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The document provides definitions and examples of usage for various English modal verbs including can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, need, dare, used to, and ought to. It explains how each modal verb is used to express ideas like permission, possibility, obligation, requests, past habits, and more. Examples are provided to illustrate the different meanings and uses of each modal verb.

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60 views

Submitted To: Submitted by

The document provides definitions and examples of usage for various English modal verbs including can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, need, dare, used to, and ought to. It explains how each modal verb is used to express ideas like permission, possibility, obligation, requests, past habits, and more. Examples are provided to illustrate the different meanings and uses of each modal verb.

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oneworld_cs
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SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Miss Shweta Bansal Naseem


B.com-1st year
“Modals”
Modals are the verbs which are used with other verbs (not modals) to
express possibility, permission, obligation, etc. Here is a list of modals :
Can, Could, May, Might, Shall, Should, Will, Would, Must, Need, Dare, Used
to, Ought to.

Can

1. Can is used to indicate :

a) ability :
I can teach you English.
She can paint.
They can speak English fluently.

b) permission :
“You can sit here,” said the teacher.
Can I take some rest now ?

c) possibility :
The guests can arrive any moment.
So lunch must be ready.
She is very punctual. She cannot late.
Could
Could is the past tense of can (through not restricted to the past time only).
It is used to indicate :

a) ability :
I could write poetry before I left college.
He could not read my handwriting.

b) permission :
She could visit me whenever she liked.
We could not touch father’s books.
Could I use your computer ?

c) a polite request :
Could you tell me the time ?
Could you come a bit earlier ?

May

May is used to indicate:

a) permission :
You may have either of these two pens.
May I sit beside you ?

b) possibility :
It is cloudy. It may rain.
He may fight the election.
My advice may be useful to you.

c) purpose :
Hurry up so that we may reach in time.
Let’s work hard so that India may progress.

d) wishes or hopes :
“May you win a scholarship !” said the teacher.
May he live long to see his son shine in life!
Might
Might is the past tense of may. It is used to indicate :

a) possibility :
He might help you, but I am not sure.
“The train might be late,” said the coolie.

b) purpose :
He worked hard so that he might pass.
I applied the brakes so that I might save the pedestrian.

Should

Should is the past tense of ‘shall’. It is used :

a) to indicate past tense in the reported speech :


I said that I should do it.

b) to express what is advisable, desirable, or obligatory :


You should help the poor. They need help.
She isn’t well. She should consult a doctor.
We should be polite.
You should be punctual.

c) to indicate probability or expectation :


“Where is Ramesh ?” “He should be in his room at this
time”.
“What will the scheme cost ?” “It should be below five lakh
rupees”.

Must

Must is used to indicate :


a) obligation :
You must pay your fee by the 10th.
You must behave well or leave the class.
b) advice or recommendation :
You must consult your parents on this important issue.
You must start before 7 o’clock to catch the rain.

c) a logical conclusion :
The boy is running. He must be late for school.
The ground is wet. It must have rained during the night.

d) insistence :
You must read this book before you read that.
You must phone me before your visit.

Need

Need is chiefly used in the interrogative or negative. It indicates obligation


or necessity.

a) Need I teach you even basic rules of courtesy ?


You need not come personally. You may send your
messenger.

Need not and Must not

Look at these sentences :


You need not buy any vegetables.
You must not buy any vegetables.
The first sentence implies that the speaker has already bought or proposes
to buy the necessary vegetables himself/herself. So it is not necessary for
you to buy them.
The second sentence implies if you buy any vegetables, they will be
unnecessary and may turn stale, being of no use for the present. Thus
‘must not’ implies a caution or warning.

Ought to
Ought to is used more or less like should. It is more emphatic than
‘should’. It indicates :
a) duty or obligation :
You ought to speak the truth.

b) what is advisable, desirable or right :


The patient ought to take sufficient rest.
You ought to help the handicapped.
You ought to take special care of your eyes.

c) probability :
He has fully recovered from illness. He ought to resume his
work.

Used to
Used to is used :

a) to express a habitual or repeated action in the past, generally with the


idea that the action is finished now :
He used to visit us every Sunday.
She used to play tennis when she was here.

b) to express a state of things that existed in the past :


There used to be a school where there is a bank now.
Things used to be very cheap during those days.

Note: Would can replace used to in sentences (a) but not in (b):
He would visit us every Sunday.
She would play tennis when she was here.

Shall and Will

The future tense of a verb has the auxiliary shall in the first person, both
singular and plural (I, We) :
I shall be twelve next Monday.
We shall all die one day.
I shall be late if I walk slowly.
When shall we know our result ?
When will is used in the first person, it expresses the subject’s desire,
willingness, intention or determination :
I will help the poor.
We will meet you soon.
I will never employ such a lazy person.
We will buy a car.
I will carry that box for you.

Except pronouns of the first person, will is used with all other subjects :
He will play in the evening.
She will be twenty next month.
The train will reach here at 10a.m.
The shops will remain close in Sunday.
It will be 8 o’clock when we get back home.

Shall is often used as promise or threat with all subjects except pronouns
of the first person :
You shall be rewarded if you work to my entire satisfaction.
He shall not leave without permission.

Shall I and Shall We are often used to begin offers of help or suggestions :
Shall I wake you up at 5?
Shall we sit outside ?

Would
Would is the past tense of ‘will’. It is used :

a) to denote past tense in indirect speech :


Direct: I said, “He will take tea”.
Indirect: I said that he would take tea.

b) to express a polite request :


Would you give him my message ?
(= Please give him my message.)
Would you mind opening the windows ?
(=Please open the windows.)
c) to enquire about the wish of the person addressed :
Would you like to go just now ?
Would you play hockey or football ?

d) to denote activities in the past, which were frequent or occurred from


time to time :
He would teach his son every day. (= used to)
She would send me greetings on my birthdays. (= used to)

e) to denote a wish :
Would that I were an angel !

Dare
Dare means ‘have courage or impudence to’ :

No one dared ask that dictator a question.


I hardly dare speak against him.
How dare you insult me ?
She dare not disobey her boss.

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