WHAT ARE THEY?

They are common auxiliary verbs used to

express the speakers subjective
attitudes and opinions that include :
POSSIBILITY, IMPOSSIBILITY
PROBABILITY, NECESSITY (OR LACK OF)
OBLIGATION, (OR LACK OF)PERMISSION,
PROHIBITION ABILITY, INABILITY,
DESIRE,

MODAL VERBS
WHEN ARE THEY USED?

We DONT normally use modal verbs to say that a situation

definitely exists. We use them to talk about

THINGS WHICH WE EXPECT, He may pass his driving test

WHICH ARE OR ARE NOT POSSIBLE, What would you do if

you won the lottery?

WHICH WE THINK ARE NECESSARY, She must tidy up her

room. Its a mess!

WHICH WE WANT TO HAPPEN, I think you ought to see a

doctor

WHICH WE ARE NO SURE ABOUT, She could be here in a

minute, nobody knows

WHICH TEND TO HAPPEN, London can be very cold in winter

WHICH HAVE NOT HAPPENED. I cant swim. He might have

told me he wasnt coming. I think she should have cancelled
her account.

HOW ARE THEY USED?

They are used before the infinitives of other verbs without the
preposition TO, except OUGHT.

They have no S in the 3rd person singular.

Questions, negatives, tags and short answers are made WITHOUT
DO

They dont have infinitives or participles and they dont normally

have past forms (though WOULD, COULD, SHOULD, and MIGHT can
sometimes be used as the past tense of WILL, CAN, SHALL and MAY.
Other expressions are used when necessary (BE ABLE TO, HAVE TO,
BE ALLOWED TO).

Certain past ideas can be expressed by a MODAL+ PERFECT

INFINITIVE.

HOW MANY ARE THERE?

CAN
PRESENT ABILITY= to be able to
She can speak perfect Spanish
PRESENT PERMISSION=to be allowed to)
Can I buy a new video game?
REQUEST Can you just wait a minute, please?
OFFER I can lend you the book.
SUGGESTION
Can we celebrate Christmas abroad?
POSSIBILITY
It can be very hot in winter here.
CERTAINTY (negative)
He cant be at home. Its too early

QUASI-MODAL VERBS. WHAT ARE THEY?

They are
similar to modal verbs in the English language that express
modality, also referred to as semi-modal verbs, the four quasimodal verbs in English are: ought to/ used to / would rather
/had better

COULD
PAST ABILITY= to be able to
She could speak perfect Spanish
PAST PERMISSION=be allowed to
I could go out last night.
POLITE QUESTION
Could I go to the cinema, please?
POLITE REQUEST
Could you just wait a minute, please?
POLITE OFFER
I could lend you the book.
POLITE SUGGESTION
Could we celebrate Christmas abroad
POSSIBILITY
It could get very hot in Montana.

MUST
FORCE, NECESSITY
I must go to the supermarket today.
POSSIBILITY
You must be tired.
ADVICE
You must see the new James Bond film.
PROHIBITION: MUST NOT
You mustnt use my mobile
CERTAINTY
He must be home by now. He left 2 hour ago

SHOULD
ADVICE
You should drive carefully in bad weather.
OBLIGATION
You should switch off the light when you
leave the room.

HAD BETTER. (SEMI - MODAL)

ADVICE
You had better leave now

WILL

REQUEST, DEMAND, ORDER (less

polite than would)
Will you please shut the door?
PREDICTION
I think it will rain on Friday.
PROMISE
I will stop smoking.
SPONTANEOUS DECISION
Can somebody drive me to the station?
I will.
HABITS
She's strange, she'll sit for hours without
talking.

WOULD RATHER (SEMI-MODAL)

WISH
Id rather leave early tomorrow

HAVE TO (SEMI-MODAL)
NECESSITY/OBLIGATION
LACK OF NECESSITY (PRESENT/PAST/FUT.)
I had to study a lot yesterday.

MAY
POSSIBILITY
It may rain today.
PRESENT PERMISSION
May I go to the cinema?
POLITE SUGGESTION
May I help you?
PROHIBITION: MAY NOT
You may not use my mobile.

MIGHT

POSSIBILITY (less possible than may)

It might rain today.
OFFER
Might I help you?

SHALL
OFFERS
Shall I help you with the laundry?

WOULD
REQUEST (more polite than will)
Would you shut the door, please?
HABITS IN THE PAST
Sometimes he would bring me some flowers.

NEED NOT
NOT NECESSARY
I needn't call him. Ive already done it.

OUGHT TO (SEMI- MODAL)

ADVICE
You ought to drive carefully in bad weather.
OBLIGATION
You ought to switch off the light when you
leave the room.

