Modal Auxiliary Verbs Copyright © 2017 Jacqueline Melvin - All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system now known or to be invented without prior written permission of the copyright holder Table of Contents Modal Auxiliary Verbs Pre-test Check your answers/pre-test Modal verbs of deduction to speculate on present states Exercise one Check your answers/exercise one Exercise two Modals of deduction must/can’t Check your answers/exercise two Exercise three Check your answers/exercise three Exercise four Check your answers/exercise four Exercise five Check your answers/exercise five Progressive modals Exercise six/progressive modals Check your answers/exercise six Modal verbs of deduction for future intentions Perfect modals when referring to past assumptions Exercise seven Check your answers/exercise seven Further instances of predicted degrees of possibility Must/may/might/could + present perfect continuous Can/could/be able to Exercise eight Check your answers/exercise eight Be able to versus manage to Exercise nine Check your answers/exercise nine Can/could and may for permission Can versus allowed to for permission Can and could for requests, offers, suggestions and recommendations Exercise ten Check your answers/exercise ten Must/obligation Answers Exercise eleven Check your answers/exercise eleven Should/ought to Should versus have to Exercise twelve Check your answers/exercise twelve Shouldn’t versus don’t have to/doesn’t have to Exercise thirteen Check your answers/exercise thirteen Exercise fourteen Check your answers/exercise fourteen Exercise fifteen Check your answers/exercise fifteen Exercise sixteen Check your answers/exercise sixteen Should versus must versus have to Check your answers/exercise seventeen Check your answers exercise sixteen Should and ought to for past advice/recommendations Modals test Exercise seventeen Check your answers/exercise seventeen Should + progressive forms Should + present perfect continuous structure Exercise eighteen Check your answers/exercise seventeen The should progress test Exercise eighteen Check your answers/exercise eighteen Should versus be supposed to versus be meant to When ‘should’ no longer overlaps with ‘be supposed to’ and ‘be meant to’ Had better versus should and ought to Shall versus will Will and would Ambiguity Exercise nineteen Check your answers/exercise nineteen Introduction The book begins with a pre-test with a link which takes you to the answers After the pre-test the modal auxiliary verbs begin from the simpler ones and progress on to more difficult ones There are clear explanations on how to use them followed by exercises with easily accessible answers What are modal auxiliary verbs? Modal auxiliary verbs have long been a nightmare for anyone learning English as a second language This particular aspect of the English language is probably the one in which learners find the most complicated Without context the lexical meaning of modal auxiliary verbs becomes extremely vague With their parallelisms and overlapping meanings they become a messy business At times the negative takes a shift in meaning causing more confusion than ever Modal auxiliary verbs are used to express varying degrees of certainty, uncertainty, probability, improbability, possibility, impossibility, expectation, lack of expectation, and so forth These tricky aspects of the English language are used with great frequency by native speakers Very often non native learners of English are unable to grasp their subtleties due to their range of meanings In this book you will find out how to use each modal What are the facts about modal auxiliary verbs? They are defective as they have no infinitive and no future They can never be combined with one another They express the mood of the speaker They modify the meaning of verbs In fact the word modal indicates to modify The verb they modify is in the ‘bare infinitive’ (the infinitive without to) when used in the present tense Modals not inflect They not change according to the subject so there is no ‘s’ in third person singular; they are the same in all persons The verb they modify does not change according to the subject Example v He cans come v He can comes v He can come To make modals negative, we put the particle not between the modal auxiliary verb and the verb it modifies Example He will not come He might not come He would not like to live in the city When forming questions we invert the modal auxiliary verb with the subject He would like /would he like to live in the city? We use each modal based on the accuracy of our knowledge The primary modal auxiliary verbs in English are as follows Can/could, may/might, shall/should, will/would, and must The book also explores the usage of modal equivalents such as have to, be supposed to, be meant to, be able to, be unable to, be allowed to, be