MODAL VERBS
MODAL USAGE EXAMPLE
Can (not) a) Sam can speak two languages
Could (not) b) It could be possible if we try
Be (not) able to c) Can you help me?
d) You can use my phone
Must a) We must be silent in class
Mustn't b) Student's mustn't smoke in class
Had to (Don't) c) We had to write 2 letters last week
Will (not)have to d) We'll have to write it for Monday
(not) have to l a) You don't have to bring your book
next day (if you do, it doesn't matter)
b) We have to visit Angela she's got a
baby girl
May (not) a) He might be right.
Might (not) b) May I have your ID?
c) You may leave now.
Should (not) a) We shouldn't spend so much money
Ought (not) to b) We ought to arrive at 10 if the traffic
isn't too heavy
Will (not) We will win the match
Would (not) Would you mind looking after my bag?
Need I need to leave school at 12 because I'm
going to the doctor
Needn't have... You needn't have bought uniforms,
everything is included.
Didn't need to I didn't need to wake up early so I
stayed in bed until 11am.
Had better (not) You had better study if you want to
pass the exam
Match the Usages of modal verbs to each modal verb:
Not necessary (but you did it) Lack of obligation
Possibility Expressing a bad consequence
Necessity Permission (formal)
Obligation Polite request
Permission Not necessary (and you didn't do it)
Prohibition Advise
Ability Polite request (formal)
Something which is almost certain Polite request (informal)
Predictions about the future
MODAL VERBS
MODAL USAGE EXAMPLE
can (not) / - ability a) Sam can speak two languages
could (not) / - possibility b) It could be possible if we try
be (not) able - polite request (informal) c) Can you help me?
to - permission d) You can use my phone
must / - obligation a) We must be silent in class
mustn't - prohibition b) Student's mustn't smoke in class
(din') had to / will (not) have to is the c) We had to write 2 compositions last
past and future form of must/mustn't week
(not) have to - lack of obligation a) You don't have to bring your book
next day (if you do, it doesn't matter)
b) We have to visit Angela she's got a
baby girl
may (not) / - possibility a) He might be right.
might (not) - polite request (formal) b) May I have yout ID?
- permission (formal) c) You may leave now.
should (not) / - advise a) We shouldn't spend so much money
ought (not) to - something which is almost certain b) We ought to arrive at 10 if the traffic
isn't too heavy
will (not) - predictions about the future a) We will win the match
would (not) - polite request a) Would you mind looking after my bag?
need - necessity a) I need to leave school at 12 because
I'm going to the doctor
needn't have... - not necessary (but you did it) a) You needn't have bought uniforms,
everything is included.
didn't need to - not necessary (and you didn't do it) a) I didn't need to wake up early so I
stayed in bed until 11am.
had better - expressing a bad consequence a) You had better study if you want to
(not) pass the exam
USE MODALS
ABILITY Can Could (past)
POSSIBILITY Can Could May Might
(general or theoretical ) (less probablethan may)
PERMISSION Can May
(formal)
REQUEST Can / Will May Would
Could (formal) (formal) (formal)
OBLIGATION Must Have to
(imposed by the
speaker)
LACK OF Don’t have to Needn’t
OBLIGATI
ON
DEDUCTION / Must Should Can’t
CONCLUSION (less certain)
PROHIBITION Mustn’t Can’t May not
ADVICE Should Ought to Might Could
OFFER Shall Would
SUGGESTION Shall Would Should
(formal)
Past Modals Review
Degrees of Certainty
Question: Why wasn’t Kate in class?
Degree Example sentence Comment
She was ill. The speaker is sure.
%95 The speaker is making a logical conclusion. “I saw Kate yesterday
and found out that she was ill. She was absent today. She is
probably ill now. I can’t think of any other good reason.
Less She may have been ill.
than She might have been ill.
%50 She could have been ill.
Question: Why didn’t Tom eat?
Degree Example sentence Comment
%100 The speaker is sure.
%99 He couldn’t have been hungry. The speaker believes that it is impossible for Tom
He can’t have been hungry. to have been hungry.
%95 He must not have been hungry.
He may not have been hungry. The speaker is mentioning one possibility.
He might not have been hungry.
For certainty: For possibility:
True: ………………………..+ V3 True: ………………………………..+ V3
Not True: ………………………….+ V3 Not True: ………………………….. + V3
Examples:
George is making a journey across the USA by car from New York to San Francisco.
Sentence Meaning
George must have arrived in San Francisco by now. ……………………………
He can’t /couldn’t have got there yet because it will take at least
two weeks. ……………………………
He might / may / could have stopped for a few days on the way.
…………………………….
He might / may not have had time to do everything he wanted.
