What Are Modal Verbs?

Definition and Examples

​ - Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs like can, should, and must that express conditions

such as possibility, ability, necessity, and permission.

​ - Frequently used modal verbs include can, may, might, could, should, would, will,

and must. Less common ones like shall and ought are still used in specific contexts.

​ - Modal verbs are followed by the main verb’s infinitive (without to) and remain consistent

across subjects.

​ - In past contexts, forms like could, might, should, and would indicate hypothetical or

past scenarios.

​ - Modal verbs are used in diverse sentence structures, such as questions (Could you

help me?), suggestions (You should try the lasagna.), and habits (I would often walk to

school.).

​ Modal verbs can be tricky, but the good news is that they’re straightforward once you

learn how they work. Below, we explain everything you need to know to use modal verbs

with ease.

Table of contents: Modal verbs definition, When are English modal verbs used?, How

to use modal verbs (with examples), Modal verbs FAQs.

Modal verbs definition

Modal verbs show possibility, intent, ability, or necessity. Common examples of modal verbs

include can, should, and must. Because they’re a type of auxiliary verb (helper verb), they’re

used alongside the infinitive form of the main verb of a sentence.

Modal verbs are used to express certain hypothetical conditions, such as advisability, capability,

or requests (refer to the complete list below). They’re used alongside a main verb to inflect its

meaning.

Consider the difference between these two examples:

I swim every Tuesday.

I can swim every Tuesday.

The first example is a simple factual statement. The speaker participates in a swimming activity

every week on Tuesdays.

The second example uses the modal verb can. Notice how the meaning changes slightly. The

speaker does not necessarily swim every Tuesday; they’re saying that they are capable of

swimming every Tuesday or that the possibility exists for them to swim every Tuesday. It’s

hypothetical.

Because modal verbs are auxiliary, they can’t generally be used on their own. A modal verb can

appear alone in a sentence only if the main verb is implied because it has previously been

established.

Can you swim every Tuesday?

Yes, I can.

Modal verbs are quite common in English; you’ve seen them in action hundreds of times, even if

you didn’t know what they were called. Here are the most frequently used ones:

​ can

​ may
 ​ might

​ could

​ should

​ would

​ will

​ Must

There are other, less common modal verbs. Some—like shall and ought—are rarely

used any longer. There are also verbs that can function either as main verbs or as modal

auxiliaries depending on the context: got, need, and have all behave like modal verbs in

the common colloquial expressions got to, need to, and have to.

Some modal verbs express specific conditions that don’t come up often like dare in its

modal form in “Dare I ask?” The word used in the idiomatic phrase used to, as in “I used to be an English

student too,” behaves like a modal verb with only a past tense form.

When are English modal verbs used?

Modal verbs are used to show the following conditions: likelihood, possibility, ability, permission,

request, suggestion/advice, command, obligation/necessity, and habit.

Likelihood

Some things seem likely to be true but can’t be stated as definite facts. In these cases, you can

use the modal verbs should and must to show probability without certainty.

My baby brother should be asleep by now.

Her parents must be so proud.

Possibility

In a situation when something is possible but not certain, use the modal verb could, may, or

might.

This plan could work if everyone cooperates.

She may become the youngest pro soccer player ever.

Judging by the clouds, it might rain today.

Ability

The modal verb can expresses whether the subject of a sentence is able to do something.

Likewise, the negative form, cannot or can’t, shows that the subject is unable to do something.

She can speak three languages, but none of them well.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

Before his injury, he could run five miles every morning.

Permission

If you want to ask permission to do something, start your question with can, may, or could.

Traditionally, may is considered a more formal and polite usage for permission; if you ask, “Can I

go to the bathroom?” it could be misinterpreted as “Do I have the ability to go to the bathroom?”

However, in modern informal usage, may and can are both perfectly acceptable options for

describing possibility or permission.

Students, you may leave early today.

Could I play too?

Request

Similarly, if you want to ask someone else to do something, start your question with will, would,

can, or could.

Would you get that box off the top shelf?

Will you turn that music down?

Suggestion or advice

What if you want to recommend a course of action but not command it? You can use the modal

verb should if you’re giving suggestions or advice without ordering someone around.

You should try the lasagna.

That guy should wear less cologne.

Command

On the other hand, if you want to command someone, use the modal verbs must, have, or

need. With the latter two, the main verb does not drop the word to from its infinitive form.

You must wash your hands before cooking.

You need to be here before 8:00.

Obligation or necessity
Modal verbs can express a necessary action, such as an obligation, duty, or requirement.