supposed to and be meant to, which share the characteristics of modal auxiliary verbs Think carefully about the differences in meanings in the following sentences then check your answers in the final section of the book under ambiguity a) You can stay at my house when you come to London b) You could stay at my house when you come to London a) Could you translate this? b) Were you able to translate this? The phone’s ringing Who can it be at this time? a) It will be Irene b) It must be Irene c) It should be Irene, e) It might/may be Irene f) It could be Irene Think carefully about the different meanings that each of the following two sentences convey according to context and stressed words a) You might have told me you were going to be late b) You could have said so Now think carefully about the difference in meaning between the following two sentences a) Please, leave me alone for a moment I must think carefully about what to next b) She must think you’re crazy after what you did last night 10 The negative = it is not recommended/it is not advisable to something You aren’t supposed to swim after eating You aren’t meant to swim after eating You shouldn’t swim after eating (It is advisable not to this) The negative of be supposed to and be meant to also take a shift in meaning when they take on a similar meaning to ‘not be allowed to’, lack of permission or prohibition However, should does not take this meaning Example of prohibition You aren’t supposed to drive without wearing a seatbelt You aren’t meant to drive without wearing a seatbelt The meaning in the following example recommendation/advice/it is unwise to this reverts back to You shouldn’t drive without wearing a seatbelt Present tense – negative indicating advisability You aren’t supposed to brush your teeth with a wet toothbrush (It is advisable not to this) You aren’t meant to brush your teeth with a wet toothbrush (It is advisable not to this) You shouldn’t brush your teeth with a wet toothbrush It is advisable to apply toothpaste onto a dry toothbrush (It is advisable not to this) Be supposed to also implies doubts about something She is supposed to be meeting me this afternoon (There is a slight tone of doubt in the speaker’s voice) It is expected of her to meet me The new office is supposed to be opening in June (Again, there is a slight tone of doubt in the speaker’s voice It is expected that the new office will open in June but it is not 100 per cent certain) WHEN ‘SHOULD’ NO LONGER OVERLAPS WITH ‘BE SUPPOSED 109 TO’ AND ‘BE MEANT TO’ We not use should in its past tense when referring to something that was pre-arranged We were supposed to go to the beach today but the car broke down so we didn’t go (This was our plan/intention but due to circumstances beyond our control we did not go) We were meant to go to the beach today but the car broke down so we didn’t go (This was our intention/plan) We should have gone to the beach this morning but the car broke down This sounds awkward We should have gone cycling but the weather was bad Awkward sounding as the meaning reverts back to past advice therefore the clause ‘but the weather was bad’ cannot be used More examples My boyfriend was supposed to be meeting me at 11 My boyfriend was meant to be meeting me at 11 My boyfriend should have been meeting me at 11 I’m supposed to be going to the cinema on Friday I’m meant to be going to the cinema on Friday I should be going to the cinema on Friday Other ways to express an arrangement that did not take place Was/were going to + bare infinitive We were going to go to the beach this morning but the car broke down (It was our intention to go to the beach but we didn’t go because the car broke down) The past progressive form We can also use ‘should’, ‘be supposed to’ and ‘meant to’ with a gerund to indicate the continuous tense meaning a requirement or expectation in progress at the moment of speaking 110 Mary went to her mother’s house to help her clean out the cupboard She’s sitting on the armchair doing nothing Mary’s mother: You’re supposed to be helping me (Expectation overlapping with mild obligation) You’re meant to be helping me (Mild obligation) You should be helping me (Mild obligation/expectation) We can also use them in the past tense She should have been working this morning She was supposed to be working this morning She was meant to be working this morning All three mean it was expected of her but she wasn’t working this morning Be meant to/be supposed to for an intended purpose Father to son: Is that a paper plane you’ve made? Son to father: No it isn’t Does it look like one? Father to son: Yes it does Son to father: It’s meant to be/it’s supposed to be a boat Be supposed to and be meant to are also used when reporting a claim made by a third person but should is not Garlic is supposed to be good for the circulation