1. USE CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO IN THE CORRECT FORM

1. _________________you hear that strange noise? Its so annoying!
2. My wife __________________play tennis quite well.
3. My brother ________________read when he was three years old.
4. ___________________ you tell me what time it is, please?
5. Last night my grandfather _______________walk without any help.
6. I would like to _________________________play the piano.
7. After many tries he______________ get his driving license.
8. I'll _____________________________help you later.
9. Can you help me? I ___________ understand what hes taking about.
10. Man ____________________________live forever one day?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

3.CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION.

You (may/would)________________ leave if you wish.
(Could/May)________________ you open the window a bit, please?
(May/Can)________________ you play the violin?
You (may not/could not)________________ speak during the exam.
You (can't/ must not)________________ smoke on the bus.
(Should/May)________________ I make a call on your mobile?
Do you know if Mark (can/would)________________ come?
(Can't/May)________________ I sit here, please?
You can tell your friends they (can/could)stay the night if they want to.
10.I'm sorry but you (can't/may)__________ use the computer now

2. USE HAVE TO, MUST, MUST NOT IN THE CORRECT FORM

1. Yesterday I __________________ to get up very early. Im
so tired now
2. She
will______________
wait at the
queue
like everyone else.
SENTENCES
USING:
CAN/COULD/HAVE
9. 10.
FILLCOMPLETE
THE GAPS THE
WITH
EITHER DON'T/DOESNT
HAVE TO OR
3.
Students___________________
TO/MUST/MIGHT/SHOULD
MUSTN'T
IN THE CORRECT FORM. be on time for school.
4.
We
__________________forget
to invite
Peter
to for
theaparty.
2. Ned:
_________________I
borrow
lighter
minute?
1. Anna!
You
___________________be
soyour
rude!
5.
You
___________
be
careful
in
this
area
at
night;
Its
quite
Stephen:
Sure,
no
problem.
Actually,
you
_______keep
it
if
2. Tommy! You _____________ do that. It's really disgusting.you want
dangerous.
given up smoking. be here at six. You can arrive later.
3. to.
YouI've
_________________
6.
on a different
size.
This
doesnt
fit to. have
3.
I ________try
_________believe
she said
to
Megan!
She
________
4. You
Ian__________________
go tothat
church
if dress
he doesn't
want
you.
her cooking in frontdrive
of everyone
the get
party
last night. She
5. insulted
You _________________
so fast. at
You'll
fined.
7.
doctor
__________________get
here
as
soon
as he
_________have
just said
was fullPeople
or
hadare
some
salad
she
6. The
Helen
_________shout
atshe
everyone.
scared
ofifcan.
her.
8.
___________
you
_____________
go
to
school
next
week?
didn't
like
the
meal.
7. David _________ answer your emails. There's no law about it.
9.
to signal
they
turn.ago,
4.
Mrs.
body wasremember
found in pay
the
lounge
justwait.
moments
8. Drivers______________
It's
OK.Scarlett's
You _________________
now.
Iwhen
can
10
. You
________________leave
your
allthis
overevening,
the floor
it's
still warm! Nobodyforget
has left
the
mansion
so the
9. and
You________________
to
payclothes
the
rent
tomorrow
like
this._________be
You are so untidy!
someone
in tickets
this room.
__________be
10.killer
You___________
to
book the
forIt
the
play in advance.any

us!!!
11.one
Youof
_________
wear a tie for the interview. The job is quite
7.
_________you
always____________ say the first thing that
informal.
into
head?
you
think
once
in awhile
before
5.
FILL
THEyour
GAPS
WITH
HAVE
, MUST
OR SHOULD
.
12.pops
My teacher
told
me __________
that
the TO
book
is optional
so I_________
you
1._________read
Youspeak?
_____________
eat want
pastato.
if you want to lose wait.
it if I dont
was
reading
thetobook
last
before
I is
went
bed.
I never
2.13.8.You
IfI you
don't
want
buyto
those
shoes
youHe
______
buy
them.
__________speak
himnight
like
that.
veryto
sensitive.
it
out
of
this
room.
It_________
be
lying
around
here
3.14.took
You
_________________
play
with
matches!
Its
dangerous
Do you ____________chew with your mouth open like that?
somewhere.
Where_________
itages.
be?
4.it's
Imaking
haven't
from Anna
for
I ________
give
meheard
sick watching
you
eat
thatMaybe
piece of
pizza.
her a ring.
5. You ____________ remember your passport. Otherwise
they won't let you on the plane.
4. FILL THE GAPS WITH NEED, DONT NEED OR SHOULD.
6. The weather will be fine this weekend. We ________ go on a
MUSTa HAVE
+ you
PASTgoPARTICIPLE
CONCLUSION about an event in the past)
1. Remember you ___________________
tent if
camping. (A LOGICALpicnic.
Alan
must
have
got
up
very
early this stay
morning.
2. You ___________________buy any milk. I've already bought some.
7. You ________
on your own so late at night. It's
MIGHT
MAY HAVE
+ PAST
PARTICIPLE (A GUESS about something which happened in the past)
3. You _________say sorry to your mum,
you /havent
behaved
properly.
extremely dangerous.
They might / may8.haveYou
bought
a new house.
4. You ________________do the washing up. I'll do it later.
____________________come
if you don't feel like it.
COULD HAVE
+ PAST
DO SOMETHING IN THE PAST, not done in the end)
5. We______________ pay for the tickets,
they are
free.PARTICIPLE (ABILITY
9. TO
Anna
said she was coming after work so she____________
You couldhard.
have spokenbe
to here
him about
6. If you want to pass all your exams, you ______________study
by six.it.
CAN

