MODAL VERBS
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
Modals 'help' other verbs to express a meaning.Modal verbs have no meaning by themselves. Maribel can only play in women’s teams:
permission Maribel must stop playing in mixed teams:
strong obligation FIFA should allow the mixing of sexes in the
future: advice/opinion FIFA might allow the mixing of sexes:
possibility
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Modal verbs are always followed by a verb in its base formbase form.
EXAMPLES:
You may taketake the book to school.
She may taketake the book to school.
Compare: You taketake the books to school.
She takes takes the books to school.
CHARACTERISTICS
2. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third person in the present simple.
EXAMPLES:
He speaksspeaks Chinese. He can speakspeak Chinese. (NOT- He cans
speak…)
CHARACTERISTICS3. You use "not" to make modal verbs
negative.
EXAMPLES:You must not touchtouch that.They might not comecome to the party.
I cannot eateat any more cakes.
CHARACTERISTICS
4. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses or the future tenses.
EXAMPLES:
He will can go with us. WRONG
She must studied very hard. WRONG
CHARACTERISTICS
5. We make a questions by putting the modal verb before the subject:
EXAMPLES:
Can he speakspeak Chinese?
May she taketake the book to school?