of the blood (This has been said to be the case) Garlic is meant to be good for the circulation of the blood Garlic should be good for the circulation of the blood HAD BETTER VERSUS SHOULD AND OUGHT TO We can use had better + bare infinitive (the infinitive without the to) in place of should and ought to Had better, however, expresses more urgency and at times a threat) Although, had better, has a past tense construction, it does not refer to the past We use it for the present or the future We usually always contract had better but in formal writing we don’t Examples 111 We should go now or we’ll miss the last train home We ought to go now or we’ll miss the last train home (There’s a more urgent tone than what there is with should) We’d better go now or we’ll miss the last train home (More urgency than ought to) You’d better tell the truth said the police officer to Johnny when he was being questioned at the police station (A threatening tone) SHALL VERSUS WILL Shall and will are both used to make a suggestion or an offer Shall is only used in first and second person singular Example Offer Person A: “It’s very hot in here.” Person B: “Shall I open the window? /Will I open the window?” Suggestion It’s getting late Shall/will we go now? Shall is also used in formal English as an alternative to must when writing contracts or similar documents It is used as a polite form of obligation when must can sound too authorative 112 WILL AND WOULD As well as for future facts, promises, offers, spontaneous decisions etc., will is used to indicate repetitive behaviour It is a good idea to become familiar with this other use of will as it is frequently used in the English language We use will to indicate typical behaviour in present facts We use would when expressing typical behaviour in the past Examples She will leave the door open every time she goes out (It is typical of her – this behaviour is repetitive so it doesn’t surprise me) Person A: John drank all the milk and left none for us Person B: Oh he will (drink all the milk) (There is no need to repeat the phrase drink all the milk as we already know by what person A just said) Person B is familiar with this typical behaviour of John so when he says “he will,”- what he means is that the fact does not surprise him in the least as it is part of John’s nature to so) When we use will for typical behaviour, it is always stressed We not use will when something happens on one occasion only She left the door open when she went out (Only that time) We use would for characteristic behaviour in the past I remember when I was young dad would always buy us a chocolate bar on Friday evenings (This was characteristic of dad every Friday evening/the fact that he bought us chocolate on Friday evenings was recurrent) When we were young my grandfather would take us to the beach every Sunday (Recurrently/typical behaviour) We not use would when something happened on one occasion only in the past We use would to express the future in the past 113 Example When she arrived in Rome, she wasn’t to know that she would live there for another thirty years (The future in the past) Will and would are also used for polite requests They are similar in meaning to may, can and could for expressing polite requests Can Can you look after my plants when I go on holiday? Could Could you look after my two cats for the weekend? Will Will you help me cook tonight? Would Would you keep your eye on my bag while I go to the ladies’ room please? Would you help me with this heavy bag? (A polite request) Would you be so kind as to help me with this heavy bag? (An extremely polite request) Would is also used to express desires but its main use is to express hypothetical situations He’d like to buy a new car (A desire) She’d like to be rich (A desire) Would is used in unreal situations The second conditional If I had the money I would buy a car (Would expresses 100% certainty (in unreal situations) if I had the money) (I don’t have the money so I can’t buy a car) We can also use could or might If I had the money I could buy a car (Could expresses possibility, an option if I had the money) 114 If I had the money I might buy a car (Might expresses a 50/50 possibility) Third conditional Let’s compare would with could and should when they denote missed opportunities/things that did not happen in the past They normally carry a tone of regret from the speaker If I had had the money I would have bought a car (Would have + past participle expresses 100% sure, on condition I had had the money) The use of would + have + past participle implies that I wanted to buy the car but something prevented me from doing so The fact that I did not have the money was an obstacle I could have become a doctor if I had studied more (I had this possibility but I didn’t take advantage of it, again there is a tone