Scribd
Upload
13 views2 pages

Modal Verbs: Rules and Uses Guide

This document summarizes the rules and uses of several English modal verbs: 1) Modal forms do not change between subjects and the bare infinitive follows all modals without "to". 2) "Not" follows all modals in the negative except "can" which is "cannot". 3) "Can" indicates ability or permission, "could" indicates past ability or permission, "may" indicates permission or possibility, "shall" indicates future, and "must" indicates necessity or requirement. 4) "Should", "ought to", and "had better" indicate obligation. "Used to" and "would" indicate past habits.

Uploaded by

Duy Nghiêm Nguyễn
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
13 views2 pages

Modal Verbs: Rules and Uses Guide

This document summarizes the rules and uses of several English modal verbs: 1) Modal forms do not change between subjects and the bare infinitive follows all modals without "to". 2) "Not" follows all modals in the negative except "can" which is "cannot". 3) "Can" indicates ability or permission, "could" indicates past ability or permission, "may" indicates permission or possibility, "shall" indicates future, and "must" indicates necessity or requirement. 4) "Should", "ought to", and "had better" indicate obligation. "Used to" and "would" indicate past habits.

Uploaded by

Duy Nghiêm Nguyễn
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MODALS

A. Rules:
1. The form of a modal does not change from first person to third person:
Ex: I can/He can/You can/They can
2. After a modal is a bare infinitive, no “to” after a modal:
Ex: I can type. Not: I can to type.
3. Put not after a modal in negative:
Ex: may  may not, could  could not…
But: can  cannot. Not: can not
ought to  ought not to. Not: ought to not
had better  had better not. Not: had not better
B. Uses:
 Can:
= ability (He can type 65 words per minute.)
= permission (informal): Can I borrow your newspaper for a while?
 Could:
= ability in the past: When I was young, I could eat 7 bowls of rice for a meal.
= permission: Could I borrow your newspaper for a while? (more polite than Can).
= possibility: She could be late because of the heavy rain.
 May:
= permission: May I leave soon? = possibility: She may be late because of the heavy
rain.
 Shall:
= future (formal, an offer or a suggestion): Shall we meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss
the latest budget report?
 Must:
= necessity: This step must be next.
= requirement: Everyone must be on time.  Everyone had to be there but just a few
showed up. (simple past)
 Must:
= logical conclusion:
Ex: Someone is at the door. It must be Jane (present)
Someone came here looking for you yesterday. It must have been Jane (past)
 Should/ Ought to/ Had better: be obliged to do
 You should call her/ We ought to get there early.
 Should have/ Could have + p.p.: was not true, did not happen.
 You should have watched the film on HBO last night.
 They could have won the game, but they did not.
 Used to/ Would: habit in the past.
 We used to talk together every day.
 Every day my Papa would work to help to make ends meet, to see that we would
eat, keep those shoes upon my feet.

You might also like