T
HAVE
+
PAST
PARTICIPLE
(
A
CERTAINTY
that
something
DID NOT HAPPEN)
7. You __________ go and visit you grandpa. Hell be happy to see you.
10. I__________ be at
the meeting at 4:00. I wont be on time.
He couldnt have 11.
known
about
the
problem.
While hiking in Alaska, you __________keep an eye out for
SHOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (ADVICE which was not followed in the past or UNFULFILLED EXPECTATIONS
6. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES
WITH THE CORRECT
bears. If you see one, you______________ approach it.
He should have listened
me and he would havetopassed
MODAL (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE)
12. I to
_______________go
work tomorrow because it is
SHOULDNSHOULD
T HAVE + PAST
(CRITICISM
after
an The
event)
CAN
COULD
MAY MIGHT
MUST
HAVEPARTICIPLE
TO
Memorial
Day.
best thing about a day off from work is
shouldnt have gone
outIwithout
a coat. Its freezing
1. I have travelled a lot and I _____________ speak many You
languages.
that
_____________get
up at 6:00;
2. I understand you perfectly. You ________________to say it again.
WRITE THE
CORRECT
FORM
THE VERBS
IN BRACKETS
USING PERFECT MODALS
3. They havent
decided
where to
go onOF
holidays
but they_______
go to
at me last night I'll never forgive you.
Greece. 1. You ________________________________________________(NOT/SHOUT)
7. MIGHT / MUST / SHOULD / HAVE TO
2. Anne was very upset
you
didn't
go to her birthday party.
GO)
4. You___________(not)
read in
the
car. You_____________
get You
sick._____________________________________(TO
1. Yesterday, I ___________cram all day for my French final. I
3.
No
one's
answering
the
phone.
They
_______________________________________________out.
(TO
GO)
5. She______(not) eat so much chocolate if she wants to keep in good
didn't get to sleep until after midnight.
(ALREADY/ARRIVE)
shape. 4. The lights are on. They ________________________________________________________
2. We had better call Tony to see if he's at home before we go
5. We ______________________________________
you to the party if we had known you were in town. (TO INVITE)
6. I ______________
hear you. Speak louder, please.
over to his house. He _____________be there and we
6. Ifthan
I had
gone shopping
with you, I'm sure before
I ________________________________
something. (TO BUY)
7. It's later
I thought.
I ______________go
it gets dark.
don't want to drive all the way over there for nothing.
7. me.
I __________________________________________
to travel more when I was younger. (TO LOVE)
9. Talk to
I'm sure I________________ help you.
3. At first, my boss didn't want to hire Sam. But, because I had
You ________________________________________
on Saturday. We had a great time. (TO COME)
10. You 8.
______________
(not) do the ironing, Anne has already donetoit.the pub previously
worked with Sam, I told my boss that he
9. She ___________________________________________
I'm not sure. (to change)
11. You ____________be
very tired because you have worked very hard. her mind.
_______take another look at his resume.
10 You _________________________________________so
money on CDs. You already have too many (NOT/SPEND)
12. Paul __________come
to my birthday party because he is in hospital.much
4. You ______worry so much. It doesn't do you any good. Either
11. If I had gone on go
holidays
New Zealand,
(NOT/COME) to work this week.
13. You_______________
to the to
dentist
when you_______________________________________
have a toothache.
you get the job, or you don't. If you don't, just apply for
12.
Anna
agreed
to
meet
us
at
the
cinema
but
she
wasnt
there.
She_______________________________________(WAIT)
for us.
14. You _____________(not) do it now. You ________ do it tomorrow.
another one
13.
It
_________________________________
(BE)
Sam
who
called
this
morning
and
didn't
leave
a
message
on
the
answering
machine.
15. __________________you speak any European language?
5. I would love to go on the cruise to Tahiti with Robin and
14. know
If I had
my friends to Jamaica,
I _________________________________________(TAKE)
scuba diving lessons
16. I don't
yet gone
but Iwith
_____________go
to London
this weekend.
Michelle. But such a luxurious trip__________ cost a
15. The
machine
______________________________(TURN
this button.
17. Smoking
is bad
for you
health. You ________________ give it up. ON) by pushing
fortune.
16. Her
were
so redYou
and__________________(not)
swollen. She ________________________________________(CRY)
19. You have
