MODAL VERBS

- ARE SPECIAL

- BEHAVE IRREGULARLY

- GIVE ADDITIONAL INFO ABOUT THE FUNCTION OF

THE MAIN VERB

- MOST OF THEM NEVER CHANGE THEIR FORM

-ED -ING -S

- ALWAYS FOLLOWED BY BARE INFINITIVE

(TO DRINK)

- ARE USED TO EXPRESS: PERMISSION, ABILITY,

OBBLIGATION, POSSIBILITY, PROHIBITION, (LACK

OF) NECESSITY, ADVICE, PROBABILITY ETC

CAN / COULD / BE ABLE TO

CAN ABILITY (PRESENT) I CAN SWIM

PERMISSION / REQUEST CAN I HAVE A BISCUIT,

PLEASE?

POSSIBILITY SMOKING CAN CAUSE

CANCER

COULD ABILITY (PAST) I COULD SWIM WHEN I

WAS 2.

PERMISSION / REQUEST YOU COULD GO TO THE

CINEMA ONCE A WEEK

POSSIBILITY THAT COIN COULD BE

VALUABLE

BE ABLE TO ABILITY (OTHER TENSES) I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO

SWIM SINCE I WAS 3.

I WILL BE ABLE TO HELP

YOU TOMORROW

AFTERNOON

MAY / MIGHT

MAY PERMISSION YOU MAY LEAVE NOW

REQUEST MAY I GO TO THE TOILET?

POSSIBILITY + SHE MAY COME WITH US

MIGHT LITTLE POSSIBILITY + JOHN MIGHT GO TO THE

PARTY LATER

SHOULD / OUGHT TO

SHOULD ASSUMPTION / DEDUCTION /

PREDICTION

THE PLANE SHOULD BE

LANDING NOW

THIS FILM SHOULD BE GOOD

ADVICE YOU SHOULD GO TO THE

DOCTOR SOON

SHOULDN’T + VERB WHEN IT’S BAD OR WRONG

OUGHT TO LIKE SHOULD BUT MORE FORMAL

MUST / HAVE TO

HAVE / HAS TO EXTERNAL OBLIGATION YOU HAVE TO STOP WHEN THE

TRAFFIC LIGHT IS RED

DON’T HAVE TO

DOESN’T HAVE TO

NOT NECESSARY I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO WORK

TOMORROW

MUST PERSONAL

OBLIGATION

JOHN MUST WORK HARDER IF HE

WANTS TO PASS THE TEST

DEDUCTION HE FAILED THE EXAM, HE MUST BE

DISAPPOINTED

MUSTN’T PROHIBITION YOU MUSTN’T SMOKE HERE

NEED

NEED NECESSARY I THINK I NEED AN UMBRELLA, IT’S

POURING!

NEEDN’T NOT NECESSARY YOU NEEDN’T WATER THE FLOWERS,

JOHN WILL BE BACK TOMORROW

SHALL / HAD BETTER / WOULD RATHER

SHALL SUGGESTIONS SHALL I GET A PIZZA FOR

DINNER TONIGHT?

OFFERS THAT BAG LOOKS VERY HEAVY!

SHALL I CARRY IT FOR YOU?

FUTURE

INSTEAD OF WILL

WITH I AND WE

I SHALL GO TO THE DENTIST

HAD BETTER

(‘D BETTER)

ADVICE THEY HAD BETTER CHOOSE A

CHEAPER HOTEL

WOULD

RATHER

(‘D RATHER)

PREFERENCE

(CURRENT)

I WOULD RATHER HAVE

COFFEE THAN TEA

I WOULD RATHER NOT GO OUT

TONIGHT

PERFECT TENSE MODALS

MODAL VERB + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

THEY ALLOW US TO SPEAK

RETROSPECTIVELY ABOUT A COMPLETED

ACTION IN THE PASTTUESDAY

JOHN IS DRIVING VERY FAST AND HIS WIFE SARAH SAYS: “JOHN, YOU

SHOULD SLOW DOWN!”

FRIDAY

THEY RECEIVE THE FINE. SARAH SAYS: “JOHN, YOU SHOULD HAVE

SLOWED DOWN!”

PERFECT TENSE MODALS

TO SUM UP…