This document defines and provides examples of common modal verbs in English. It discusses how modal verbs differ from regular verbs in terms of conjugation. The modal verbs covered include can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would, have to, have got to, had better, and must. Examples are provided to illustrate the different meanings and uses of each modal verb. Common uses include expressing ability, permission, possibility, necessity, obligation, advice, and more. Exercises with multiple choice questions are also included to reinforce understanding of modal verb usage.

1. MODAL VERBS

2. What are Modal Verbs?
Modal verbs are special verbs which behave very
differently from normal verbs. Here are some
important differences:
1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third person.
Examples:
He can speak Chinese.
She should be here by 9:00.
2. You use "not" to make modal verbs negative,
even in Simple Present and Simple Past.
Examples:
He should not be late.
They might not come to the party.

3. 3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the
past tenses or the future tenses.
Examples:
He will can go with us. Not Correct
She musted study very hard. Not Correct
Common Modal Verbs
Can - Could -May – Might – Must - Ought
to - Shall Should - Will - Would

4. Can
"Can" is one of the most common modal verbs in
English. It can be used to express ability or
opportunity, to request or offer permission, and
to show possibility or impossibility.
Examples:
I can ride a horse. ability
We can stay with my brother when we are in
Paris. opportunity
She cannot stay out after 10 PM. permission
Can you hand me the stapler? request
Any child can grow up to be president.possibility
He can’t be that old. Impossibility

5. Could
"Could" is used to express possibility or past ability
as well as to make suggestions and requests.
"Could" is also commonly used in conditional
sentences as the conditional form of "can."
Examples:
Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city.
Possibility in the past
Nancy could ski like a pro by the age of 11. past ability
You could see a movie or go out to dinner. suggestion
Could I use your computer to email my boss? request
We could go on the trip if I didn't have to work this
weekend. 2nd conditional

6. Had Better
"Had better" is most commonly used to make
recommendations. It can also be used to
express desperate hope as well as warn
people.
Examples:
You had better take your umbrella with you
today. recommendation
That bus had better get here soon! desperate hope
You had better watch the way you talk to me in
the future! warning
"Had better" is often simply pronounced as
"better" in spoken English.

7. Have To
"Have to" is used to express certainty, necessity, and obligation.
Examples:
This answer has to be correct. (I am certain about it…) - certainty
The soup has to be stirred continuously to prevent burning. (it’s not
necessary…) - necessity
They have to leave early.( they are obliged…for some reason)
obligation
REMEMBER: "Do not have to" vs. "Must not"
"Do not have to" suggests that someone is not required to do
something.
"Must not" suggests that you are prohibited from doing something.
Examples:
You must not eat that. It is forbidden, it is not allowed.
You don't have to eat that. You can if you want to, but it is not
necessary.

8. Have Got To
"Have got to" is used to express necessity
and obligation.
Examples:
Drivers have got to get a license to drive
a car in the US. (it’s necessary, otherwise…) -
necessity
I have got to be at work by 8:30 AM.(you
are obliged to…) obligation

9. May
"May" is most commonly used to express
possibility. It can also be used to give or
request permission, although this usage is
becoming less common.
Examples:
Cheryl may be at home, or perhaps at work. (… or
may be not…mmm… ) - possibility
Johnny, you may (=can) leave the table when you
have finished your dinner. give permission
May I use your bathroom? (Can I use… more politely) -
request permission

10. Might
"Might" is most commonly used to express possibility. It is also often
used in conditional sentences. English speakers can also use
"might" to make suggestions or requests, although this is less
common in American English.
Examples:
Your purse might be in the living room.- possibility
If I didn't have to work, I might go with you. - conditional
You might visit the botanical gardens during your visit. suggestion
Might I borrow your pen? request
REMEMBER: "Might not" vs. "Could not"
 "Might not" suggests you do not know if something happens.
"Could not" suggests that it is impossible for something to happen.
Examples:
Jack might not have the key. Maybe he does not have the key.
Jack could not have the key. It is impossible that he has the key.

11. Must
"Must" is most commonly used to express certainty. It can also be
used to express necessity or strong recommendation, although
native speakers prefer the more flexible form "have to." "Must not"
can be used to prohibit actions, but this sounds very severe;
speakers prefer to use softer modal verbs such as "should not" or
"ought not".
Examples:
This must be the right address! certainty
Students must pass an entrance examination to study at this
school. necessity
You must take some medicine for that cough. strong recommendation
Jenny, you must not play in the street! prohibition
REMEMBER: "Must not" vs. "Do not have to"
"Must not" suggests that you are prohibited from doing something.
"Do not have to" suggests that someone is not required to do
something.
Examples:
You must not eat that. It is forbidden, it is not allowed.
You don't have to eat that. You can if you want to, but it is not
necessary.

