2. Characteristics :
MODAL AUXILIARIES ARE ALL FOLLOWED BY THE BARE INFINITIVE
EXCEPT “OUGHT TO” AND “USED TO”-
CAN ONLY OCCUR AS THE FIRST(FINITE) ELEMENT BUT NOT IN NON-
FINITE(INFINITIVE OR PARTICIPLE.
ARE NOT INFLECTED IN THE 3rd PERSON SINGULAR OF THE
PRESENT TENSE.(WHERE LEXICAL VERBS HAVE THE ”S” FORM)
THEY ARE DEFECTIVE VERBS-MOST OF THEM ONLY OCCUR IN
PRESENT ANDF `PAST AND SOME OF THEM ONLY HAVE PRESENT
FORM.
3. . Talking about general ability or -You can/can´t play football
Can /Can´t inability
.Giving or refusing permission
-Can I go to the cinema ? / No, you
can´t go to the cinema
.Request something -Please, Can I use your car?
.Making offers -He can´t be Peter. He ´s in Paris
.Making present/past deductions now.
. Talking about present or past -They could be at home by now
Could / possibility/impossibility
.Talking about past ability/inability
-I could /couldn´t open the door
-Could you open it for me , please?
.Polite request -You could do the homework
Couldn´t .Suggestion
. Expressing obligation -You must go school
Must/ .Expressing prohibition about the
present
-You mustn’t go to the park
-They must be happy because they
.Making deductions about the have passed the examinations
Mustn´t past/present
.Expressing strong
-You mustn´t be so rude to people
- He must go by train
recommendation
.Giving advice
. It expresses present/future -He has to go to the hospital
Have to / obligation
.It also expresses past obligation
-We had to do the exam of math
-She doesn´t have to finish the
Don´t have to .It is used to express absence of
obligation, it is never used to
book till next week
-I didn´t have to buy a new dress for
express prohibition the party
.Absence of obligation in the past
4. .Specific possibility in the -It may snow this afternoon
May / present/future
.Specific possibility in the
past(May+have+past participle)
-She may have passed the exam
-May I have another piece of cake?
-May I help you with your bags?
Might .Asking for permission
.Giving permission
.Making polite offers
-You might have
-You might have told me before
.Annoyace -You might to accompany
.Suggestions
.Criticsms -You should be more polite
Should/not .Deductions
.Predictions
-It will rain, I will take the umbrella
-He should be in Paris by now
-You should go to the medic
.Advice
Ought to .Obligation (less strong than ``
must´´)
-You shouldn´t arrive late if they take
a taxi
.Predictions -In spring it will rain a lot
Will / .Instant decisions
.Request
.Promises
-It´s hot .I will put on suntan lotion.
-I will ask you to help me
-I promise you that I will help you
Would .Offers
.Wishes
.Past habits
-I will sell new car for $ 1100
-I would wishe to come for holidays
-I would often buy sweets when I was a
child
.Suggestions -Shall we play some music ?
Shall .Offers
.Promises
-Shall I give you a lift to the station
?
.Asking for advice -I shall never let you down
-What shall I do with this old
handbab?
5. . Lack of necessity -You needn´t come today if you
Needn´t .Absence of obligation (present
/future)
don´t want to
-You needn´t wear a tie . It´s
. Followed by have +past participle optional
it´s used to talk about absence of -We needn´t have bught so many
obligation in the past biscuits
. General ability -He is able to dress himself
Bea ble to . Specific past ability ,
managing to do something
-We were able to find the house
although
despite difficulty
