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Modal Verbs

This document discusses different modal verbs in English and their uses: - Can, could, may and might are used to express permission, ability, possibility or permission. For example, "can I have a glass of water?" asks for permission. - Must is used to express certainty or obligation, especially when imposed by another's authority. "You must go to bed" imposes an obligation from the speaker. - Have/has to is used to express obligations based on rules or laws, without imposing the obligation. "I have to wear a uniform" refers to a school rule. - Don't/doesn't have to means something is possible but not necessary or obligatory. "She

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4K views

Modal Verbs

This document discusses different modal verbs in English and their uses: - Can, could, may and might are used to express permission, ability, possibility or permission. For example, "can I have a glass of water?" asks for permission. - Must is used to express certainty or obligation, especially when imposed by another's authority. "You must go to bed" imposes an obligation from the speaker. - Have/has to is used to express obligations based on rules or laws, without imposing the obligation. "I have to wear a uniform" refers to a school rule. - Don't/doesn't have to means something is possible but not necessary or obligatory. "She

Uploaded by

Malvarosa
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

Ability / Inability I can speak English


2. Informal permission can I open the window?
3. Informal request can I have a glass of water?
4. Possibility Anyone can become rich and famous
Can, could, may and might are modal verbs that
Can be used to give permission or deny permission

Impossibility You can´t be 30! I thought you were


About 20 years old

1. Asking for permission Could I borrow your book?


2. Polite request could you say it again more slowly?
3. Ability in the past she could read when she was 4
4. Suggestion we could try to fix it ourselves
5. Possibility I think we could have another Gulf war

1. Deduction or certainty That must be Jerry, they said


he was tall with red hair
2. Obligation (“must” involves the speaker´s authority
or opinion) you must go to bed, said her mum

Prohibition You must not swim in that river, it is full of


crocodiles

Obligation ( based ib a law or rule, the speaker Orly


Says that an obligation exists and doesn´t impose an
Obligation) I have to wear a uniform in my school
“Have got to” is also common in an informal style

It is not necessary to do something, you can do


It if you want but it is not necessary
She doesn´t have to finish her composition
tonight

1. Possibility
He may run the marathon this year
2. Polite permission or request
May I go now? Yes, you may

Might is most Commonly used to express


Possibility. English speakers can also use
“might” to make suggestions or request, but
This is less common in American English.
Be careful, you might fall

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