MODAL AUXILIARIES

Modals, Modal Auxiliaries - English

Grammar
Modals, Modal Auxiliaries
can - to be able to/to be allowed to
do/does in questions
have got or has got
have or have got
have to, has to, had to
Long- and short forms
may - to be allowed to
Modals
must - to have to
Sentences and questions with can, must
The verb be - auxiliary and main verb
The verb do - auxiliary and main verb
The verb have - auxiliary and main verb
What are modal auxiliaries?

Modals, Auxiliaries
be, have and do can be auxiliaries und full verbs.
Modals are: can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would and need
(need can be a full verb, too).
We can play football.
We could play football.
We may play football.
We might play football.
We must play football.
We mustn't play football.
We needn't play football.
We ought to play football.
We shall play football.
We should play football.
We will play football.
We would play football.
Note:

1) Do not use modals for things which happen definitely. The sun rises in the East.
2) They do not have an -s in the 3rd person singular. He can play football.
3) Questions are formed without do/does/did. Can he speak Spanish?
4) It follows a full verb in the infinitive. They must read the book.
He was allowed to watchthe
5) There are no past forms (except could and would).
film.
When you use the past particple, you tell about things
6) You should have told me.
which did nothappen in the past.
Form

Positive negative
long form contracted form long form contracted form
can -- cannot can't
could -- could not couldn't
may -- may not --
might -- might not --
ought to -- ought not to oughtn't to
-- -- need not needn't
shall 'll shall not shan't
should 'd -- shouldn't
will 'll will not won't
would 'd would not wouldn't
We often use to be able to or to be allowed to instead of "can". We can only form the Past of
"can" (could). To put "can" into other tenses we need the phrases to be able to or to be
allowed to.
Affirmative sentences

Tense Modal Form

I am able to play football.
I'm able to play football.
Simple Present I can play football.
I am allowed to play football.
I'm allowed to play football.
I was able to play football.
Simple Past I could play football.
I was allowed to play football.
I will be able to play football.
Do not use can in the will- I'll be able to play football.
will-future
future. I will be allowed to play football.
I'll be allowed to play football.
Other possible tenses:
e.g. Present Perfect: I have been able to play football.
Negations

Tense Modal Form

I am not able to play football.
I cannot play football. I'm not able to play football.
Simple Present
I can't play football. I am not allowed to play football.
I'm not allowed to play football.
I was not able to play football.
I could not play football. I wasn't able to play football.
Simple Past
I couldn't play football. I was not allowed to play football.
I wasn't allowed to play football.
I will not be able to play football.
Do not use cannot in the I won't be able to play football.
will-future
will-future. I will not be allowed to play football.
I won't be allowed to play football.
Questions

Tense Modal Form

 Is he able to play football?
Simple Present Can he play football?
Is he allowed to play football?
Was he able to play football?
Simple Past Could he play football?
Was he allowed to play football?
Do not use can in the Will he be able to play football?
will-future
will-future. Will he be allowed to play football?
e substitute "may" with "to be allowed to".
Affirmative sentences

Tense Modal Form

I am allowed to play football.
Simple Present I may play football.
I'm allowed to play football.
Simple Past Do not use may in the Simple Past. I was allowed to play football.
I will be allowed to play football.
will-future Do not use may in the will-future.
I'll be allowed to play football.
There are also other tenses possible:
e.g. Present Perfect: I have been allowed to play football.
Negations

Tense Modal Form

I am not allowed to play football.
Simple Present I may not play football.
I'm not allowed to play football.
Do not use may not in the Simple I was not allowed to play football.
Simple Past
Past. I wasn't allowed to play football.
I will not be allowed to play football.
will-future Do not use may not in the will-future.
I won't be allowed to play football.
Questions

Tense Modal Form

Simple Present May he play football. Is he allowed to play football?
Simple Past Do not use may in the Simple Past. Was he allowed to play football?
will-future Do not use may in the will-future. Will he be allowed to play football?
We substitute "must" with "to have to".
Be careful: The negation of must means not allowed to.
Affirmative sentences

Tense Modal Form

Simple Present I must play football. I have to play football.
Simple Past Do not use must in the Simple Past. I had to play football.
will-future Do not use must in the will-future. I will have to play football.
Negations

Tense Modal Form

I must not play football. I am not allowed to play football.
1
I mustn't play football. I'm not allowed to play football.
Simple I need not play football.
2
Present I needn't play football. I do not have to play football.
I do not need to play football. I don't have to play football.
3
I don't need to play football.
Simple Past 1 Do not use must not in the I was not allowed to play football.
 Simple Past. I wasn't allowed to play football.
Do not use need not in the
2
Simple Past. I did not have to play football.
I did not need to play football. I didn't have to play football.
3
I didn't need to play football.
Do not use must not in the will- I will not be allowed to play football.
1
future. I won't be allowed to play football.
Do not use need not in the will-
will-future 2
future. I will not have to play football.
I will not need to play football. I won't have to play football.
3
I won't need to play football.
Questions

Tense Modal Form

4 Must he play football?
Simple Present Does he have to play football?
5 Does he need to play football?
4 Do not use must in the Simple Past.
Simple Past Did he have to play football?
5 Did he need to play football?
4 Do not use must in the will-future.
will-future Will he have to play football?
5 Will he need to play football?
1) Questions without question words in the Simple Present

Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Yes/No Subject Auxiliary (+ n't)

Yes, I do.
Do you read books?
No, I don't.
Does Peter play football? Yes, he does.

2) Questions with question words in the Simple Present

Question
Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Answer
word
on your I play games on my
What do you play
computer? computer.
She goes to work at 6
When does your mother go to work?
o'clock.
Where do you meet your friends? I meet them at the bus stop.
Yes/No questions - be (am, are, is)
Subject and verb change their position in statement and question.
statement You are from Germany.
question Are you from Germany?
We always use the short answer, not only "Yes" or "No".
NOTE:
If the answer is "Yes", we always use the long form.
Example: Yes, I am.
If the answer is "No", we either use the long or the contrated form (short form).
Example: No, I am not - No, I'm not.
Are you from Germany? Yes, I am.
No, I am not.
 'm not.
Is he your friend? Yes, he is.
Are Peter and John from England? Yes, they are.
Questions with question words - be (am, are, is)

Question word Verb Rest Answer

Where are you from? I'm from Stuttgart.
What is your name? My name is Peter.
How are Pat and Sue? They're fine.
Use the same form of the auxiliary can every time regardless the subject.
Questions without question words Short answer
Can you speak English? Yes, I can.
can't.
Can you climb a tree? No, I
cannot.
Can he play rugby? Yes, he can.
Can Mandy read poems? Yes, she can.
can't.
Can they sing nice songs? No, they
cannot.

Questions with question words Answer

What can Emily ride? Emily can ride a skateboard.
Where can Frank play the trumpet? Frank can play the trumpet in his room.
When can she see her friends? She can see her friends after school.