MODAL VERBS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Modals are one of the main ways of expressing modality in English. Modality can be
defined as a logical category which shows the relation of the action or state to reality. It
can be shown by-different linguistic means: phonetically, lexically, lexical-grammatically
and syntactically.
Phonetically: modality can primarily be shown through intonation and stress.
It’s a nice ↓ film. (categorical)
It’s a nice ↑ film. (hesitation)
Lexically: modality can be shown through the usage of modal words or modal phrases such as
surely, certainly, maybe, probably, perhaps, apparently, to be (un) likely, to be certainly, etc.
The play finishes at 10.30, so I'll probably be home about midnight, (probability, likelihood)
Lexical-grammatically: modality can be revealed through the usage of modal verbs (can, may,
must, need, shall, will, ought, dare, etc.):
Do remind me because I may forget, (probability)
Grammatically: modality can be shown through the usage of mood-forms of the verb. Mood is a
grammatical category of the verb which shows the speaker's attitude towards the factuality of a
state-of-affairs described in a sentence. It shows in what relation to reality the speaker places the
action / state expressed by the predicate verb.
If you should change your mind, do let me know, (probability of the action)

Modal verbs (can, may, must, need, shall, will, ought, dare) have certain features in common.
1. They have no verbals, consequently they have no analytical forms (perfect, continuous,
passive, etc.) and need no auxiliaries to form questions and negations:
— Can you do it?
— No, I can't.
2. The verbs can, may, shall, will have two tense forms of the indicative mood — the present
and the past.
The Present Tense The Past Tense
can could
may might
shall should
will would
E. g. He can read. He could read when he was
three.
You may go to the He kept telling me what
pictures. I might or might not do.
You shall be sorry. He said I should be sorry.
It won't open. The door wouldn't open.
The forms could, might, should, would, besides denoting a past action, may denote an unreal
action.
E. g. He could do it if he wanted to. You might do something about it. You should speak to her
about it. He would not do a thing like this.

So we say that these modal verbs have one form of the subjunctive mood.
When followed by a perfect infinitive, this form denotes an unreal action in the past.
E. g. I could have done it easily. You might have done it. She should have agreed. I would have
gone.
The modal verbs must and need have only one form of the indicative mood.
The modal verb ought has only one form — that of the subjunctive mood.
3. Most modal verbs can be used in three modal meanings: the informational, the imperative, the
inferential.
 CAN
1/ Informative meaning.

1. Mental, physical ability: we use CAN to say what people are able (or unable) to do because of their knowledge,
skill, strength, nature, design etc.

 in the present CAN indicates ability (skill, knowledge) usually not related to any specific event.
e.g. I can swim. (skills)
I can’t knit. (lack of skills)

 CAN is used with the infinitive of the verbs “see, hear, feel, smell, taste” to express general ability or sense
experience that is going on at the moment.
e.g. Can you see without your glasses? (general ability)
I can smell something nasty in the bottom of the fridge. (sense experience that is going on at the moment)

 CAN is used with the verbs of mental perception, such as “imagine, believe, understand, follow, remember”,
etc.
e.g. I can’t think why she hasn’t phoned (don’t know)
I can’t imagine who that man is.

Sometimes this structure is used to emphasize a statement.

e.g. I can’t think that he would be so stupid!
I can just imagine her reaction.

 CAN is also often found with the verbs of saying “tell, say”, etc.
e.g. Trying to find a job these days is no joke, I can tell you.

 CAN is usually omitted when we are talking about the ability to speak languages or to play instruments.
e.g. She can speak Greek/She speaks Greek.
Do/Can you play piano?

 CAN/COULD ALWAYS can mean “can/could…if there is nothing better”.

e.g. What we are going to eat? – We can/could always warm up that soup.

 in the past COULD is usually used.

e.g. At age of 6 she could read a newspaper.
I could hear someone calling my name.
I couldn’t believe my luck when I heard that I’d inherited my uncle’s fortunes.
I could tell by the look on her face that something had happened.

NB! When the verb CAN can’t be used grammatically (passive form, present perfect, future form), the other word
combinations are used instead – TO BE ABLE TO DO SMTH., TO BE CAPABLE OF DOING SMTH., TO SUCCEED
IN DOING SMTH., TO MANAGE TO DO SMTH.

