Modal Verbs

They are helping verbs that express a wide range of meanings such as ability, possibility, and necessity.

Some model verbs are immediately followed by the simple form of verb (V1).

can ability Olga can speak English.

give permission You can go now.
request (question) Can I leave early?
know how to ability Maria knows how to play the piano.
could past ability He couldn’t come to class.
possibility (present, future) Greg could be sick. Because he isn’t in the class.
/It could snow tomorrow.
request (question) Could you help me?
be able to ability (present, past, future) Kate is able to study today. -present
I will be able to study tomorrow. - future
She wasn’t able to study yesterday. - past
may possibility (present, future) Greg may be sick. Because he isn’t in the class.
/It may rain tomorrow. - future
give permission You may leave now.
request (with I, not you) May I see your passport?
might possibility (present, future) Greg might be sick. Because he isn’t in the class.
It might rain tomorrow.
should advice Mary should study harder.
had better advice I had better study tonight.
ought to advice Kate ought to study harder.

be supposed to expectation The game is supposed to begin at 10:00.

will certainty I will be in class tomorrow.
request Will you help me carry this box?
would request (with you, not I) Would you help me carry this box?
must necessity You must register by tomorrow.
logical conclusion You worked all night. You must be tired.
have to necessity I have to study.
lack of necessity (negative) I don’t have to study tonight.
lack of necessity (negative in I didn’t have to study yesterday.
past)
have got to necessity I have got to study tonight.

1. May and might have the same meaning as expressing possibility. There is no difference.

Negative: may not and might not. (Do not contract may and might in negative).

Maybe is an adverb. It means ‘’possibly’’. It comes at the beginning of a sentence.

INCORRECT: It will maybe rain tomorrow.

May be is a modal verb + verb (1)

a) Maybe John is sick.

b) John may be sick.

a) and b) sentences have the same meaning.

May is more formal than Can.

c) Passengers with young children may board now.

 d) Passengers with young children can board now.

May not and cannot (can’t) are used to deny permission.

e) You may not have a cookie.

f) You can’t have a cookie.

May, could, and can make polite requests with I.

The questions ask for someone’s permission or agreement.

Can I is less formal that May I and Could I.

a) May I please borrow your pen?

b) Could I please borrow your pen?
c) Can I please borrow your pen?

Please can also come at the end and be also removed from the sentence.

a) Can I borrow your pen, please?

b) Can I borrow your pen?

People use would, could, will, can with you to make polite requests.

The questions ask for someone’s help or cooperation.

2. Would and could sound a little more formal, more polite, but tone of voice and the use of ‘’please’’ could
also determine politeness.

Would you mind if I is followed by Past Simple.

a) Would you mind if I opened the window?

In (a), meaning is ‘’May I open the window? Is it all right if I open the window? Will it cause any trouble or discomfort
if I open the window? ‘’

Sometimes in informal spoken English, Present Simple is used.

b) Would you mind if I close the door?

Contraction: Would you mind if I = Mind if I

c) Mind if I close the door?

Notice that the typical response is ‘’no’’. ‘’Yes’’ means Yes, I mind (it is a problem).

Would you mind is followed by Verb(ing).

a) Would you mind opening the window?

In (a), meaning is ‘’I don’t want cause you any trouble, but would you please open the window? Would that cause
you any inconvenience?’’

The informal response is ‘’sure’’ or ‘’okay’’.

 3. Should, Ought to, and Had better have the same meaning:
‘’This is a good idea. This is good advice.’’

Ought to is usually not used in the negative and question.

Had better has more of a sense of urgency than should and ought to.

Had better often implies a warning about possible bad consequences:

You’re driving too fast! You had better slow down.

Contraction: ‘d better (You’d better), should not=shouldn’t

Negative: should not, had better not

4. Be supposed to expresses the idea that someone (I, we, they, the teacher, lots of people, my father etc.)
expects something to happen.

Be supposed to often expresses expectations about scheduled events or correct procedures.

a) The game is supposed to begin at 10:00.

b) The committee is supposed to vote by secret ballot.

Be supposed to also expresses expectations about behaviour.

NOTE: I am supposed to = I am expected to; I suppose = I guess, I think, I believe

a) I am supposed to go to the meeting. My boss told me that he wants me to attend.

b) The children are supposed to put away their toys before they go to bed.

Should can also express expectation.

a) The mail should be here soon.

b) Amy should be back any minute.

