This document provides information about modal verbs and semi-modal verbs in English. It discusses what makes modal verbs special grammatically, how they are used to express meanings like ability, permission, obligation, and more. It also covers modal verbs in the past tense and semi-modal verbs like be able to and have to. Examples are provided to illustrate the present and past uses of different modal verbs. The document aims to explain key rules and uses of modal verbs for English language learners.

1. 2n Batxillerat. Unit 2
Modal Verbs
Semi-modal Verbs

2. 2n Batxillerat. Unit 2
CONTENTS
1.Modals and semi-modals. Why are they special?
2.Modal verbs in the past
3.What do modal verbs express? Double
meanings.
4.Important points to remember.
5.Example sentences. Exercise

3. • Can
• Could
• Must
• May
• Might
• Should /ought
to
• Needn’t
Modal Verbs.
Which?

4. • Can
• Could
• Must
• May
• Might
• Should /ought
to
• Needn’t
Modal Verbs.
Which?
Semi-modal
Verbs. Which?
• Be able to
• Have to

5. Modal Verbs. What makes them
special?
 He can speak
English.
 She shouldn’t
smoke.
 Fake medicines
may contain toxic
ingredients.

6. Modal Verbs. What makes them
special?
 He can speak
English.
 She shouldn’t
smoke.
 Fake medicines
may contain toxic
ingredients.
 They are auxiliary
verbs that give
additional meaning to
the main verb.
 They do not need any
otheraux. verbs.
 They do not accept
conjugation
 They are followed by an
infinitive without to.

7. Modal Verbs. What makes them
special?
Modal verbs do not have all tenses. They use
otherverbs to complete the tenses.
Can is completed with be able to
Must is completed with have to

8. Semi-modal Verbs. What makes themspecial?
They are called semi-modal because:

9. Semi-modal Verbs. What makes themspecial?
They are called semi-modal because:
They use auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions
•Do you have to go?
•They don’t have to wear a uniform

10. Semi-modal Verbs. What makes themspecial?
They are called semi-modal because:
They use auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions
•Do you have to go?
•They don’t have to wear a uniform
There is S-V agreement in 3rd person singular
•He has to study more.
•She will be able to finish her exam. (to be!)

11. Semi-modal Verbs. What makes themspecial?
They are called semi-modal because:
They use auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions
•Do you have to go?
•They don’t have to wear a uniform
There is S-V agreement in 3rd person singular
•He has to study more.
•She will be able to finish her exam. (to be!)
They are followed by to+Infinitive

12. Semi-modal Verbs. What makes themspecial?
They are called semi-modal because:
They use auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions
•Do you have to go?
•They don’t have to wear a uniform
There is S-V agreement in 3rd person singular
•He has to study more.
•She will be able to finish her exam. (to be!)
They are followed by to+Infinitive
They can express tense
•We didn’t have to wait a long time (past)
•They will be able to understand her reasons (future)
•He had to tell the police the truth (past)
•I have never been able to remember a joke (present perfect)

13. • She wants to get good marks so she must
study hard.
• You should visit the museum.
What about PAST situations?
Modal Verbs usually referto the present
orfuture...

14. • He might have given a statement, but I’m
not sure.
• The jury must have made a decision very
easily, they only took half an hour.
• You’re getting very good marks, she must
have studied hard.
Modal Verbs in the
PAST
They are modal forms that refer to actions
that happened in the past.
MODAL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

15. What do they express?
Meaning
Some can have more than one meaning
depending on the situations

16. What do they express?
Present and Future Past
1. Ability Can/ Can’t / be able
to
Could (general ability) (podia)
Could (n’t) have +pp (unrealised
past ability) (hagués pogut)
2. Permission Can
Could (more polite)
May (more formal)
Could (somebody had permission to
do something in the past at any
time)
3. Advice
Suggestion
Should(n’t)
Ought (n’t) to
Must
Should(n’t) have + pp
Ought (n’t) to + have +pp
Could (n’t) have +pp
4. Obligation Must (internal)
Have to (external)
Had to
5. Lackof
obligation
Don’t have to (no has
de, no hi ha
obligació)
Didn’t have to (a past activity wasn’t
necessary but we don’t know if it
happened)