goteyes
plenty
of time.
hurry.
6. Nate: Oh no! I completely forgot we were supposed to pick
17. If she was crying, she
_______________________________(HAVE)
a very good reason.
20. You _____________have
a passport
to visit some foreign countries.
Jenny up at the airport, Barbara: She ________still be
18. This
painting
______________________________(NOT/PAINT)
by Monet. It could be a forgery.
21. He speaks
a lot
of languages
but he __________(not) speak Chinese.
there waiting for us.
19. Oh no! Ann's wallet is lying on
the
coffee
table. She ____________________________________(LEAVE) it here last night
22. It _____________________rain.
Its
very
cloudy.
7. Ingrid received a scholarship to Yale University, which will
20. I dont know where the book is. Peter _____________________________________(PUT) it somewhere, Im sure.
cover 100% of the tuition. She ___________ worry at all
21. You_____________________________________(SAY) that to her. She was really annoyed.
about the increasing cost of education.
Sarah:
at HAD/'D
these flowers
- they're
beautiful!
Who could
have sent them? Anne: It _____________________________(BE) David.
8. FILL22.
THE
GAPSLook
WITH
BETTER
OR WOULD/'D
RATHER
.
8. When I was a child my grandmother was continually correcting
1. It's getting
dark.
You__________________
go back now.
He's the
only
one who would send you flowers.
our manners. She always used to say, "One _______eat with
2. A: Can
borrow your
dress? B:
You_______________
not!
23.IJenny's
engagement
ring
is enormous! It ______________________________________________
(COST) a fortune.
one's mouth open." "One _________rest one's elbows on
3. A: Can
inviteflight
my friends?
B: I_________________
didn't.
24.IAnns
from Paris
took more than 11 hours.you
She___________________________________(BE)
exhausted after such a long flight.
the table." I've redone this math problem at least twenty
4. You 25.
know,
you didn't
smoke
in front
of the kids.
If I______________
I had gone with my friends
to the
Caribe,
I___________________________________________(BE)
sunbathing right now
times, but my answer is wrong according to the answer key.
5. You___________________
put
on your coat; Its showing now
26. There is no electricity.
Something__________________________________________(BE)
damaged during the storm.
The answer in the book ______________be wrong!
7. We___________
didn't
come
home so late.
27. If you had you
work
harder,
you__________________________________________________(GET)
better results.
8. You 28.
__________________finish
the home.
project
on _______________________________________(SET
time.
Six in the morning and nobody
The
UP) for their journey very early
29. Ted: I don't know why Denise started crying when I mentioned the wedding.
Pamela: It __________________________(BE) what you said about her brother. Or, perhaps she is just nervous.

MODAL
PERFECTS

1. COULDNT / MIGHT NOT

1. When you were a child, you could swim from here to the little
EXERCISE

island in the middle of the river, (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) you?

At least, that's what your father told me.
2. She (COULDN'T/ MIGHT NOT) possibly be the winner of the
talent show! The other acts were much better than hers.
3. Frank and Sarah (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) get tickets to the
concert. The concert was sold out a little over an hour after
tickets went on sale.
4. I heard that band is really popular, and tickets sell out quickly.
You (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) get tickets if you wait too long.
5. That concert has been sold out for weeks. You
(COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) get tickets even if you knew the band
personally. It's impossible!
6. It (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) be a bad idea to get a car alarm
for your new sports car. New cars tend to attract thieves.
7. That (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) possibly be Mr. Jones. He's
lost so much weight that he looks like a completely different
person.
8. You (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) do the job if you didn't speak
Arabic fluently.
9. Jane and Bill (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) have gotten the
invitation to the party. Perhaps, that's why they didn't show up.
10. I (COULDN'T/MIGHT NOT) have left my keys at Simon's
house. I wouldn't have been able to drive home if I had done that.
They must be somewhere here in the apartment. Let's keep
looking.