of regret in the speaker’s voice) I should have become a doctor (Why didn’t I become a doctor? I regret this) More examples Why didn’t you tell us? We would have helped you (We didn’t help you because you didn’t tell us) We could have helped you (We didn’t help you but we had the possibility/choice to help you) We should have helped you (We didn’t help you but it was our duty/responsibility to help you) Would is the past tense of will For refusal/unwillingness The present (will) She won’t her homework (She refuses) The past She wouldn’t her homework last night (She refused) It will be cloudy tomorrow (A future prediction) The weather forecast said it would be cloudy tomorrow (Reported speech) 115 I was told it would be cloudy tomorrow (Reported speech/passive) With reporting verbs, would is the past tense of will Direct speech: I will phone you later (A future fact) Reported speech: She said she would phone me later Direct speech: I will be flying to London tomorrow between 11 and 12 so don’t phone me then (Something in progress at a moment in the future) Reported speech: She said she would be flying to London tomorrow between 11 and 12 Direct speech: I promise I will help you (A promise) Reported speech: She promised she would help me Direct speech: I will probably be late (A prediction) Reported speech: She said she would probably be late Direct speech: The Prime minister will make his speech soon (Will also expresses a future fact) Reported speech: He said he would make his speech soon In reported speech, will becomes would and can becomes could but the other modal auxiliary verbs remain the same AMBIGUITY The following sentences have different meanings depending on context The tone of voice of the speaker changes in each utterance You might have told me you were going to be late (Why didn’t you tell me?) There is a tone of irritation in the speaker’s voice when uttering the above You might have told me you were going to be late (Maybe you told me I don’t remember) Stress on might You could have said so The stress on could have said so = why didn’t you say so? You could have said so The stress on only could = maybe you said so I don’t remember a) You can stay at my house when you come to London (An invitation) 116 b) You could stay at my house when you come to London (This is one possibility) a) Could you translate this? (Making a request) b) Were you able to translate this? (This implies, ‘did you have the ability?’) The following examples are in order of certainty A, B, and C, express high probability) The phone’s ringing Who can it be at this time? a) It will be Irene (A prediction based on knowledge) b) It must be Irene (This is inevitable) c) It should be Irene (Expectation) e) It might/may be Irene (Possibility) f) It could be Irene (Possibility) The following sentence has different meanings according to context and in the spoken language the meaning changes according to the tone of the voice of the speaker a) Please, leave me alone for a moment I must think carefully about what to next (It is a necessity for me to think carefully) b) She must think you’re crazy after what you did last night (I deduce this/I firmly believe it to be so) EXERCISE NINETEEN Choose the best answer from the multiple choice exercises that follow We predict that Jane was working yesterday morning Where was Jane yesterday morning? She working a) would have been b) could have been c) should have been d) can’t have been 117 We predict that John was sleeping yesterday when you rang the doorbell That is why he probably didn’t answer the door John sleeping a) could have been b) might have been c) ought to have been d) would have been Three of the options below (a – d) denote high probability in the past? Which three are they? John didn’t answer the phone yesterday morning He is usually always sleeping at in the morning a) He will have been sleeping b) He would have been sleeping c) He could have been sleeping d) He must have been sleeping Three of the following options below (a-d) denote possibility in the past Which three are they? Perhaps Mary was working when you called Maybe that is why she didn’t answer the telephone She working a) may have been b) might have been c) could have been d) must have been Janet was not working yesterday Instead she was updating her personal blog Her supervisor caught her What did the supervisor say to Jane? You but instead you are updating your blog Come with me to my office immediately 118 a) should be working b) must be working c) can’t be working d) could be working Your friend spends all her money on clothes She never has any money to pay her bills You say: “If I were you I take control of my spending habits.” a) should b) could c) would d) will You find yourself in trouble Your brother offers to help He says: I help you if you like There are two possible answers