Uses of all the modals

1. Presenter: Dra. Marcia Criollo V.

2. ABILITY
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
•Can
•Be able to
•ability
Can
Can’t
Certainty
(Assumption)
can’t (negative)
MODAL
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES
•Could
•General
ability
•Particular
situation in
the past
completed
succesfully
Could /couldn’t
I could swim when I was six (general
ability)
I was able to swim to safety (ability in a
particular situation)
As a millonaire, he was able to spend what
he liked.
•To suggest a
degree of
difficulty
Managed to
•Be able to
•Managed
to
Am/is/are able
to
Was/were be
able to
FUTURE
EXAMPLES
Will be able to
Can you drive?
I’ll be able to visit you
next week
You can’t be serious!
He can’t be swimming,
the pool is closed
We managed to find the video we wanted
after searching all day.

3. PERMISSION
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
EXAMPLES
Can
Be allowed
to
may
Formal:To ask for and
give permission
Can
Am/is/are
allowed to
You can go to the disco tonight
May I be excused class this afternoon,
please?
I’m not allowed to go out at night
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
PAST
Could
•To ask for permission
when we are not sure
what the answer will be?
Could
•Certainty/Assumption
about the past
•Missed opportunites
Can’t
be/not
allowed to,
may not
Formal: Lack of
permission
Can’t
Certainty/Assumption
in past
EXAMPLES
Could I ask you a favour?
Could
have+VPP
Can’t
be not
allowed to,
may not
That man couldn’t have
commited the crime.
I could have studied harder
for my exams (I didn’t)
I can’t go out tonight
You can’t park here
I’m not allowed to go out
tonight
You may not park here.
Can’t have
*VPP
You can’t have been there?

4. ADVISE
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
EXAMPLES:
Should
Ought to
•Advise
Should (shouldn’t)
Ought to
(ought not to)
You should /ought to wear a
helmet when tou ride your
bike.
Criticize
present
actions
We should take care of our
planet
We ought not to leave rubbish
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES:
•Criticize
past actions
Should
have+VPP
Ought to have
+VPP
You should have done your
homework
You ought not to have stayed
out so late

5. OBLIGATION
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
EXAMPLES
Must
•Strong obligation or
necessity imposed by
the speaker
Must
You must pass your test
before you drive this car
I must revise for the exams.
•Certaninty or
Deduction in present
Must be
You must be joking!
Have to
Have got to
Need to
Strong obligation
imposed by someone
other than the
speaker
have to
Have got /hasn’t
got to
need to
Do we have to fill in this
form?
You need to have a passport
to travel abroad.
MODAL
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES:
Must
•Assumption or
Deduction in past
Must have +VPP
She’s late. She must have missed
the bus.
I must have been sleeping. I
didn’t hear the bell.
Have to
•Past obligation
Had to
We had to stay in after school as
a punishment

6. LACK OF OBLIGATION /NECESSITY
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
FUTURE
EXAMPLES
Don’t have
to/Need to
Needn’t
•Lack of
obligation in
present or
future
Don’t/doesn’t
have to
Don’t/doesn’t
Needn’t
Won’t have to
We don’t have to pay for the
trip. It’s free
They don’t need to pay for the
trip. It’s free
We needn’t pay for the trip. It’s
free.
MODAL
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES
Didn’t need Actions that
weren’t
to
Didn’t need
to
I didn’t need to phone my
fried after all.
MODAL
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES:
Needn’t
Actions which
were done but
weren’t
necessary
Needn’t
have+VPP
You needn’t have come to
meet me. I could have got the
bus.
necessary. We
don’t say if they
were done or
not

7. LACK OF OBLIGATION /NECESSITY
MODAL
USE
PRESENT
FUTURE
EXAMPLES
Don’t have
to/Need to
Needn’t
•Lack of
obligation in
present or
future
Don’t/doesn’t
have to
Don’t/doesn’t
Needn’t
Won’t have to
We don’t have to pay for the
trip. It’s free
They don’t need to pay for the
trip. It’s free
We needn’t pay for the trip. It’s
free.
MODAL
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES
Didn’t need Actions that
weren’t
to
Didn’t need
to
I didn’t need to phone my
fried after all.
MODAL
USE
PAST
EXAMPLES:
Needn’t
Actions which
were done but
weren’t
necessary
Needn’t
have+VPP
You needn’t have come to
meet me. I could have got the
bus.
necessary. We
don’t say if they
were done or
not