Modals or Defective verbs

Modal Verbs

For Second Bachillerato

JJSE

Mary can speak Russian.

May I go to the toilet, please?

They won't come back again.

You must pay for this at once!

We might win the race

You needn't study this.

Could you please hang on?We should thank him for his help.

Would you like some tea or coffee?

Shall I open the door for you?

She daren't phone again.

We ought to be more careful.

1. Can2. Could3. May4. Might5. Shall6. Should

7. Will8. Would

9. Must10. Need11. Dare

12. Ought to

IndeX

1. Characteristics

2. Rules of Use

3. Description

1. CHARACTERISTicS

◘Modals are also called "defectives" because they are "faulty": they lack a conjugation.

What does this mean?a) They have only ONE formb) They have NO infinitive, gerund o participlec) They have NO future, perfect, continuous…

I may, you may, he may…I can, you can, he can…I must, you must, he must…

I will mayI have mayedI am maying

Infinitive: to mayGerund: mayingParticiple: mayed

2. Rules of usE◘They cannot be used on their own; they

must be followed by a "standard" verb

• Mary can speak Italian. OK• John must. WRONG!• John must go to the doctor. OK• Kathy call should. WRONG!

BUT: After a question, we can use a modal without a verb(1).

May I use your phone? Yes, you may.(1)This is because the verb is implicit, it is not necessary to repeat it.

2. Rules of usE

◘Modals are followed by plain infinitives or infinitives without 'to'

They can run fast.Peter may win this competition.Your sister should come to the office.

2. Rules of usE◘There can be only ONE modal in each

sentence, and it must come FIRST.

They can run fast.

Peter may win this competition.

Your sister should come to the office.

2. Rules of usE◘Modals can be followed by the auxiliaries

'HAVE' and 'BE', but never 'DO'.

Dad must have forgotten it's your birthday.

You can't be working today, it's Sunday!

She would have been sleeping if not for that horrible noise.

Your sister must do(1) the cooking.(1)It is NOT the auxiliary 'DO'.

2. Rules of usE◘Modals must form the Interrogative,

Negative and Short Answers rather than Auxiliaries.

Can you please open this door?

You shouldn't speak so rudely to your parents.

May I look? Yes, you may.

2. Rules of usE: SUMMARY

◘They cannot be used on their own; they must be followed by a "standard" verb.

◘Modals are followed by plain infinitives or infinitives without 'to'

◘There can be only ONE modal in each sentence, and it must come FIRST.

◘Modals can be followed by the auxiliaries 'HAVE' and 'BE', but never 'DO'.

◘Modals must form the Interrogative, Negative and Short Answers rather than Auxiliaries.

3. DescripTiOn

Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction

can cannot/can't

FORM

3. DESCRIPTIONCan we leave?I'm sorry but you can't eat here.We can stay out until late!

Permission

Possibility

Hability

Surprise

Can this be true?I think we can winThis restaurant can't be so expensive!Don't call! He can be sleeping!

Can Nicole speak French?George can play the pianoWe can't move this heavy table

You can't have bought this! (only can't have )They can't have finished!

3. DESCRIPTION

FORM

Alternative

Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction

could could not/couldn't be able tomanage to

3. DESCRIPTIONCould you close the window? (= podría)Could you lend me £10?

Ask for favours

Hypothetical possibility

(conditionals)Hability in the

pastUnfulfilledPossibility

We could buy it if we had money (= podría)Don't make noise! The children could be sleepingGeorge could play the piano when he was 9 years old

Possibility in the past*

Alternative

It was dark but they could see her.When I opened the door, I could smell gas.

*Only with the verbs see, hear, smell, taste, feel, remember, understand

The police arrived, but the thief managed / was able to escape.The thief could escape (= podría)

You could have visited the Louvre (pero no lo hizo)The boy could have hurt himself

3. DESCRIPTION

FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction

may may not

3. DESCRIPTION

May we leave?I'm sorry but you may not sit here.You may wait here if you like.

Permission (FORM)

Present or future

possibility

Past possibility

He is fast, he may win. (futuro)Ben isn't here, he may be at home. (presente)It may not be true.

"I can't find my keys." "You may have left them at home,""Peter's not here!" "He may have finished and left."

3. DESCRIPTION


might might not / mightn't

3. DESCRIPTION

Might…? (no se usa)"Where's Gloria?" "She hasn't come, she might be sick."You might study medicine and become a doctor.The children might be playing football.

Posibilidad presente o

futura

Posibilidadpasada "Have you seen my phone?" "You might have left it at home."

"Ann wasn't at the party." "She mightn't have known about it."

