1. Prepared by:Asma Askaoui
Meriem Ait Hemmou
Supervised by: Jennifer EVANS
Youssef Tamer

3. Characteristics explanation examples
of modals
Characteristics ofmay’’and
Contraction with Except ‘’ He shouldn’t tell her.
modals:
not ‘’shall’’ all modals *She mayn’t come.
can contract with not
Subject-aux Modals undergo Can you give me your
inversion subject-aux attention?
inversion in yes/no
question
Repetition in A.Repetition in You think she will not
retorts and in retorts: succeed? well, she will
tag question In retorts, modals
are repeated with
primary stress Amal can’t come, can she?
B. Repetition in tag
questions:
A modal verb in the
stem appears in
the tag
Invariant form Modals do not take *he cans do that.
the present tense-s *she canned forget it.
ending or the past
tense-ed ending.

4. Types of modals:
Modals can be classified according to form and
according to meaning.
Modals can be classified into 3 categories according
to their forms:
Pure modals Marginal modals semimodals
Can Dare Be going to
Could Need Be supposed to
May Ought to Had better
Might Had best
Must Have got to
Shall Have to
Should
Will
would

5. 1.Except ‘’may ‘’, pure modals display the four characteristics
(contraction, inversion, repetition in retorts and tags, and
invariant form)
2.Marginal modals display only 2 characteristics; contraction with
not and subject-aux inversion.
Eg;*he need to go. He needs to go.
3. Semimodals are fixed idiomatic expressions begining with
have, had or be. Semimodals are not invariant.
He has to apologise
They have to apologise

6. Modals can be classified into 3 categories according to
their meaning:
 Basic meaning of modals:
1. Modals of ability, permission and possibility: can, could,
may and might.
2. Modals of advice and necessity: must, should, dare,
need, have to, had better, had best, have got to, ought
to, and be supposed to.
3. Modals for expressing future time: shall, will, would,
and be going to.
 Extended meanings of modals are determined by the
context.

8. The modals of ability, permission and possibility are all pure modals.
CAN:
‘’Can’’ expresses the following basic meanings:
 Ability:
Youness can make the datashow work.
 Permission:
Can i leave now?
you can ask for more clarification.
 Possibility: Your dreams can Be fulfilled.
CAN has several extended meanings:
 Admonition: You can’t tell her! The shock would kill her.
 Speculation: Now, who can be calling at this hour?
 Disbelief: He didn’t pass the exam? That can’t be possible! He is
always top of the class.

9. COULD:
‘’could’’ expresses the following basic meanings:
 Ability: The old man said ‘’ when i was healthy i could
run very fast’’.
 Permission: Could i use your laptop?
 Possibility: It could rain today.
COULD has several extended meanings:
 speculation. Mrs Jennifer could be in room 57, but i’am
not sure.
 Regret. Amal could have presented business English
presentation, but she was very sick.

10. Disbeliefs: couldn’t have expresses disbelief about a past event or
action.
- Nouhaila couldn’t have insulted you. She is well educated.
 Suggestion or implied criticism: could and could have are used to:
1. Advise someone to do something.
-if you don’t understand modal verbs, you could ask Asma for
clarification.
2. Show criticism of a person’s behavior.
-He could have knocked before he came in.

11. MAY: expresses possibility and permission.
 possibility: He may be the winner.
 permission. May i help you?
you may leave now.
MIGHT: expresses possibility as basic meaning.
- she might come.
Might expresse as extended meaning:
 Speculation: Brahim might have met soumia in library, but i
think he was not free
 Suggestion: you might try filipping that switch and see what
happens.
 Implied criticism: Youness might have at least informed me
about the make-up class.
 Permission in formal request: might i ask you a favor?

13.  Should :
1) Advice : should expresses
recommendations based on the speaker’s
subjective judgment.
-Drivers should obey the speed limit.
-That’s a very deep wound ,you should see a
doctor immediately.

14. Extended meanings
1)Inferred probability:
should can express probability based on the
evidence present at the moment of speaking.
-It’s 9:00 the bus should come by any minute
now.
 should have can also express surprise.
-the bus should have been here 10minutes
ago.I wonder what’s holding it up.

15. 2)Reproach or reprimand:
 Should have expresses these meanings about
actions taken or not taken.
Example :
-Aziz should have been more careful ,but
he was driving recklessly ,as usual.

16.  Must :
1)Necessity and obligation:
 Necessity can be internal when it springs
from an internal desire.
-I have decided not to pursue a career in law.
I feel very strongly that i will be happier as a
teacher. This is my destiny and i must pursue
it.

17.  Necessity can be external ,if external
circumstances that create the compulsion.
-you must fulfill the terms of your contract or
else we will take you to court.

18. 2)prohibition: it is expressed by the use of
« must not »
-you must not have any further contact with
that person.
-you must not leave the country or your
parole will be revoked

19.  Must not can also express obligation ,
meaning that an action must not be done .
 -you must not forget to turn off the gas
before you leave the house.
 Must not is never used to convey « it is not
necessary »
-You must not answer every question on the
exam.*
- You need not/don’t have to answer every
question on the exam.

20. 3)Minimal requirement or condition: (meaning
at least)
-you must have a BA in English studies to
apply for TEFL and ICT master program .

21. Extended meanings:
1)Inferred probability:
 Must expresses inferred probability or
supposition.
-wow ,you pronounced that perfectly!you must
be French.
-well ,judging from her apprearance ,she must
be rich.

22. 2)Polite insistence :
 Must is used to express polite insistence in
invitations and apologies.
-You must visit us this weekend .I insist on it
.

