MODAL VERBS

Modal verbs are a small group of verbs, which are very different from normal verbs.
- They do not take “s” in the third person: he can, she must, it could
- They use “not” in the negative form: they may not, we should not
- They cannot be used in the past or in the future tenses
- There is no “to” after them: I can do, you must see
Common modal verbs are: Can, could, may, might, should, must, shall, will, would.
They need to be accompanied by another main verb in the base form (the infinitive
without the 'To') and provide additional information about the verb that follows it. Each
modal verb can have more than one meaning depending on the context of the sentence
or question
Affirmative: Subject + Modal Verb + Verb
Example: You should eat more fruit and vegetables.
Negative: Subject + Modal Verb + not + Verb
Examples: You shouldn’t (should not) smoke. I can’t (cannot) speak French.
As you can see in the examples above contractions of the Modal verb + not are
normally possible. The negative of can is cannot ('not' is joined to 'can') and the
contraction is can't.
Interrogative: Modal Verb + Subject + Verb…?
Examples: Can I help you? Would you like some tea?
Modals can be used alone in response to a question. Example: Can you sing? I can
CAN/ COULD
We use can to express ability or inability. Example: I can speak English. / I can’t play
tennis.

To express a possibility in general. Example: Well, I think your car can be repaired, but
it's not going to be cheap. We don't use can to talk about future possibilities; for this we
use may or might.
To offer to do something for others. Examples: Can I help you? I can take you home.
To ask for or give permission / To request something (informal). Examples: Can I go to
the toilet? Yes, you can. / No, you can’t. Can I have a glass of water please?
Note: Can't is used to refuse permission.
To point out choices (suggestion). Example: You can take the train or the bus.
Can't: Something that is forbidden or not allowed. Examples: You cannot park the car in
the city center. You can’t smoke in the restaurant.
We use could to express ability or inability in the past.
Examples: I could play football when I was younger. I
couldn’t play the guitar when I was a teenager.
To ask for polite permission or request in the present.
Examples: Could I please use your bathroom? Could you
pass me the salt please?
To make suggestions. Examples: We could go to the cinema.
To express impossibility or prohibition in the past.
Examples: We couldn’t go to the concert because it was raining. We couldn’t leave the
school without permission.
Conditional form of Can (would be able to). Example: I could do it for you if you want.
To express possibility in the present and in the past (could + have + past participle).
Example: He could be at his office. You could have broken your leg.
MAY/ MIGHT
May and Might express future possibility. Might
often implies a smaller chance of something
happening than May. Might is used more
frequently than May in spoken English. Examples:
It may rain today (70% chance). / It might rain
today (40% chance).
When expressing permission, only may is used. Can is used more frequently than May
in spoken English though May sounds more polite. Examples: May I use your phone
please? May I come in? Yes, you may. / No, you may not.
As you have seen, may not can be used to NOT give permission or to prohibit someone
from doing something.

We use may to express wishes. Example: May the New Year bring you love and
happiness. May the Force be with you.
We use may to speculate about past actions (May + have + past participle). Example:
She may have missed the train.
May as well - Might as well are expressions used to suggest that we will do something
because there is nothing better or more interesting to do. Example: There is nothing on
TV. I might as well go to bed.

MUST/ HAVE TO
We use must to express personal, or imposed by the speaker, obligations; or when
something is necessary. Examples: I must be early at home tonight. You must wear the
seatbelt while driving. You must wash your hands before every meal.
Deduction (high probability). Example: It’s 11 a.m. She must be at the school.
Strong recommendations. Examples: Hamburgers here are delicious. You must try
some.
Positive logical assumptions (Must + have + past participle). Example: Someone
phoned you yesterday night. That must have been my mother because I forgot the keys.
Mustn't (must not) refers to a negative prohibition. It’s not allowed, forbidden (it is
important that you do NOT do something). Example: You mustn't use your smartphone
while you are driving.

Don't have to is a lack of obligation (it is not necessary, especially if you don’t want
but you can if you want). Example: You don’t have to eat that.

Must can be replaced by Have to with little difference in meaning. Example: I must get
home early tonight. I have to get home early tonight. Have to is more informal while
Must is mostly used in written orders or instructions. Also, Must expresses obligation
imposed by the speaker while Have to expresses responsibility or external obligations.
When we mention someone else's obligations, we use Have to. Example: John has to
work at the bank tomorrow morning. For questions, we normally use have to. Example:
When do you have to pay the bill? The past tense of Must is Had to. Example: I had to
pay the bill yesterday.

NEED (TO) / NEEDN’T= DON’T/ DOESN’T NEED

Need is a normal verb that expresses necessity. Needn’t = don’t/ doesn’t need,
expresses not necessary or lack of obligation. Examples: I’m thirsty. I need a glass of
water. She needs our help now. Do you need to go to the toilet? Yes, I do. No, I don’t
but she needs to go. Does he need the car tomorrow? Yes, he does. No, he doesn’t need.
I need to sleep more. He needs your help. I don’t need your help thanks. She doesn’t
need your help. I will need your car tomorrow. I won’t (will not) need your car
tomorrow. We needed the teacher’s help to complete the activity. She didn’t need the
teacher’s help to complete her homework.
SHOULD = OUGHT TO
Advice: You should see the dentist at least once a year.
You shouldn’t eat chocolate every day.
Suggestion: You should do some sports.
Uncertain prediction: Salaries should go up next year.
Deduction (rational probability): She should be at
home now. He should be fine.

SHALL
Shall expresses determination. It can only be used in the 1st person whether singular or
plural (I/ We) for asking what to do, offer or suggest. Examples: Shall I call a taxi?
Shall we dance? We shall meet at the office at 9. Shall I get pizza for dinner tonight?
Shall I help you? We shall begin!
Obligation in legal documents. Example: The defendant shall pay a fine of $200.

WILL
We use will to express a voluntary action or intention, a promise, or a prediction.
Examples: I will make dinner. He will send us the files later. I’ll call you at 6. The
winter will be very cold. I won’t (will not) go at the party. Will you go to school next
week? Yes, I will. No, I won’t.

WOULD
We use would as the past of will. Example: He said that he would come with us.
Second conditional. Example: If I had more money and time, I would travel more.
Repetition in the past. Example: When I live in Roma, I would always eat pasta.
We use would like to express desires and to offer something. Example: I wouldn’t like
to see him at the party.
We use would rather to show a preference. Example: I would rather stay at home than
go to work.

How can we use modal verbs in the past?

How can we use modal verbs in the future?