Likewise, the negative forms express that an action is not necessary. Use the same modal verbs

as with commands: must, have, and need.

We have to wait for our boss to arrive before we open.

You don’t need to come if you don’t want to.

Habit

To show an ongoing or habitual action—something the subject does regularly—you can use the

modal verb would for the past tense and will for the present and future. The phrase used to is

also acceptable when you’re talking about a habit in the past.

When I lived alone, I would fall asleep with music.

I will arrive early to every meeting and leave late.

How to use modal verbs (with examples)

Here’s how to use modal verbs in different tenses.

Simple present tense

For basic sentences in the simple present tense, remember these rules:

​ Modal verbs come directly before the main verb except for in questions.

​ With modal verbs, use the infinitive form of the main verb. With most but not all modal

verbs, to is dropped from the infinitive.

So, if you want to brag about your ability to eat an entire pizza, you use the modal verb can

before the infinitive form of eat without to—which is simply eat. The rest of the sentence

continues as normal.

I can eat an entire pizza.

If you want to communicate that circumstances are requiring you to eat an entire pizza, you

might use the modal verb have before the infinitive form of eat, retaining to:

I have to eat an entire pizza.

Modal verbs in questions

For yes/no questions, you still use the infinitive form of the main verb, but the order is a little

different.

The formula for modal verbs in yes/no questions is: [modal verb] + [subject] + [main verb

infinitive].

Can you eat an entire pizza?

Do you have to eat an entire pizza?

Note that in the second example above, because have is a verb that only sometimes functions

as an auxiliary verb and at other times functions as a main verb, the question is formed with the

auxiliary verb do at the beginning.

Modal verbs and time

Because modal verbs deal largely with general situations or hypotheticals that haven’t actually

happened, all of the core ones can refer to present and future time, but only some of them can

refer to past time. Most of the time, they do not change form to make different tenses.
However, all of them can be used with different conjugations of a sentence’s main verb to refer

to present or future time in different ways, so let’s talk a little about verb tenses and modal

verbs.

Present continuous and present perfect continuous

We already covered the simple present above, but you can also use modal verbs in the present

continuous and present perfect continuous tenses.

Present continuous

After the modal verb, use the word be followed by the –ing form of the main verb.

The formula for modal verbs in the present continuous is: [modal verb] + be + [verb in –ing

form].

I should be going.

Present perfect continuous

You can add a modal verb before a main verb in the present perfect continuous tense without

changing much. However, note that the main verb always forms the present perfect continuous

using have been, when appearing with a modal verb, never had been, even if the subject is

third-person.

The formula for modal verbs in the present perfect continuous is: [modal verb] + have been +

[main verb in –ing form].

She must have been sleeping.

Simple past and present perfect tenses

Using a modal verb in the simple past or the present perfect (which indicates an action that

happened in the past but is directly related to the present) is a little trickier.

Only a few of the core modal verbs have the ability to refer to past time: could, might, should,

and would. They do this by functioning at times as the past tense forms of their fellow modal

verbs can, may, shall, and will. But keep in mind that, as we saw above, could, might,

should, and would also have different senses in which they refer to the present and the future,

indicating possibility, permission, request, habit, or other conditions.

None of the modal verbs can be used in the past perfect, the past continuous, or the past

perfect continuous tense.

Simple past

Of the main modal verbs listed at the top, only can and will can be used in the simple past. The

expressions have to and need to can also be used in the simple past when conjugated as had

to and needed to. Other modal verbs use the present perfect to discuss events in the past.

Can and will use their past tense form plus the infinitive form of the main verb without to, just

like in the present.

The formula for modal verbs in the simple past tense is: could/would + [main verb infinitive].

I could do a handstand when I was a kid.

During exam season in college, I would not sleep much.

Present perfect

To form the present perfect using the modal verbs could, might, should, or would, use the

present perfect form of the main verb, which is have plus the past participle. As with the present

perfect continuous, you always use have, even if the subject is third-person.
The formula for modal verbs in the present perfect tense is: could/might/should/would + have

+ [main verb past participle].

I might have gone to the party, but I forgot.

Future tenses

Because the simple future, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous

tenses of main verbs are all already formed with the modal verb will, when you want to indicate

likelihood, permission, or any of the other conditions discussed above in the future, it often

makes sense to do it in some other way than by adding a modal verb.

They will be more likely to come over tomorrow if you give them plenty of warning.

However, there are also situations where a modal verb other than will can be used to discuss

something in the future. In these cases, the new modal verb just replaces will in the sentence,

and the main verb takes the same form it would with will.