 COULD is not normally used to show single achievement or particular ability in the past, it is not used to
describe successful completion of a specific action, we use other expressions instead.
e.g. The brakes failed on the hill but I managed to stop the car.

 Negative statements with could are possible for both general and particular ability to show that the action was
not successfully completed.
e.g. I couldn’t finish the job yesterday.

 COULD can refer to one occasion with certain verbs: see, hear, feel, taste, remember, understand, guess.
e.g. I could smell something burning.

 COULD can refer to one occasion with words HARDLY and ONLY.
e.g. She could hardly believe her eyes.

2. Theoretical possibility due to circumstances, existing rules or laws, about events repeated at various times, when
something or someone is capable of having a particular effect or of behaving in a particular way.
e.g. The situation can be improved.
It can be cold in January here.
Can we be sure that he is telling the truth?
 CAN often describes a typical state or typical behaviour of people in the present or in the past, although not in
the future. It’s effect is generally negative, even when the adjective has a semantically favorable meaning.
e.g. She can look quite friendly when she wants to. (she doesn’t usually look fiendly)

3. COULD in the present time context is the form of Subjunctive II and brings the idea of tentativeness.
e.g. What beautiful weather for March! It could be July.(hypothetical)

 COULD in the present context is used as a less definite form of CAN.

e.g. What shall we do tomorrow? – We could go fishing.

 Could + Perfect infinitive shows that the action was theoretically possible but was not carried out.
e.g. It was so dangerous. I could have broken my leg.

 Sometimes COULD is used to show how strongly smb. wants to express one’s feelings. In this case non-
perfect or perfect infinitive follows it.
e.g. He could cry for shame! (Он был готов заплакать от стыда)

2/ Inferential meaning.

1. Doubt, surprise:
 about the present
do
CAN/COULD Smb. be doing smth.?
be done
e.g. Can she be writing a test now?(Неужели она сейчас пишет контрольную?)

 about the past

have done
CAN/COULD Smb. have been doing smth.?
have been done
e.g. Can she have been playing football so long?

2. A very strong doubt, impossibility, improbability:

 about the present
can’t do
Smb. be doing smth. (it is not possible)
couldn’t be done
e.g. She can’t be writing a test now. (не может быть, чтобы он сейчас писала контрольную)

 about the past

can’t have done
Smb. have been doing smth. (it was not possible)
couldn’t have been done
e.g. She couldn’t have finished it. (Не может быть, чтобы она закончила)

3. Uncertainty (no negative form)

 about the present
can do
Smb. be doing smth. (it is possible)
could be done
e.g. He could be at home (Возможно, он дома)

 about the past

can have done
Smb. have been doing smth. (it was possible)
could have been done
e.g. He could have gone to the cinema.
3/ Imperative usage
1. Permission.
can
Smb. do smth.
could
e.g. You can go.

2. Asking for permission.

Can
I do smth?
Could
e.g. Can I go?

3. Request, asking for help.

Can
you do smth?
Could
e.g. Can you help me?

4. Prohibition.

You can’t do smth.

e.g. You can’t cross the street here.

5. Suggestions, orders.
You
can/could do smth.
We
e.g. We could go to the theatre.
You can open the door.

6. Offers.
Can I …?
What can I …?
e.g. Can I help you?
What can I do for you?

7. Irritation, annoyance, reproach.

You do
(might)/could smth.
We have done

4/ Traditional and Idiomatic usage.

1. Smb. can’t help but do smth. (не мог не)

2. Smb. can’t help doing smth. (не мог не)
3. Smb. can’t bear to do smth. (терпеть не могу)
3. Smb. can’t bear doing smth. (терпеть не могу)
4. Smb. can’t bear smth. (терпеть не могу)
4. Smb. can’t stand smth. (я не могу вынести)
5. Smb. can’t stand doing smth. (я не могу вынести)
6. Smb. can’t seem to do smth. (кажется, я не перестану)
7. Smb. do/does smth. as can be. (очень)
8. Smb. cannot/couldn’t possibly do smth. (просто не могу)
9. Smb. do smth as smb. possibly can. (как только смогу)
10. Smb. can/could well do smth. (возможно, легко)