5. Know how to = can synonyms. Both of them express a learned skill. Know how to play = can play.

6. Have to, have got to, and must have the same meaning. They express the idea that something is necessary.

Have to is used much more frequently in everyday speech than must.

Have got to is typically used in informal conversation: Bye now, I have got to go.

Must is typically found in written instructions or rules: All passengers must present their passports at customs upon
arrival.

Adults also use must when talking to younger children: Tommy, you must hold onto the railing when you go down
stairs.

Have to is usually used in questions, not must or have got to. Forms of do are used with have to in questions:

a) Do we have to bring pencils to the test?

b) Why did you have to leave so early?

The past form of Have to, have got to, and must is had to. NOTE: MUST is not used for the past tense.
 a) I had to study last night.

Contractions: have to = hafta; has to=hasta; have got to=gotta

Don’t /doesn’t / didn’t have to express the idea that something is not necessary.

a) I finished all of my homework this afternoon. I don’t have to study tonight.

b) Tomorrow is a holiday. Mary doesn’t have to go to class.
c) I didn’t have to work last week. I had several days off.

Must not expresses prohibition (DO NOT DO THIS). Must not is not common; it is generally used for rules or with
children.

a) Bus passengers must not talk to the driver. / Tommy, you must not play with matches.

Speaker more often express prohibition with imperatives:

a) Don’t talk to the driver. / Do not play with matches.

Must can express a logical conclusion or guess.

a) Nancy is yawning. She must be sleepy.

Must not can express a negative logical conclusion.

b) Eric ate everything on his plate except the pickle. He must not like pickles.

TAG QUESTIONS WITH MODAL VERBS

Tag questions are common with these modal verbs: can, will, should, could, and would.

a) You can come, can’t you?

b) She won’t tell, will she?
c) He should help, shouldn’t he?
d) They couldn’t do it, could they?
e) We would like to help, wouldn’t we?

Tag questions are also common with have to, has to, and had to. Notice that forms of do are used for the tag
questions.

a) They have to leave, don’t they?

b) They don’t have to leave, do they?
c) He has to leave, doesn’t he?
d) He doesn’t have to leave, does he?
e) You had to leave, didn’t you?
f) You didn’t have to leave, did you?

IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
Imperative sentences are used to give commands, make polite requests, and give directions. The difference
between a command and a request lies in the speaker’s tone of voice and the use of ‘’please’’.

COMMAND:

a) Captain: Open the door!

 Soldier: Yes, sir!

REQUEST:

b) Teacher: Open the door, please.

Student: Sure.

DIRECTIONS:

c) Barbara: Could you tell me how to get to the post office?

Stranger: Sure. Walk two blocks down this street. Turn left and walk three more blocks.

Please can come at the beginning or end of a request.

a) Open the door, please.

b) Please open the door.

INCORRECT: You open the door please.

The simple form of a verb is used in imperative sentences. The understood subject of the sentence is you.

Negative form: Don’t + Verb (1)

a) Don’t speak during the lesson.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS: Let’s, Why don’t, Shall I/we

Let’s means ‘’I have a suggestion for us.’’

Form: Let’s + V1

a) It’s hot today. Let’s go to the beach.

Negative form: Let’s + not + V1

b) Let’s not go to a movie.

Why don’t we is used to make a friendly suggestion or to give friendly advice.

a) -I’m tired.
-Why don’t you take a nap?

b) It’s hot today. Why don’t we go to the beach?

When shall is used with I/We in a question, the speaker is usually making a suggestion and asking another person if
she/he agrees with this suggestion.

a) Shall I open the window? Is that OK with you?

b) Shall we leave at two? Is that OK?

Sometimes shall we? Is used as a tag question after let’s. More informally, OK is used.

c) Let’s go, shall we?

d) Let’s go, OK?
STATING PREFERENCES: Prefer, like ….. better, Would rather
prefer + noun + to + noun

a) I prefer apples to oranges.

prefer + verb(ing) + to + verb(ing)

b) I prefer watching TV to studying.

like + noun + better + than + noun

a) I like apples better than oranges.

like + verb(ing) + better + than + verb(ing)

b) I like watching TV better than studying.

Would rather is followed immediately by the simple form of verb.

would rather + Verb (1)

Verbs following than are also in the simple form of verb.

a) I would rather have an apple than an orange.

b) I’d rather visit a big city than live there.

Contraction: would = ‘d

In a polite question, would rather can be followed by or to offer someone a choice.

a) Would you rather have an apple or an orange?