I can hang out tomorrow.

Could I be majoring in law next year?

They should have left by the time we get there.

20 years from now, I may have traveled to more conferences than I care to recall.

Modal verbs FAQs

What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs like can, should, and must that express conditions such as

possibility, ability, necessity, or permission.

How are modal verbs used in sentences?

Modal verbs are followed by the infinitive form of the main verb (without to) and remain

consistent across subjects. (Examples: I can drive. She must leave.)

What conditions do modal verbs express?

Modal verbs show various conditions, including:

​ Likelihood: Her parents must be so proud.

​ Possibility: It might rain tomorrow.

​ Ability: She can swim.

​ Permission: Students, you may leave early today.

​ Requests: Could you help me?

​ Advice: You should try the lasagna.

​ Command: You must wash your hands before cooking.

​ Necessity: You must finish your homework.

​ Habit: I will arrive early to every meeting and leave late.

Can modal verbs refer to past events?

Yes, modal verbs like could, might, should, and would can indicate past scenarios, often

paired with the present perfect form of the main verb. (Example: I should have called earlier.)

What are some less common modal verbs?

Modal verbs like shall and ought and expressions like used to or need to are less frequently

used but still convey specific conditions. (Example: You ought to apply for that job.)
Titik ng Kalikasan sa Aking Puso

Simula:

Tuwing nakikita ko ang kalikasan, para bang may kakaibang katahimikan na bumabalot sa akin.
Ang malamig na hangin, kulay berde ng mga dahon, at mga alon ng tubig ay nagbibigay ng
ginhawa sa puso. Napagtanto ko na hindi lang ito simpleng tanawin, kundi tahanan natin. Kung
wala ang kalikasan, mawawala rin ang marami sa ating mga nakasanayan at minamahal. Kaya
mahalaga itong pangalagaan dahil bahagi na ito ng ating pagkatao at buhay.

Gitna:​
Kapag sinisira ng tao ang kalikasan, parang sinisira rin natin ang sarili nating kinabukasan.
Nakikita na natin ang mainit na panahon, baha, at kakulangan ng malinis na hangin dahil sa
kapabayaan. May mga pagkakataon na nahihirapan na ang mga tao dahil sa polusyon na tayo
rin ang gumawa. Minsan iniisip ko, paano kung wala nang puno o malinis na tubig sa
hinaharap? Nakakatakot isipin na magiging mahirap ang pamumuhay kung patuloy nating
babalewalain ang kalikasan.

Wakas:​
Kaya ngayon, mas naiintindihan ko ang kahalagahan ng pag-aalaga sa kapaligiran. Hindi
kailangan maging malaki ang unang hakbang; maaaring magsimula sa simpleng pag-iwas
magkalat. Ang pagtatanim ng halaman o pagtipid ng tubig ay maliit pero makabuluhang paraan.
Kung bawat isa ay gagawa, magkakaroon ng malaking pagbabago. Sana, sa mga darating na
taon, makita pa rin natin ang kalikasang buhay at luntian—isang mundong maipagmamalaki.

Ilaw sa Landas ng Pamayanan

Simula:​
Para sa akin, ang pagiging isang mabuting pinuno ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagiging nasa
harapan. Ito ay tungkol sa kakayahang makinig sa pangangailangan at damdamin ng mga tao.
Ang mabuting lider ay marunong umunawa at hindi agad humuhusga. Alam niya kung paano
magpakumbaba at tumanggap ng pagkakamali. Higit sa lahat, may malasakit siya sa kanyang
nasasakupan.

Gitna:​
Mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng mabuting pinuno dahil siya ang gumagabay sa direksyon ng
isang bayan. Kapag ang lider ay may integridad, nagkakaroon ng tiwala ang mga tao. Mas
nagiging organisado, mapayapa, at maunlad ang pamayanan. Ngunit kung ang pinuno ay
walang pananagutan at hindi tapat, nagkakagulo at nahihirapan ang mamamayan. Kaya malaki
talaga ang epekto ng ugali at mga desisyon ng lider sa buhay ng bawat isa.

Wakas:​
Naniniwala ako na ang bawat isa ay may kakayahang maging mabuting pinuno sa sariling
paraan. Nagsisimula ito sa simpleng pagrespeto at paggawa ng tama kahit walang nakakakita.
Kung matututo tayong makinig, magpahalaga, at magmahal sa kapwa, mas magiging magaan
ang pamumuno. Ang bayan na may mabuting pinuno ay nagiging matatag at masaya. Kaya
mahalaga na piliin at maging lider na may puso at malasakit.