MODAL VERBS IN ENGLISH

MODAL VERBS Modals are very special verbs which have some special characteristics 1.They not add –S in 3rd person singular of Present Simple I can speak three languages / He can speak three languages 2.They not need the auxiliary DO / DOES in negative and interrogative forms She might not come / Should I apply? 3.They not admit the –ING form They are followed by INFINITIVE without TO ( except for OUGHT TO) Modal verbs can express: ABILITY (CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO) CAN : we use it to express ability in the present Example: “I can use a computer.” COULD: we use it to express capability in the past Example: “She couldn´t talk until she was three.” BE ABLE TO (not a modal verb): it is used to express ability in the future, but also when we want to talk about capability in perfect tenses Example: “I´ll be able to work next weekend.” Example: “They haven´t been able to find someone for the job.” POSSIBILITY AND CERTAINTY (COULD, MAY, MIGHT, MUST, CAN´T) • COULD, MAY, MAY NOT, MIGHT, AND MIGHT NOT are used to express possibility in the present and future tenses Example: “It could be a good job” Example: “You might not get an interview” • CAN´T : it is used to express that something seems impossible Example: “It can´t be midnight already” • MUST: we use it when we are certain about something Example: “He must be on holiday” But be careful because we cannot use mustn´t to express certainty about a fact In this case, we´ll use can´t Example: “There´s no answer He can´t be at home” NECESSITY, OBLIGATION (MUST, HAVE TO, NEED) • MUST and HAVE TO are used to express obligation, although must is stronger than have to Example: “You must be reliable” Example: “You have to three years of training” • MUSTN´T: we use it in order to express prohibition Example: “You mustn´t eat in the classroom” • DON´T HAVE TO and NEEDN´T: There is no obligation to something Example: “You needn´t go to the cinema so early, the film doesn´t start until o´clock” Example: “We don´t have to work at weekends” • NEED (without to) is only used in negative and interrogative forms • NEED TO (affirmative form) : it expresses necessity Example: “I need to find a job” PERMISSION (CAN, COULD, BE ALLOWED TO) • CAN: it is used to express permission in the present tense Example: “Can I leave now?” • BE ALLOWED TO (not a modal verb): it replaces can in the past and future tenses Example: “My sister won´t be allowed to go to the party” • COULD: it is also used to talk about general permission in the past Example: “You couldn´t go out alone until you were 15.” However, could cannot be used to talk about permission at a specific moment in the past In this case, we´ll use be allowed to Example: “At sixteen, I was allowed to get a job on Saturdays.” ADVICE (SHOULD, OUGHT TO, HAD BETTER) • OUGHT TO and SHOULD: they are used to give advice They have a similar meaning but ought to is more formal than should Example: “You ought to apply for the job” / “ You should apply for the job” • HAD BETTER + infinitive (without to) is used to give advice and to express intention Example: “You´d better study harder” Example: “I´d better leave now” • HAD BETTER NOT is used to warn somebody about something Example: “You´d better not be late or I´ll go without you” MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES Some modal verbs can be used with have + past participle to talk about past events • MIGHT, MAY and COULD HAVE + participle refer to something which was possible in the past Example: “He may / might / could have left the company” • COULD HAVE + participle can also be used to talk about an alternative in the past, although it is not possible anymore Example: “You could have been a doctor” (you aren´t a doctor) • MUST HAVE + participle is used to express certainty or logical deduction about the past Example: “You must have seen it” (I´m sure you did) • CAN´T HAVE + participle is used to talk about something impossible in the past Example: “He can´t have understood the question” • SHOULD HAVE + participle expresses an opinion about past events which we cannot change Example: “She should have taken some advice from her friends” (she didn´t) • SHOULDN´T HAVE + participle is used to express regret or criticism about past events Example: “They shouldn´t have gone out late last night but they did” NOW LET´S PRACTICE! Rewrite each sentence without changing the meaning a) You didn´t study at all Bad mistake! You SHOULD HAVE STUDIED b)Did you manage to find the keys? Were c)It wasn't necessary to get up so early in the end I didn't d) Perhaps Leanne forgot our date Leanne might e) It was possible for you to have got lost You could f) It would have been a good idea not to trust him You should g) Smoking in class is prohibited You mustn´t h) Mum went shopping but it wasn´t necessary Mum needn‘t i) It would be better to tell him You ought j) I´m sure they aren´t at home All the lights are off They can't b were you able to find the keys? c I didn´t have to get up so early d Leanne might have forgotten our date e You could have got lost f You shouldn’t have trusted him g You mustn´t smoke in class h Mum needn´t have gone shopping i You ought to tell him j They can´t be at home The lights are off Replace the words in italics with appropriate modal verbs “Wonderful, it´s Sunday and (a) not necessary for me to get up at o´clock (b) I´ll possibly stay in bed a bit longer although I think the children (c) are probably awake now and I´ll (d) be obliged to get their breakfast soon They refuse to make it for themselves I´d better get up immediately because (e) perhaps they will wreck the house However, it is still very early and they (f) are probably not very hungry yet (g) It would have been a good idea if I had put out the cornflakes and milk yesterday evening But all this thinking and not acting is really silly! (h) It ´s really necessary for me to get up this minute Now where are my bedroom slippers? That damn dog (i) has probably hidden them again! (j) It would be a good idea for us to train it better, but I suppose we (k) weren´t obliged to buy it in the first place, and after all, it´s only a puppy Oh, I´d forgotten! (l) It´s just possible that Alan will be back from his business trip today-marvellous! One adult isn´t enough to look after four children, a puppy, and three goldfish! Why (m) did he refuse to take me with him? (n) It was possible for us to get his mother to come and look after the children Never again!” • • • • • • • • • • • • • • a I needn´t b might c may be d have to e might f can´t be g should have h I must i must have j should k didn´t have to l Alan may be m couldn´t take n could have got [...]... had put out the cornflakes and milk yesterday evening But all this thinking and not acting is really silly! (h) It ´s really necessary for me to get up this minute Now where are my bedroom slippers? That damn dog (i) has probably hidden them again! (j) It would be a good idea for us to train it better, but I suppose we (k) weren´t obliged to buy it in the first place, and after all, it´s only a puppy... sentence without changing the meaning a) You didn´t study at all Bad mistake! You SHOULD HAVE STUDIED b)Did you manage to find the keys? Were c)It wasn't necessary to get up so early in the end I didn't d) Perhaps Leanne forgot our date Leanne might e) It was possible for you to have got lost You could f) It would have been a good idea not to trust him You should g) Smoking in class is prohibited... Mum needn´t have gone shopping i You ought to tell him j They can´t be at home The lights are off Replace the words in italics with appropriate modal verbs “Wonderful, it´s Sunday and (a) not necessary for me to get up at 7 o´clock (b) I´ll possibly stay in bed a bit longer although I think the children (c) are probably awake now and I´ll (d) be obliged to get their breakfast soon They refuse to make... Mum went shopping but it wasn´t necessary Mum needn‘t i) It would be better to tell him You ought j) I´m sure they aren´t at home All the lights are off They can't b were you able to find the keys? c I didn´t have to get up so early d Leanne might have forgotten our date e You could have got lost f You shouldn’t have trusted him g You mustn´t smoke in class h Mum needn´t have gone shopping i You ought... puppy Oh, I´d forgotten! (l) It´s just possible that Alan will be back from his business trip today-marvellous! One adult isn´t enough to look after four children, a puppy, and three goldfish! Why (m) did he refuse to take me with him? (n) It was possible for us to get his mother to come and look after the children Never again!” • • • • • • • • • • • • • • a I needn´t b might c may be d have to e might