your driving test.
 Anna wasn't at work today. She __(have) the day off.
 A Where's Mike?
 B I'm not sure. He ___(go) home.
 There was so much traffic, there __(be) an accident.
 Janet ___(ring) you last night. Her phone isn't working.

28. 
 ANSWERS:
 A James was at the party last night.
 B He can't have been He's in China.
 You must have been pleased when you passed your
driving test.
 Anna wasn't at work today. She must have had the
day off.
 A Where's Mike?
 B I'm not sure. He might have gone home.
 There was so much traffic, there must have been an
accident.
 Janet can't have rung you last night. Her phone isn't
working.

29. 
 http://www.englishpage.com/modals/modalintro.
html
 http://www.myenglishpage.com
 http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/
modals-deduction-past
 https://elt.oup.com/student/naturalenglish/int/a_
grammar/unit11/neint_grammar11_exp?cc=us&sel
Language=en
 Grammar – a student’s guide / James R. HURFORD