…………………………….
TEACHER’S NOTES
Past Modals Review
Degrees of Certainty
Question: Why wasn’t Kate in class?
Degree Example sentence Comment
%100 She was ill. The speaker is sure.
%95 The speaker is making a logical conclusion. “I saw Kate yesterday
She must have been ill. and found out that she was ill. She was absent today. She is
probably ill now. I can’t think of any other good reason.
Less She may have been ill.
than She might have been ill. The speaker is mentioning one possibility.
%50 She could have been ill.
Question: Why didn’t Tom eat?
Degree Example sentence Comment
%100 He wasn’t hungry. The speaker is sure.
%99 He couldn’t have been hungry. The speaker believes that it is impossible for Tom
He can’t have been hungry. to have been hungry.
%95 He must not have been hungry. The speaker is making a logical conclusion.
Less than He may not have been hungry. The speaker is mentioning one possibility.
%50 He might not have been hungry.
For certainty: For possibility:
True: must have + V3 True: might/may/could have + V3
Not True: can’t have/couldn’t have + V3 Not True: might not / may not have + V 3
Examples:
George is making a journey across the USA by car from New York to San Francisco.
Sentence Meaning
George must have arrived in San Francisco by now. I'm certain he's arrived in the USA.
He can’t/couldn’t have got there yet because it'll take two weeks. I am certain he hasn’t got there.
He might/may/could have stopped for a few days on the way. It is possible to stop.
He might/may not have had time to do everything he wanted. It is possible he didn’t.
Past Modals Revıew
Should / ought to HAVE + past participle
Example Sentence Meaning Possible Result
He should have locked His car was stolen./he doesn’t
his car. have car.
I should have told her It was a good idea but I didn’t.
the truth.
We shouldn’t have lent He ran away to Las Vegas
him that money. without paying back.
She ought to have Studying was a good idea but
studied more. she didn’t do it. She made a
mistake.
I should not have I carried the box, and now I’m
carried that heavy box. sorry.
Sorry. I ought to have Jane got lost.
given Jane a map.
It was a lovely old There is a shopping center in
building. They shouldn’t place of the old building now.
have knocked it down.
They shouldn’t have They are repeating the same
spent so much time grade this year.
playing computer
games.
* In the past, should is more common than ought to.
Didn’t need to / needn’t have + past participle
Example Meaning Possible Result
Sentence
He didn’t need to buy He didn’t buy any food as it
some food. wasn’t necessary.
He needn’t have bought He had a fight with his wife
any food. about putting the extra food in
the fridge.
I didn’t need to get up I didn’t get up early, but I could
early. if wanted to.
I needn’t have got up I waited a long time for the
so early. bus.
You rushed, but you could have You are exhausted now.
taken your time.I was not
necessary to rush.
He was very famous. His bodyguard carried his
He didn’t need to carry luggage for him.
his luggage.
Past Modals Revıew
Should / ought to HAVE + past participle
Example Meaning Possible Result
Sentence
He should have locked Locking the car was an His car was stolen./ He doesn’t
his car. [Link] was the right thing have car now.
to do.
I should have told her It was a good idea but I didn’t. She doesn’t know the truth.
the truth.
We shouldn’t have lent It was a bad idea but we still did. He ran away to Las Vegas
him that money. without paying back.
She ought to have Studying was a good idea but She attends summer classes.
studied more. she didn’t do it. She made a
mistake.
I should not have I carried the box, and now I’m My back hurts now.
carried that heavy box. sorry.
Sorry. I ought to have Giving Jane a map was the right Jane got lost.
given Jane a map. thing to do, but I didn’t and I’m
sorry.
It was a lovely old They knocked down the old There is a shopping center in
building. They shouldn’t building. place of the old building now.
have knocked it down.
They shouldn’t have It was a bad idea but they still They are repeating the same
spent so much time played computer games a lot. grade this year.
playing computer
games.
* In the past, should is more common than ought to.
Didn’t need to / needn’t have + past participle
Example Meaning Possible Result
Sentence
He didn’t need to buy He didn’t buy any food as it He came home without any
some food. wasn’t necessary. food.
He needn’t have bought He bought food but it wasn’t He had a fight with his wife
any food. necessary. about putting the extra food in
the fridge.
I didn’t need to get up I didn’t get up early, but I could I stayed in bed.
early. if wanted to.
I needn’t have got up I got up so early. I waited a long time for the
so early. bus.
You needn’t have You rushed, but you could have You are exhausted.
rushed. taken your time.I was not
necessary to rush.
He was very famous. He didn’t carry his luggage. His bodyguard carried his
He didn’t need to carry luggage for him.
his luggage.