17. What do they express?
Present and Future Past
6. Lackof
necessity
Needn’t
(informal: don’t need to)
(no fa falta que)
Needn’t have + pp (a past
activity happened but it wasn’t
necessary)
7. Prohibition Mustn’t ---
8. Positive
deduction
must Must have + pp
9. Negative
deduction
Can’t can’t / couldn’t have + pp
10. Possibility,
speculation
and deduction
Could(n’t)
May (not) (+)
Might (not) (-)
Could (n’t) have +pp
May (not) have + pp
Might (not) have +pp

18. What do they express?
Some can have more than one meaning
depending on the situations
More than one meaning
Must Obligation
Strong advice
deduction
Can Ability
Permission
Can’t Negative ability
Negative deduction
Could Permission
Possibility, speculation
Advice
May Permission
Possibility / speculation

19. POINTS TO
REMEMBER:

20. POINTS TO
REMEMBER:
 Need as a modal verb is used mainly in negative, has no –s in the third
person singular, needs no auxiliaries. He needn’t wear a tie.
Informal spoken English. He doesn’t need to wear a tie.

21. POINTS TO
REMEMBER:
 Need as a modal verb is used mainly in negative, has no –s in the third
person singular, needs no auxiliaries. He needn’t wear a tie.
Informal spoken English. He doesn’t need to wear a tie.
 Must (internal obligation)
Have to (rules,..)
Must in the past = had to

22. POINTS TO
REMEMBER:
 Need as a modal verb is used mainly in negative, has no –s in the third
person singular, needs no auxiliaries. He needn’t wear a tie.
 The meaning of modal verbs can change when they are used in
affirmative or negative.
I have to take an exam tomorrow
You don’t have to take this exam.
Informal spoken English. He doesn’t need to wear a tie.
 Must (internal obligation)
Have to (rules,..)
Must in the past = had to

23. POINTS TO
REMEMBER:
 Don’t have to = lack of obligation (no has de)
Needn’t = lack of necessity (no fa falta que)
Didn’t have to (no sabem si va passar)
Needn’t have + pp ( sí que va passar)
 Need as a modal verb is used mainly in negative, has no –s in the third
person singular, needs no auxiliaries. He needn’t wear a tie.
 The meaning of modal verbs can change when they are used in
affirmative or negative.
I have to take an exam tomorrow
You don’t have to take this exam.
Informal spoken English. He doesn’t need to wear a tie.
 Must (internal obligation)
Have to (rules,..)
Must in the past = had to

24. Example sentences. Present
Writetheexamplesentences:
1 . It co uld rain late r, lo o k at the sky.
2. He m ig ht no t be inte re ste d in fo o tballanym o re
3. Yo u m ust watch this film . It’s hilario us.
4. Ican play the piano and I’llso o n be able to play the
g uitar.
5. Yo u m ustn’t take liq uids o n plane s.
6 . Im ust study harde r if Iwant to pass m y e xam s
7 . Yo u do n’t have to answe r if yo u do n’t want to .
8 . She can’t be the lawye r; she didn’t g o to unive rsity!
9 . Ihave to take the e xam o n Mo nday
1 0 . Yo u sho uldn’t e at in that re staurant; the fo o d is te rrible

25. Example sentences. Past
Writetheexamplesentences:
1 . Yo u ne e dn’t have rushe d, the train has alre ady le ft.
2. Yo u sho uld have to ld m e yo u’d be arriving late .
3. Miriam can’t have be e n a m e m be r o f the jury, she was
o nly 1 5 at the tim e .
4. He m ig ht have g ive n a state m e nt but I’m no t sure .
5. Yo u didn’t have to co m e .
6 . She co uld re ad whe n she was 4.
7 . Iwas so ang ry Ico uld have kille d he r.
8 . The jury m ust have m ade a de cisio n e asily, the y o nly
to o k half an ho ur.
9 . He had to save half his salary e ve ry m o nth to pay fo r his
car.