What are they? a) could b) would c) should d) will I wish I had bought that house on the corner when it was selling at such a bargain price I that house a) would have bought b) should have bought c) could have bought d) will have bought 119 You found out that your friend was in your city for the weekend She stayed in a hotel Afterwards when you speak to her, you say: Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be in London for the weekend? You stayed at my house a) could have b) would have c) will have d) may have 10 Someone ate all the cakes Based on how familiar you are with your brother Jim’s liking for sweet foods, you reach the following conclusion It _ been Jim Two of the following are correct Which two are they? a) would have b) will have c) could have d) should have CHECK YOUR ANSWERS/EXERCISE NINETEEN We predict that Jane was working yesterday morning Where was Jane yesterday morning? She would have been working We predict that John was sleeping yesterday when you rang the doorbell That is why he probably didn’t answer the door John would have been sleeping John didn’t answer the phone yesterday morning He is usually always sleeping at in the morning He will/would/must have been sleeping (All of the above predict high degrees of probability based on the speaker’s familiarity with John) Perhaps Mary was working when you called Maybe that is why she didn’t answer the telephone She may/could/might have been working Janet was not working yesterday Instead she was updating her personal blog Her supervisor caught her What did the supervisor say to Jane? You should have been working but instead you are updating your blog Come with me to my office immediately (It was Janet’s duty to be working) Your friend spends all her money on clothes She never has any money to pay her bills You say: “If I were you I would take control of my spending habits.” You find yourself in trouble Your brother offers to help He says: I could/will help you if you like (Could = this is an option/will = this is a fact) 120 I wish I had bought that house on the corner when it was selling at such a bargain price I should have bought that house (This is the better choice as it indicates ‘why didn’t I buy it) You found out that your friend was in your city for the weekend She stayed in a hotel Afterwards when you speak to her, you say: Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be in London for the weekend? You could have stayed at my house 10 Someone ate all the cakes Based on how familiar you are with your brother Jim’s liking for sweet foods, you reach the following conclusion It will/would have been Jim The end _ 121 Table of Contents Modal Auxiliary Verbs Pre-test Check your answers/pre-test Modal verbs of deduction to speculate on present states Exercise one Check your answers/exercise one Exercise two Modals of deduction must/can’t Check your answers/exercise two Exercise three Check your answers/exercise three Exercise four Check your answers/exercise four Exercise five Check your answers/exercise five Progressive modals Exercise six/progressive modals Check your answers/exercise six Modal verbs of deduction for future intentions Perfect modals when referring to past assumptions Exercise seven Check your answers/exercise seven Further instances of predicted degrees of possibility Must/may/might/could + present perfect continuous Can/could/be able to Exercise eight Check your answers/exercise eight 122 11 18 21 26 27 27 27 28 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 34 36 37 38 39 41 41 44 46 54 56 Be able to versus manage to Exercise nine Check your answers/exercise nine Can/could and may for permission Can versus allowed to for permission Can and could for requests, offers, suggestions and recommendations Exercise ten Check your answers/exercise ten Must/obligation Answers Exercise eleven Check your answers/exercise eleven Should/ought to Should versus have to Exercise twelve Check your answers/exercise twelve Shouldn’t versus don’t have to/doesn’t have to Exercise thirteen Check your answers/exercise thirteen Exercise fourteen Check your answers/exercise fourteen Exercise fifteen Check your answers/exercise fifteen 123 58 61 63 65 66 66 67 68 71 72 75 76 78 82 82 82 84 84 84 85 86 86 88 ... Contents Modal Auxiliary Verbs Pre-test Check your answers/pre-test Modal verbs of deduction to speculate on present states Exercise one Check your answers/exercise one Exercise two Modals of... how to use them followed by exercises with easily accessible answers What are modal auxiliary verbs? Modal auxiliary verbs have long been a nightmare for anyone learning English as a second language... invert the modal auxiliary verb with the subject He would like /would he like to live in the city? We use each modal based on the accuracy of our knowledge The primary modal auxiliary verbs in