MODALS - INTRODUCTION

MODAL VERBS can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will and would:

are always used before another verb in its infinitive form without to: He can swim.

never change – they do not add –s, or –ed or –ing.

are immediately followed by not in the negative: You should not (shouldn’t) be late.

go immediately before the subject in a question: Could you wake me up?

OBLIGATION AND NECESSITY

PRESENT: must and have to I must/have to go now or I’ll miss the bus.

We only use must in the present tense. In all other tenses we use have to:I had to work every day last week. (past simple)I will have to work longer hours. (future)

When something is unnecessary we use don’t have to, or needn’t (NOT mustn’t): You don’t have to / needn’t take your shoes off inside, but you can if you want to.

Mustn’t is a prohibition (when it’s wrong to do it, it isn’t allowed): You mustn’t smoke inside.

PERMISSION, REQUESTS AND OFFERS

PERMISSION: Can I sit here? Could I borrow your phone? (more polite) May I sit here? (more formal)

REQUESTS (asking someone else to do something): Can you / Will you pass me the salt? Could you tell me where the station is? (more polite) Would you lend me your camera? (more polite)

OFFERS (offering help to someone else) Can I help you?

ADVICE

You should / ought to start looking for a job.

Should and ought to mean the same but we use should more than ought to, especially in negative forms and questions:They shouldn’t let their children watch that.What should I do?

When we talk about the past , we use should + have + past participle

I should have told the truth (= it was a good idea but I didn’t)

ABILITY

How many languages can you speak?

He could read when he was three.

She was able to finish on time.

She managed to finish on time

You will be able to operate the machinery at the end of this course.

CAN - present ability

COULD - past ability in general

WAS/WERE ABLE TO orMANGED TO – specific occasion in the past (not COULD)

WILL BE ABLE TO – future ability

DEDUCTION: CERTAINTY AND POSSIBILITY I haven’t seen the

neighbours all week. They must be away.

The man in the photo can’t be Peter because he never wears a hat.

The letter might be / may be / could be from Tony.She might come and see you tomorrow.

Ed may not know how to find our house.

MUST – certainty

CAN’T – impossibility

MIGHT / MAY / COULD – present and future possibility

we use MAY NOT and MIGHT NOT in negative sentences, not COULD NOT

TALKING ABOUT THE PAST

I can’t find my keys. I must have left them at home.

He can’t/couldn’t have got there yet because it will take at least two weeks.

I’m not sure what sort of bird it was that I saw, but it may/might/could have been an eagle.

MUST / CAN’T / COULDN’T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE – when we are certain about the situations in the past

MAY / MIGHT / COULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE – possibilities in the past

CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

What time will you be home tonight? – I’m not sure. I _____ late.a) might be b) can be

I can’t find the theatre tickets. They _________ out of my pocket.a) must have fallen b) should have fallen

Somebody ran in front of the car as I was driving. Fortunately I _________ just in time.a) could have stopped b) managed to stop

We’ve got plenty of time. We ___________ yet.a) mustn’t leave b) needn’t leave

I __________ out but I didn’t feel like it, so I stayed at home.a) could have gone b) must have gone

I’m sorry I __________ come to your party last week.a) couldn’t come b) shouldn’t come

CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

What do you think of my theory? - I’m not sure. You ______ right.a) could be b) must be

I couldn’t wait for you any longer. I __________, and so I went.a) must go b) had to go

Do you know where Liz is? – No, I suppose she ______ shopping.a) should have gone b) could have gone

I promised I’d phone Gary this evening. I _________.a) mustn’t forget b) don’t have to forget

Why did you leave without me? You _______ for me.a) must have waited b) should have waited

You look nice in that jacket, but you hardly ever wear it. _________ it more often.a) should wear b) must have worn