24. judge :you must not drive your car for three
months.if you do,you will be arrested .(prohibition)
1_she must get a B on this exam if she if she wants
to pass the class.
2_(hearing the door open )that should be Mom.
3_we must contact him before he leaves for
Thailand.
4_you should get some rest .You look tired.
5_you mustn’t forget to take out the trash with you.
6_you should have lent him the money .He’s your
best friend,you know.

25.  Correction :
 1_minimal requirement or condition
 2_inferred probability
 3_necessity or obligation
 4_advice
 5_necessity or obligation
 6_reproach or reprimand

26. Marginal modals and
Semimodals of advice
and necessity

27. Marginal modals and semimodals all (except be going to) have meanings
related to necessity and advice.
A. Marginal modals:
1- DARE
• Dare expresses the basic meaning of advice. It appears only in
questions and negative statements.
- Dare i hurry up? (British English)
• Dare expresses in negative statements the extended meaning of:
Admonition: you dare not ignore this cough.
Impossibility: i dare not tell my mother about this.
2- NEED
• Need expresses the basic meaning of necessity.
You need to do your assignment.
• Need expresses the extended meaning of advice.
• you need to see a doctor.

28. 3-OUGHT TO
• Ought to expresses the basic meaning of advice
• ikram ought to be more careful with her
motocycle.
• Ought to expresses the extended meaning of:
Inferred probability:
-I ought to be able to read your hand writing.
Reproach or reprimand:
-you ought to have forgiven him. After all, he apologized

29. A. Semimodals
1- HAD BETTER and HAD BEST
Had better :
For advice. You had better take your
umbrella. It’s raining outside
For warning. You’d better do your
job well, or you will be dismissed.
Had best :
For advice. You’d best consult your wife
before making any decision.

30. 2- HAVE TO
Have to expresses the basic meaning of necessity or
obligation.
The time is not enough that i have to hurry up
Amal was so sick that we had to visit her.
Have to expresses the extended meaning of :
inferred probability: Sophia has to be very happy.
She will go to MARRAKECH.
polite insistence: Ait lmadani has to forgive us. We
are taking a long time

32. will:
1)Future time ,prediction: will+main
verb=future time .
Example:
-sarah will postgraduate in one or two
years.(future)
-they will go on to win tomorrow.(prediction)

33. Extended meanings:
1)Volition:
Will can express volition which is the internal
desire of the speaker.
Example:
-I will leave tomorrow no matter what you
want me to do.
- I promise we will overcome all the hardship.

34. 2)Inferred probability:
Will can be used to express inferred
probability , particularly about the immediate
future.
-That will be MR Rayan.He always arrives
promptly at 8:00.

35. 3)Requests(polite alternatives to commands):
-will you step into my office for a second?
-will you move your car a bite to the left?

36. Shall:
1)Future time:
 Shall is used to express a prediction about
the future.
-It appears that this play shall be a great
success.British English
-It appears that his play will be a great
success. American English

37. Extended meanings:
1)Volition:
 Shall is used to express a strong volition .
- We shall overcome these difficulties and go
on to win.
- The person who committed this terrible crime
shall be punished.

38. 2)Suggestions and requests for advice:
 Shall expresses requests for advice, when it
is used with first person pronouns in
questions,or it may also be a suggestion.
-Shall I tell him now or later?
-the weather is beautiful today .Shall we go to
the beach?

39. Would:
1)Prediction in the past ;future in the past:
 Would is used to talk about future predictions
made in the past .
-I think it will rain any minute.
-I thought it would rain any minute.

40.  Extended meaninngs:
1)Regular action in the past:
Would is used to descride a regularly occuring
action in the past
-when I was a child ,my father would read me a
story at night before bedtime.

41. 2)Hypothetical results:
would is the modal that indicates hypothetical
results in conditional sentences.
-if you listened more carefully ,you would get
bettre grades.

42. 3)Inferred probability:
Would can be used to express inferred
probability .
-That would be Meriem
4)Polite requests:
-Would you please stop talking so loudly ?we
are trying to study.

43. Be going to :
1)Future time :planned action
 It is used to indicate planned future action
-I’m going to leave a little after seven o’clock.(I
plan to leave a little after seven o’clock.)

44. 2)Future Time :Immediate Imminent action
Be going to is used when speaking about an
action that appears to be immediately
imminent or has already started.
-Look out we’re going to hit that car!

46.  ESL/EFL students commit three basic problems
when mearning English modal verbs.
Following modals with infinitives (Spanish)
 when learning to use English modals, spanish
speakers will frequently use an infinitive after the
modal.
 you should to go to the cinema two times a week*.
 You should go to the movies to times a week.

47. Incorrect use of must not (GERMAN)
 Some ESL/EFL students incorrectly use must
not to indicate that something is not is not
necessary.
 But we must not absolutely on foot go*.
 But we don’t really have to walk.

48. Selecting an inappropriate modal (Korean):
 Korean speakers may often choose a modal that
does not seem appropriate for a given context.
 In conclusion, shopping must be short and simple.
(advice)
 In conclusion, shopping should be short and
simple.

50.  In this activity you are required to write a short paragraph
about a past experience that you regret now. Use modals to
express what you could have done before falling in trouble.
 Example:
 I could have succeeded if i had prepared well for the national
exam. I had to respond to my parents and teachers’ routine
advice ( you must revise your lessons regularly if you want to
succeed; you had better work in group to improve your
English…..). Alas! it’s too late and there is nothing i can do
now . Oh!! What a shame!