La posibilidad de 'might' es menos "posible" que con 'may'

If you ask Jack, he can lend you the money.If you ask Jack, he may lend you the money.If you ask Jack, he might lend you the money.

can = puede prestartemay = quizá te lo prestemight = podría prestártelo

3. DESCRIPTION


shall shall not / shan't 'll

3. DESCRIPTIONShall I open the door? (¿Quiere que yo…)Shall I wait until they finish?

Ofrecer ayuda

Sugerencias

Determinación

Shall we have lunch at Marina's?What shall we do?

'shall' sólo se usa con 'I' y 'we'

I shan't stay here any longer.We shall finish this before midnight.

3. DESCRIPTION


will will not / won't 'll

3. DESCRIPTION

Will you lend me £10?It's cold. Will you close the door?

Pedir favores

Decisión espontánea

Predicción

Condición real

"What would you like to drink?" "I'll have wine."(suena el teléfono) "I'll answer it."

NO uses 'will' con planes

Do you think Kate will pass? Yes, she'll pass easily.I don't think Greg will come.We're late! They will have left when we get there.

If you call Peter, he'll be very happy.If they touch that, they'll burn their fingers.

3. DESCRIPTION


should should not / shouldn't 'd

3. DESCRIPTION

I think you should be more careful or you'll fall.These children should be wearing gloves.

Consejo

Señalar error o problema

Predicción

Queja

Condición real

The price says £12.50 but it should be £10.50Where's Mary? She should be here!

Kate has studied hard, so she should pass easily.You should find him immediately.

I invited you, you should have come.Gloria shouldn't have opened the box; she'll be in trouble now.

Should (= If) you need me, give me a callShould I see them, I'll say hello.

3. DESCRIPTION


would would not / wouldn't 'd

3. DESCRIPTION

I would like to buy a new house, but they're too expensive,Sheila'd love to live by the sea.Deseo

Condicional hipotética

Condicional irreal

Invitación

Futuro en estilo indirecto

We would move to London if we had a visa.I would be working if I weren't ill.

He would have paid if he had had money.Lisa would have called if she hadn't forgotten.

Would you like some tea or coffee?Where would you like to have lunch?

They said they'd come.He promised he wouldn't be late.

3. DESCRIPTION


must must not / mustn't

3. DESCRIPTION

That driver must stop his car immediately.For your own safety, you must wear a helmet.

Obligación

Prohibición

Certeza

Children mustn't drink alcoholYou mustn't open this door. It's dangerous.

(Teléfono) That must be dad! (presente)It's 8 o'clock. They must have finished already (pasada)

Lo contrario de "Must" no es "Mustn't" sino "don't/doesn't have to":I must wait here. You don't have to, if you don't like.You don't have to wear a uniform.

3. DESCRIPTION


need need not / needn't

También existe un verbo 'to need', con su conjugación completa. El significado es idéntico.

3. DESCRIPTION

That driver need stop his car immediately.Your results are not good, you need study harder.

Obligación

Ausencia de obligación

This is a normal school. You needn't wear a uniform (presente)The door is electric. You needn't have pushed it (pasado)

Además de "don't/doesn't have to" puedes usar "needn't" :I must wait here. You needn't wait, if you don't like.This is free. You needn't pay.

3. DESCRIPTION


dare dare not / daren't

También existe un verbo 'to dare', con su conjugación completa. El significado es idéntico.

3. DESCRIPTION

If you dare open the lion gate, I'll leave at once.He daren't walk outside in the dark.

Atrevimiento

AdvertenciaHow dare you! (¿¡Cómo te atreves?!)Don't you dare! (¡Ni te atrevas!)

3. DESCRIPTION


ought to ought not to / oughtn't

Es el único modal que va seguido de 'to'. Su uso es idéntico a 'should'

3. DESCRIPTION

I think you ought to be more careful or you'll fall.These children ought to be wearing gloves.Consejo

Señalar error o problema

Predicción

Queja

The price says £12.50 but it ought to be £10.50Where's Mary? She ought to be here!

Kate has studied hard, so she ought to pass easily.You ought to find him immediately.

I invited you, you ought to have come.Gloria oughtn't to have opened the box; she'll be in trouble now.

Resumenadvertencia dare habilidad can

couldasombro can't have invitación would

atrevimiento dare obligación mustneed

ausencia de obligación needn't ofrecer ayuda shall

certeza mustmust have

pedir favores couldwill

condición real shouldwill

permiso cancouldmay

condicional hipotética would posibilidad cancouldmaymight

condicional irreal would have predicción ought to shouldwill

consejo ought toshould

prohibición mustn't

decicisón espontánea will queja ought to haveshould

deseo would señalar error ought to should

determinación shall sugerencias shall

futuro en estilo indirecto would

The End

Education

Modals or Defective verbs