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Modal Verbs: Can, Could, May, Might, Must, Should, Ought To, Needn T, Would

This document discusses modal verbs in English and their characteristics. It defines modal verbs as "defective" verbs that do not take third person -s endings, do not use auxiliaries for negatives or questions, and are followed by a bare infinitive. The modal verbs covered are can, could, may, might, must, should, ought to, needn't, would. Each modal verb's uses and meanings are described, such as can for ability or suggestion, must for obligation or certainty, and may or might for possibility. The modal perfect tenses are also explained, such as must have for logical conclusions about the past.

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62 views2 pages

Modal Verbs: Can, Could, May, Might, Must, Should, Ought To, Needn T, Would

This document discusses modal verbs in English and their characteristics. It defines modal verbs as "defective" verbs that do not take third person -s endings, do not use auxiliaries for negatives or questions, and are followed by a bare infinitive. The modal verbs covered are can, could, may, might, must, should, ought to, needn't, would. Each modal verb's uses and meanings are described, such as can for ability or suggestion, must for obligation or certainty, and may or might for possibility. The modal perfect tenses are also explained, such as must have for logical conclusions about the past.

Uploaded by

marcus torrez
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SEDE NORTE DEL CAUCA BUSINESS ENGLISH II

DMINISTRACIÓN DE 204066M (Gr. 51)


EMPRESAS
Semestre III LUIS EDUARDO DIAZ DAGUA
[email protected]
3845

MODAL VERBS

Can, could, may, might, must, should, ought to ,needn´t, would.

A los verbos modales se les llama también defectivos porque se rigen bajo unas
reglas muy determinadas, estas son:
1.-No llevan -s en la tercera persona del singular del presente simple. He can do it
2.-No necesitan -do o -does para formar la negativa ni la interrogativa ya que ellos
mismos hacen de auxiliares . Can you dance? No,I can´t.
3.-Van seguidos del infinitivo SIN to ,excepto ought to..He must come home soon.

CARACTERÍSTICAS DE CADA UNO DE ELLOS:

CAN
1.-He can find any street in London. Ability
2.-You can take a taxi. Suggestion
3.-Can you take me to Victoria Station? Request (petición)

BE ABLE TO: He was able to find any street in London. Ability. BE ABLE TO lo
utilizamos en los tiempos que le faltan a CAN, ya que se puede conjugar en pasado,
futuro etc.
Will you be able to do it before six o´clock? ¿Podrás hacerlo antes de las 6?
Recuerda BE ABLE TO y HAVE TO se consideran SEMI MODALES ya que se pueden
conjugar como verbos normales pero tienen características de modales también.

CAN´T.- That story can´t be true. Certainty that something is impossible


COULD
1.- I could play tennis when I was younger. Ability in the past
2.-Could you take me to Victoria Station? Request
3.-You could take a taxi. Suggestion

MAY
1.-It may be quicker to travel by train. Possibility (puede que..)
2.-May I come in? Formal request

MIGHT
It might be quicker to travel by train. Possibility (podría..…)

MUST
1.-I must go to the dentist.Moral Obligation (It´s good for me)
2.-Look at the snow. It must be cold outside. Certainty that something is true
MUSTN´T
You mustn´t drive without a licence. Prohibition

HAVE TO
You have to go to the dentist. Obligation (somebody makes you do it) or it´s a rule.

DON´T HAVE TO
You don´t have to call a taxi. Lack of obligation

SHOULD
You should drive more carefully Advice (more frequently used)

OUGHT TO
You ought to drive more carefully Advice ( hardly used in negative and
interrogative)

WOULD
Would you mind waiting a moment? Request
Would you mind waiting a moment? Invitation

MODAL + HAVE +P.P ( PERFECT INFINITIVE)

MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE:


The driver must have lost his way. A certainty or logical conclusion about an event
in the
past. (debió haberse perdido)

MIGHT / MAY HAVE +P.P.


She might / may have bought a new car. A guess about something which happened
in the
past. (puede que se haya comprado..)

COULD HAVE +P.P.


You could have avoided that accident. The ability to do something in the past, but
which in
the end was not done.(pudo haber evitado…)

COULDN´T HAVE + P.P.


He couldn´t have known about the problem. A certainty that something did not
happen(.no
podía haber sabido..)

SHOULD HAVE+P.P.
1.- He should have listened to me. Advice which was not followed in the
past.(debería
haberme escuchado)
2.-They should have won the competition.Expectations which were not fulfilled in
the past.

SHOULDN´T HAVE+ P.P.


You shouldn´t have gone on foot. Criticism that was given after an event.

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