Modals of Ability: Can, Could, Be able to, May, Might

Introduction

These five verbs are examples of modal verbs.

 can
 could
 be able to
 may
 might

Modal verbs are helping/auxiliary verbs that express ideas

like ability, permission, possibility, and necessity. Many modal verbs have more than
one meaning. They are always followed by the simple form of a verb. For example,

Alan can swim well.

This shows that Alan has the ability to swim.

1. Modals for Ability

Let’s start with expressing ability! We use can, be able to and could to show that

someone has (or doesn’t have) an ability to do something.

Look at these examples:

Present/Future Negative Past Ability Negative

Ability

Alan can swim Jackie Paul could Mary couldn’t

well. cannot play speak Chinese finish her
piano. when he was a homework
child. last night.

I can meet you We can’t Last night, You couldn’t

after school. visit there were no find the
Vancouver clouds in the website this
this sky and they morning,
weekend. could see all could you?
the stars.

I am able to I am not able When I was a I wasn’t able

speak two to speak young child, I to finish my
languages. Arabic. wasn’t able to test
tie my shoes. yesterday.

Brenda is able to Stacey isn’t Shaun was Paula wasn’t

run quickly. able to finish able to able to pass
a marathon. complete the the class.
assignment.
 Present/Future Negative Past Ability Negative
Ability

You are able to We aren’t They were able You weren’t

program a able to make to catch six fish able to
computer. a reservation on their trip. understand
tonight. the answer,
were you?

Did you notice that the verbs after “can/could/be able to” are always in the simple
form? For example:

Alan can swim well.    (subject + auxiliary verb + simple verb + ...)

Do NOT change the modal auxiliary OR the main verb for he/she/it subjects. In

addition, do not add “ing” or “ed”.

Alan can swims well.   Wrong!

Alan can to swim well.   Wrong!

Alan can swimming well.   Wrong!

Alan could swam well.   Wrong!

How can we make questions about ability? It’s easy!

Modal auxiliary + subject + main verb + ... ?

Can she play guitar?

Could you speak English when you were a child?

BE + subject + able to + main verb + ... ?

Are you able to understand the homework?

Were you able to finish the test?
Was he able to pass the exam?

Notice that we do not need the verbs “do/does/did” when we make questions!
The modal verb “be able to” includes the word “to”; the “to” is not an infinitive.

2. Modals for Possibility

Let’s learn about expressing possibility now.

The verbs may, might and could show possibility now and in the future. In this case,

they have the same meaning.

Look at this conversation:

A: My mother said that it may snow tomorrow.

B: Really? It might snow?! That’s great! I could make a snowman or go for a “snow”
walk.

A: Don’t get too excited. If the temperature is high, it may not snow. It may rain.

B: Well, I guess I could still go for a walk in the rain.

Be careful with may + “be” and “maybe”. Compare these sentences. Both are

correct.

Ann is not here today. She may be sick.   “may be” is a modal.

Ann is not here today. Maybe she is sick.   “Maybe” is an adverb.

3. Modals for Permission

Finally, let’s look at ways to ask for and give permission. We use may,

could and can to do this.

Formality Example

most May I go to the washroom?

formal/polite *only used with “I” and “we”

medium formal Could I borrow your dictionary?

Could he pay you tomorrow?

casual Can I call you back later?

Can she have a cookie?

Now, look at the (main) verbs that come after the subject. They are always in
the simple form, just as with other modal verbs.

Again, the most polite/formal way to answer these questions is with “may.”

Examples:

May I go to the Yes, you may (go to the No, you may

washroom? washroom). not.
Yes, you can. No, you
cannot.

Can she have a Yes, she can. No, she can’t.

cookie?

Notice that we do not “contract” may + not = mayn’t.   Wrong!

Can’t and couldn’t are common contractions, however.
I. Choose the correct answer.

1. ____________ dogs fly? No, of course not!

A. May

B. Do can

C. Can

2. My cat ____________ jump, but it ____________ talk.

A. can / can't

B. can't / can

3. ____________ you play the piano when you were a child?

A. Could

B. Can

C. May

4. Sara ____________ Italian food and she ____________ French food too!
A. can cooks / can cooks

B. can cook / is able to cook

C. can cooking / can cooking

5. The family can't decide where to go on vacation. They ____________ go to

Los Angeles or they ____________ go to Hawaii.
A. might / may

B. may / are able to

C.  could / couldn't

6. Kevin was disappointed because he ____________ get tickets for the

football game.
A. wasn't able to

B.  weren't able to

7. When Vera was young, she ____________ type quickly. She took a typing
class and now she ____________ type very quickly!
A. could not / can

B. can / could

C. could not / can to

8. I'm going to bring an umbrella today because it ____________ rain.

A. is able to

B. can

C. might
 9. The little girl asked, "Mommy, ____________ I have a cookie?" The mother
said, "Yes, you ____________."
A.  can / are able to

B. may / might

C. can / can

10. Peter ____________ swim when he was a child, but now he ____________.
In fact, he swims every day!
A. could / can't

B. couldn't / can

C. couldn't / can't

11. She ____________ understand Korean very well, but she ____________
speak it perfectly.
A. be able to / cannot

B. is able to / is able to

C. is able to / cannot

12. ____________ I borrow your dictionary?

