This document provides an introduction to modal verbs in English. It discusses the main modal verbs like can, could, must, may, might, will, would, shall and should. It explains that modal verbs are used to express possibility, probability, ability and obligation. The document also discusses the difference between HAVE TO, which expresses external obligation, and MUST, which expresses internal necessity or responsibility. It provides examples of how to use modal verbs and HAVE TO/MUST correctly. Finally, it covers the difference between USED TO, which expresses past habits, and BE USED TO, which means being accustomed to something. Exercises are included for practice with modal verbs and USED TO/BE USED TO.

1. English class 12
Elementary level
http://learnenglishesol.weebly.com
Juan José Simón Pérez

2. MODALS (introduction)
 Los verbos modales (modals / modal verbs) se
utilizan para expresar modalidad. En concreto,
expresan:
1. Posibilidad
2. Probabilidad
3. Habilidad
4. Deber

3. MODALS (introduction)
 Los verbos modales son:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Can
Could
Must
May
Might
Will
Would
Shall
Should

4. MODALS (introduction)
 Los verbos auxiliares primarios:
1. Son to be, to have y to do.
2. Pueden funcionar como verbo principal (sin
necesidad de otro verbo) o como auxiliar de
otro verbo principal.
 Los verbos modales son auxiliares pero
siempre van acompañados del verbo principal,
ya que no son primarios.
He can sing / I must study / They will come

5. MODALS (introduction)
 La siguiente agrupación de modales es solo
una muestra. Existen muchas agrupaciones
dependiendo del criterio a aplicar.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Posibilidad: can, could, may, might.
Probabilidad: can, could, might, would, will.
Habilidad: can, could.
Deber: must, should, shall.

6. MODALS (introduction)
 Los verbos modales son verbos auxiliares:
permiten la inversión del sujeto con el auxiliar
en preguntas y la adición de NOT en
negaciones.
You can swim / Can you swim? / You can’t swim
 Todos los verbos modales tienen un infinitivo
como complemento (incluso en la 3ª persona
singular).
I must go / They may come / He should study

7. HAVE TO and MUST
 HAVE TO = tener que (NO es un modal)
1. Expresa obligación (externa)
2. Se utiliza en pasado, presente y futuro.
3. Se conjuga como verbo regular
I have to go
He has to work today
Does he have to go?

8. HAVE TO and MUST
 DON’T HAVE TO = No tener que
1. Expresa que no es necesario hacer algo
2. Se utiliza en pasado, presente y futuro.
3. Se conjuga como verbo regular
I didn’t have to go with you, it wasn’t necessary.
You don’t have to stay (but you can if you want)
I don’t have to be at the meeting, so I don’t know
if I’ll go

9. HAVE TO and MUST
 MUST = tener que (es un modal)
1. Expresa responsabilidad, necesidad (interna)
2. Solo se utiliza para presente y futuro, sin
cambiar la forma.
3. Nunca se utiliza TO entre must y el verbo
principal
I have to go – I must go
He has to work today – He must work today
Does he have to go? – Must he go?

10. HAVE TO and MUST
 MUSTN’T = No poder (prohibición)
1. Expresa prohibición de hacer algo
2. Nunca se utiliza TO entre mustn’t y el verbo
principal
3. Significado opuesto a DON’T HAVE TO
You have to keep the secret, you mustn’t tell
anyone
Sorry Sir, this is a private party, you mustn’t be
here

11. HAVE TO and MUST
 Exercise. Complete the sentences with
have/has to, don’t have to, must, and mustn’t.
1. This is a hospital, you ______ smoke here!
2. I work tomorrow, so I ______ go to bed early.
3. You ______ respect the speed limits in a car.
4. Thanks for your present, next time you _____
bring anything.
5. We are going to Scotland so we _____ study
English.
6. I ______ work every day since 8:00 AM.
7. She can’t see well, so she ____ wear glasses.

12. HAVE TO and MUST
 Exercise. Complete the sentences with
have/has to, don’t have to, must, and mustn’t.
1. This is a hospital, you MUSN’T smoke here!
2. I work tomorrow, so I MUST go to bed early.
3. You HAVE TO respect the traffic lights.
4. Thanks for your present, next time you DON’T
HAVE TO bring anything.
5. We are going to Scotland so we MUST study
English.
6. I HAVE TO work every day since 8:00 AM.
7. She can’t see well, so she HAS TO wear glasses.

13. USED TO…/BE USED TO…
 Used to: (solía…)
1. Es un verbo regular, es el pasado de USE TO,
se utiliza para expresar acciones que ocurrían
frecuentemente en el pasado pero no en el
presente.
2. Al ser regular, utiliza DID en preguntas y
DIDN’T en negaciones
I used to play football when I was younger
Did you use to wake up early when you went to
school?

14. USED TO…/BE USED TO…
 Be used to: (estar acostumbrado a…)
1. Aquí USED es un adjetivo.
2. Se forma con el verbo TO BE + USED TO
3. El verbo to be puede ir en cualquier tiempo y
forma
I can wake up at 7:00, I am used to wake up
early.
He had hard times in New Your, he wasn’t used to
so many people.

15. USED TO…/BE USED TO…
 Exercise. Complete the sentences with used to
or Be used to (in the correct form)
1. She ______ to cook herself, so she always
bought fast food.
2. I ______ watch TV a lot, but now I don’t watch it
too much.
3. They didn’t like the new neighbours, they ______
to live with noises around.
4. Did you _____ to smoke when you were sixteen?
5. I enjoy reading and I _______ to read every day,
so I’m not afraid of the reading part of the exam.

16. USED TO…/BE USED TO…
 Exercise. Complete the sentences with used to
or Be used to (in the correct form)
1. She WASN’T USED to cook herself, so she
always bought fast food.
2. I USED TO watch TV a lot, but now I don’t watch
it too much.
3. They didn’t like the new neighbours, they
WEREN’T USED to live with noises around.
4. Did you USED to smoke when you were sixteen?
5. I enjoy reading and I AM USED to read every
day, so I’m not afraid of the reading part of the
exam.

17. Thank you for your attention!