2. What are modal verbs?
They are:
can
could
might
may
must
shall
should
will
would
ought to
They are auxiliary verbs
that provide additional and
specific meaning to the
main verb of the sentence.
3. How do we use modals?
S V
M
Example: Mary could play the piano.
4. Form
There is no “s” in singular.
There is no “do”/”does” in the question.
There is no “don’t”/doesn't in the
negative
He can ski
He cans ski or He can skis
Would you like to come with me?
Do you would like to come with me?
They can’t be serious. They don’t can be serious.
5. Form
Modal verbs do not have infinitives or – ing form.
to can/ caning to must/ musting
Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without to.
She must study.
We should have gone the other way.
He could play football in his youth. (general ability)
6. Modal verbs do not have all the
tenses.
Form
Modal verbs use other verbs to complete
the tenses
Can is completed with be able to
Must is completed with have to
7. What do they express?
They can have more than one meaning depending on
the situations.
To understand it better we are going to divide them into
3 categories
1. Single concept modal: they have one meaning
2. Double concept modal: they have two meanings
3. Modals in past: They are used to express a situation
in the past
9. Single Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
Will Future Juan will travel to Hongkong next
week.
Might Small probability I might move to London some
day.
Should Recommendation You should go to the dentist.
Ought to Formal Recommendation We ought to know about first aids.
Had better Warning I had better study, or I will fail the
test.
10. Double Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
May (1) Permission May I come in?
May (2) Good probability We may visit Baguio this summer.
Must (1) Responsibility Everyone must pay taxes.
Must (2) Assumption She didn't arrive. She must be
sick.
Would (1) Past (used to) When I was young, I would play
tennis.
Would (2) Present unreal I would buy the car, but I can’t
afford it.
11. Double Concept Modal
Modal Concept Examples
Shall (1) Educated Expression offer Excuse me, I shall go now.
Shall I clean it?
Shall (2) Contractual Obligation The company shall pay on
January 1st.
Could (1) Unreal Ability I could go if I had time.
Could (2) Past Ability She could play the piano, not
anymore.
Can (1) Present Ability We can speak English.
Can (2) Permission Can I have a sweet?
12. Probability/Possibi
lity
Ability Permission Obligation/Advise Offers
can I can play the
piano.
Can I go out tonight?
can’t She can’t be her
mom, She’s too
young.
I can’t speak
German.
Can I borrow the
car? No, I can’t.
might It might rain
tomorrow.
could It could rain
tomorrow
I could already
read when I was
two.
Could I see your
passport please, Sir
May It may rain
tomorrow.
May I leave the
table?
must She must be his
sister because they
look alike.
You must leave before the
clock strikes twelve.
Have to I have to study tonight.
Shall You shall pay on Tuesday. Shall I help you.
Should/ought to You should see it, It’s
excellent.
Had better I had better sleep last night.
13. Modals in the Past
They are modals referred to actions that happened in the pa
Modals + Have + verb in past participle
It must have been a difficult decision.
They should have invited her to their wedding.
14. Modal Perfect Uses Examples
MUST HAVE +Past Participle We use Must have + PP to draw a
conclusion about something
happened in the past
He must have got into trouble.
Should/ ought to have + Past
Participle
We use should have + past
participle to talk about an
expectation that something
happened , has happened or will
happen.
He should have been home by
now.
He should have got into trouble.
May/ Might Have + Perfect Infinitive The structure may / might +
perfect infinitive is used to talk
about the possibility that something
happened in the past. It could also
be used to say that something was
true in the past.
Ann hasn’t arrived yet.’
‘She may have missed the
train.’ (= It is possible that she
missed the train.)
‘What was that noise?’ ‘It might
have been an airplane.’
Could Have + Past Participle Could have + past participle means
that something was possible in
the past, or you had the ability to do
something in the past, but that you
didn't do it.
I could have stayed up late, but I
decided to go to bed early.
Can’t have/Couldn't Have + Past can't have and couldn't have + past She can't have driven there. Her car
15. Modal Perfect Uses Examples
Would have
Would have has two common
structures. The first is with but. a
structure to show that you wanted to
do something in the past, but you
could not. Would have also forms
the result clause of a past unreal
conditional. You can always reverse
conditional sentences. If would
have comes first, there is no
comma.
I would have called, but there
was no phone service.
If I had known they
were vegetarians, I would have
made a salad.
I would have made a salad if I
had known they were
vegetarians.
Should have/shouldn't have The structure should
have and shouldn’t have is used to
reflect, show empathy or regret.
He should have gone to bed early
instead of playing video games with
his friends.
He shouldn’t have hung around
with his friends every day instead of
studying.
Need not have/needn't have The modal verb need has no past
tense, but it can be used in the
pattern need not have/needn't have
You needn't have waited for me.
Martha worked all the weekend to