A. May

B. Am I able to

C. Might

13. George is absent from class today. He ____________ be sick.

A. able to

B. could

C. can

Modals of Ability 2 - Can, Could, Be able to, May, Might

Use the best modal to complete each sentence; use a negative form when
necessary.

1.   I borrow your pencil? Thanks!

2. James and Sara were so sad because they   go to their brother's
wedding. They were too sick.

3. The students   understand the instructions for the test yesterday, so many of
them failed.

4. A: We have a big problem. What   we do? B: I don't know. Maybe we   
ask our boss for help.

5. When Tina was a child, she   speak three languages: French, Arabic and

English. She rarely practised French, so she   speak it anymore. 

6. I'm sorry. I   hear you. Please speak more loudly.

7. My little brother   play piano and guitar.

8. Excuse me.   I ask you a question? 

9. A:What are you going to do on the weekend? B: I'm not sure yet. We   go to a

movie or we   stay home and relax.

10. I   go to school tomorrow because I'm feeling sick right now. I'm not sure.

Modals of Necessity: Must, Have got to, Have to

Introduction

These three verbs are modal verbs.

 must

 have got to

 have to

Modals of Necessity

Let's read about how to express necessity or obligation. The modal verbs “must,”

“have to” and “have got to” show that something is not optional; it is necessary.

Must is the strongest and most serious modal verb of the three and is most common in
writing. It is unusual to use “must” in questions.

I must study tonight.

Have got to is most common in informal speech. It is not used in questions.

I have got to study tonight. = I must study tonight.

Have to is the most commonly used modal of obligation. It is useful for forming
questions and negatives.

Be careful! The subject and verb must agree for he/she/it subjects AND the question
form requires “Do/Does/Did”.

Example Question Answer

I have to study tonight. Do I have to study tonight? Yes, I do.

She has to Does she have to study No, she

study tonight. tonight? doesn't.

Remember: “have got to” and “have to” are modal verbs and require a simple verb to follow
them. The “to” is part of the modal; it is not an infinitive “to”.

There is only one way to express past time with these modal verbs: HAD TO. (There is no
past tense of must/have got to.)

For example:

Present Time Past Time

We must show our passport at the Last night, we had to show our

airport. passport at the airport.

I had to pay my phone bill this

I have got to pay my phone bill soon.
morning.

They had to go to the meeting

They have to go to the meeting today.
yesterday.

Pronunciation notes:

The modal verb have got to is often contracted as: I've got to and sounds like
“I've gotta...”

The modal verb have to often sounds like: “I hafta...” or “She hasta...”

“gotta”, “hafta”, and “hasta” cannot be used in written English. They are only used in
speaking.
1. Mr. Wu: Hi, Mark. Where's your dad?
Mark: Oh, he ______________ to work because there was an emergency.

A.  had to go

B.  had got to go

C.  musted go

2. Friend: _________________________ pay to see the doctor?

Brother: No, she ________________ because she has medical insurance.

A.  Must your sister / musn't

B.  Do your sister have to / don't

C.  Does your sister have to / doesn't

3. In order to log on to the Internet, Sally __________ her user I.D.

A. has got to entering

B. must enter

C. have to enter

4. Son: Mom, I don't want to clean my room. _________________ it right now?

Mother: Yes, right now.

A. Have I to clean

B. Do I must clean

C. Do I have to clean

5. If you have a pet dog, you _____________ feed it every day or it will die!

A. have got

B. has got to

C. have got to

6. If Richard wants to become a professional musician, he ______________ every

day.

A. haves to practise

B. have to practise
 C. has to practise

7. According to the law, drivers ______________ at stop signs.

A. must stopping

B. must stop

C. must to stop

8. When a police officer asks to see your driver's license, you _____________ to
him/her.

A. must to show it

B. have got show it

C. have got to show it

Modals of Necessity 2 - Must, Have got to, Have to

1. New drivers   take a test in order to get a driver's license. They have no
choice.

2. A:   go to work today? B: No, I don't because it's Sunday.

3. John   finish the report quickly because the deadline is today at 4 pm.

4. A: Jennifer lost her passport.   get a new one? B: No, she  . She
found it in her purse.

5. I'm sorry, Mom. I   call you back later. My cell phone battery is dying.

6. Canadians   pay taxes every year. It's the law.

7. Sasha   email her homework to her teacher because she forgot to take it to
class yesterday.

8. A: Does Joseph   study very much tonight? B: No, he doesn't. He reviewed a

lot last night and he understood everything well.

9. Barbara   go to the supermarket because she doesn't have enough food for
dinner.