12. Modal Verbs Exercise
must - have to
1. I …………….be at the meeting by 10:00. I will…………………. probably take
a taxi if I want to be on time.
2. You…………………. submit the application if it has not been completely
filled out. Check that the name, address, and background information are
correct. If the form is not accurate and complete, you will……………… be
rejected and you will reapply at a later date.
3. Tina: Look at these flowers - they're beautiful! But, there's no card. Who
could have sent them?
Stephanie: It……………………… have been David. He's the only one who
would send you flowers.
4. You ……………………forget to pay the rent tomorrow. The landlord is
very strict about paying on time.
5. You……………………… be so rude! Why don't you try saying "please"
once in a while.
6. If you are over 18 in California, you …………………..take a driver training
course to get a driver's license. You can have a friend or a family member
teach you instead. But remember, you ………………………..still get your
permit before you start practicing.

13. Ought To
"Ought to" is used to advise or make recommendations.
"Ought to" also expresses assumption or expectation
as well as strong probability, often with the idea that
something is deserved. "Ought not" (without "to") is
used to advise against doing something, although
Americans prefer the less formal forms "should not" or
"had better not."
Examples:
You ought to stop smoking. recommendation
Jim ought to get the promotion. It is expected because
he deserves it.
This stock ought to increase in value. probability
Mark ought not drink so much. advice against
something (notice there is no "to")

14. Notice "Ought not"
Instead of "ought not to," we say "ought not." "Ought not"
is more commonly used in British English. Americans
prefer "should not."
Examples:
You ought not smoke so much.
She ought not take such risks while skiing.
They ought not carry so much cash while traveling.

15. Shall
"Shall" is used to indicate future action. It is often
found in suggestions, such as "Shall we go?"
"Shall" is also frequently used in promises or
voluntary actions. In formal English, the use of
"shall" to describe future events often expresses
inevitability or predestination.
Examples:
Shall I help you? suggestion
I shall never forget where I came from. promise
He shall become our next king. predestination
I'm afraid Mr. Smith shall become our new
director. inevitability

16. Should
"Should" is most commonly used to make
recommendations or give advice. It can also
be used to express obligation as well as
expectation.
Examples:
When you go to Berlin, you should visit the
palaces in Potsdam. (I recomment you to visit…)-
recommendation
You should focus more on your family and less
on work. advice
I really should be in the office by 7:00 AM.
obligation
By now, they should already be in Dubai.
expectation

17. Modal Verbs Exercise
can could have to must might should
1.Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He
…………………………be exhausted after such a long flight. He
…………………………prefer to stay in tonight and get some rest.
2. If you want to get a better feeling for how the city is laid out, you
…………………..walk downtown and explore the waterfront.
3. Hiking the trail to the peak…………………. be dangerous if you are
not well prepared for dramatic weather changes. You
…………………..research the route a little more before you attempt
the ascent.
4. When you have a small child in the house, you
……………………..leave small objects lying around. Such
objects…………………. be swallowed, causing serious injury or
even death.
5. Dave: ……………….you hold your breath for more than a minute?
Nathan: No, I can't.

18. 6. Jenny's engagement ring is enormous! It ………………have cost a
fortune.
7. Please make sure to water my plants while I am gone. If they
don't get enough water, they………………… die.
8. I …………………..speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we
lived in Egypt. 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.
9. The book is optional. My professor said we ………………read it if we
needed extra credit. But we …………………..read it if we don't want
to.
10. Leo: Where is the spatula? It ………………be in this drawer but it's
not here.
Nancy: I just did a load of dishes last night and they're still in the
dish washer. It……………… be in there. That's the only other place
it ………………………be.

19. Will
"Will" is used with promises or voluntary
actions that take place in the future. "Will"
can also be used to make predictions
about the future.
Examples:
I promise that I will write you every single
day. promise
I will make dinner tonight. voluntary action
He thinks it will rain tomorrow. prediction

20. Would
"Would" is most commonly used to create
conditional verb forms.
It also serves as the past form of the modal
verb "will."
 "would" can indicate repetition in the past.
Examples:
If he were an actor, he would be in adventure
movies. conditional
I knew that she would be very successful in her
career. past of "will"
When they first met, they would always have
picnics on the beach. repetition

21. Multiple Choice Exercise
could – might – should – would
1.Donna: If I won the ten million dollar lottery jackpot, I
……………………afford to quit my job and travel the
world.
Sam: Where ………………….you go if you had that
much money?
Donna: I don't know, I ……………..choose to spend a
year in Paris - or perhaps I …………………..go to Kenya.
Sam: How often do you buy lottery tickets?
Donna: Never... I guess if I want to win the lottery,
I……………. try buying some tickets.
Sam: That……………….. help.

22. Modal Forms
Modal Simple-I could swim at the beach.
Modal Continuous - I could be swimming at the beach right now.
Modal Perfect - I could have swum at the beach yesterday.
Modal Perfect Continuous - I could have been swimming at the beach
instead of working in the office.
Passive Modal Simple -The room should be cleaned once a day.
Passive Modal Continuous - The room should be being cleaned now.
Passive Modal Perfect - The room should have been cleaned
yesterday.
Passive Modal Perfect Continuous - The room should have been
being cleaned but nobody was there. (Rare form)