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Modal Verbs and Their Meaning

This document discusses modal verbs in English. It defines modal verbs as special verbs that behave irregularly and provide additional information about the function of the main verb that follows. The document then lists some common modal verbs like can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, and must. It explains that modal verbs are used to express functions like permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, lack of necessity, advice, possibility, and probability. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of different modal verbs in the present and past tense.

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150 views

Modal Verbs and Their Meaning

This document discusses modal verbs in English. It defines modal verbs as special verbs that behave irregularly and provide additional information about the function of the main verb that follows. The document then lists some common modal verbs like can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, and must. It explains that modal verbs are used to express functions like permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, lack of necessity, advice, possibility, and probability. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of different modal verbs in the present and past tense.

Uploaded by

Gergana Miteva
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Modal verbs and their meaning

What are modal verbs?


Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs which behave
irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play, visit..." They give additional
information about the function of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of communicative
functions.

Here are some characteristics of modal verbs:

 They never change their form. You can't add "s", "ed", "ing"...
 They are used to indicate modality allow speakers to express certainty, possibility,
willingness, obligation, necessity, ability

List of modal verbs


Here is a list of modal verbs:

can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must

The verbs or expressions dare, ought to, had better, and need not behave like modal auxiliaries to a large
extent and my be added to the above list

Use of modal verbs:


Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:

1. Permission
2. Ability
3. Obligation
4. Prohibition
5. Lack of necessity
6. Advice
7. possibility
8. probability
Examples of modal verbs
Here is a list of modals with examples:

Modal Verb Expressing Example


Strong obligation You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
must logical conclusion / Certainty He must be very tired. He's been working all
day long.
must not prohibition You must not smoke in the hospital.
ability I can swim.
can permission Can I use your phone please?
possibility Smoking can cause cancer.
ability in the past When I was younger I could run fast.
could polite permission Excuse me, could I just say something?
possibility It could rain tomorrow!
permission May I use your phone please?
may
possibility, probability It may rain tomorrow!
polite permission Might I suggest an idea?
might
possibility, probability I might go on holiday to Australia next year.
lack of necessity/absence of I need not buy tomatoes. There are plenty of
need not
obligation tomatoes in the fridge.
50 % obligation I should / ought to see a doctor. I have a
terrible headache.
should/ought to advice You should / ought to revise your lessons
logical conclusion He should / ought to be very tired. He's been
working all day long.
had better advice You 'd better revise your lessons

Modals in the Present and Past

Modals in the present and past


Generally speaking modals in the past have the following form:

 modal + have + past participle

Example:

 Present: 
You should see a doctor.
 Past:
You should have seen a doctor

Except for modals that express obligation,ability and lack of necessity:


 Obligation: 
Present = I must / have to work hard. -- Past = I had to work hard.
 Ability: 
Present = I can run fast. -- Past = I could run fast when I was young.
 Lack of necessity: 
Present = You don't have to / needn't take your umbrella. -- Past = You didn't have to / didn't need to
take your umbrella.

  Modals in the Present Modals in the Past


Obligation You must / have to stop when the traffic You had to stop.
lights are red.
Advice You should see a doctor. You should have seen a doctor
Prohibition You mustn't smoke here. You  shouldn’t have
smoked there.
Ability I can run fast. I could run fast. Now I am old.
Certainty He has a Rolls Royce. He must be very He must have been rich. He had a
rich. big house and an expensive car.
He can't be American. His English is He can't have written that poem.
terrible. He was illiterate.
Permission Can I go out? She could drive her father's car
when she was only 15.
Possibility It may / can / could / might rain. It's I guess it may / can / could /
cloudy. might have been Lacy on the
phone.
Lack of You don't have to / needn't buy any You didn't have to / didn't need to
necessity tomatoes. There are plenty in the fridge. buy tomatoes.

Comment on the use of the modal verbs in the following sentences:


1. All applicants must take an entrance exam –obligation/necessity (the authority of the
speaker is involved)
2. We mustn’t allow tigers to become extinct.-prohibition
3. We have to talk to her about our lunch date tomorrow. – general obligation
4. You should check the spelling of words you don’t know.-
recommendation/advice/instruction
5. You should have studied last night.-past obligation that was not fulfilled, a reproach
6. He must be watching Hart of Dixie now.-logical assumption/logical necessity
7. He may be sick- possibility
8. That will be Damon checking on you.- predictability

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