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Modal Verbs Dec 6, 2023

The document discusses modal verbs including ability (can, could, be able to), permission (can, may, could, be allowed to), possibility and certainty (may, might, could, must), necessity (must, have to), and when to use must versus have to. It provides examples of how each modal verb is used in sentences and explanations of the differences between similar modal verbs like can and may. Exercises are included at the end to practice using the modal verbs.

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Ajeet Azad
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28 views10 pages

Modal Verbs Dec 6, 2023

The document discusses modal verbs including ability (can, could, be able to), permission (can, may, could, be allowed to), possibility and certainty (may, might, could, must), necessity (must, have to), and when to use must versus have to. It provides examples of how each modal verb is used in sentences and explanations of the differences between similar modal verbs like can and may. Exercises are included at the end to practice using the modal verbs.

Uploaded by

Ajeet Azad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 10

07/12/2023

Doctor Teacher

What do
Nurse Student
these
people do?
Caretaker Lawyer

Unit 4
Grammar
(Modal Verbs)
Facilitator:
Aisha Majeed

2
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Ability:
Can, could and
be able to

Can and Can’t (cannot)

Sara: How many instruments can you play, Natasha?


Natasha: Three - the violin, the clarinet and the
piano.
 We use ‘can’ to say that something is possible: that
someone has an ability (Natasha can play the
piano).

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Can and be able to

 In the present tense, be able to is a little more formal and less


usual than can.

Emma is good with computers. She can write /is able to write
programs.

 But in some structures, we always use be able to, not can.


To-infinitive: It's nice to be able to go to the opera.
Af ter a modal verb: Melanie might be able to help us.
Present Perfect: It's been quiet today. I've been able to get some
work done.
Future: Will be able to

Could and was /were able to

 For ability or opportunity in the past, we use could or


was /were able to.

Natasha could play (OR was able to play) the piano when she
was four.

In those days, we had a car, so we could travel (OR were able


to travel) very easily.

Do Exercises.

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Permission:
Can, may, could
and be allowed
to

Asking Permission

 We use can, could or may to ask for permission.


Can I use your pen?
Could we borrow your ladder, please? ~ Well, I'm
using it at the moment.
May I see the letter? ~ Certainly.
 Could often sound more polite than can. May is
rather formal.

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Giving and Refusing Permission

 We use can or may (but not could) to give permission.


You can wait in my off ice if you like.
Could I borrow your calculator? ~ Of course you can.
You may telephone from here, (a written notice)
 May is formal and is not of ten used in speech.
 To refuse permission, we use can't or may not (but not couldn't).
Could we picnic here? ~ I'm sorry. I'm afraid you can’ t.
Members may not bring more than two guests into the club.
 We can also use must not.
Luggage must not be lef t unattended. Do Exercises.

Possibility and
Certainty:
May, might,
could, must, etc.

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May, Might and Could

Rachel: Whose bag is that?

Daniel: I don't know. It may belong to Maria's friend.

Vicky: It might be a bomb. It could explode at any moment.

 We use may or might to say something is possible or likely.

 We can use them for the present or the future.

It may/might be a bomb. (= Perhaps it is a bomb.)

11

May, Might and Could

We can use could to say that something is possible.

The story could be true. (= Possibly it is true.)

You could win a million pounds! (= Possibly you will win a million
pounds.)

Sometimes ‘could’ means only a small possibility. It is possible


(but not likely) that

you will win a million pounds.

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May, Might and Could

After may, might or could we can use a continuous form (be +


an ing-form).
That man may/might be watching us. (= Perhaps he is watching
us.)

Sarah may/might be working late tonight. (= Perhaps she will be


working late.)

I'm not sure where Matthew is. He could be playing squash. (=


Possibly, he is playing squash.)

13

Must and Can’t

 We use must when we realize  We use can't when we realize


that something is certainly that something is impossible.
true. We haven't walked far. You can't
She isn't answering the phone. be tired yet.
She must be out.
Life can't be easy when you have
I had my keys a moment ago.
to spend it in a wheelchair.
They must be here somewhere.
Nick can't be touring Scotland. I
Andrew isn't here. He must be saw him hat this morning.
working in the library.

Do Exercises.

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Necessity:
Must and
Have to

15

Must and Have to

 We use must and have to /has to say that


something is necessary.

You'll be leaving college soon. You must think


about your future. We're very busy at the office.

I have to work on Saturday morning.

Mark has to get the car repaired. There's something


wrong with the brakes.

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Must and Have to

 When we use the past, or the future with will, we need a form of
have to.

Emma had to go to the dentist yesterday.

That wasn't very good. We'll have to do better next time.

 And in other structures we also use a form of have to, not must.

To-infinitive: I don't want to have to wait in a queue for ages.

After a modal verb: Emma has a toothache. She might have to go to


the dentist.

Present Perfect: Mark has had to drive all the way to Glasgow.

17

Must or Have to?

 Both must and have to express necessity, but we use them


differently.

 We use must when the speaker feels that something is necessary.

You must exercise. (I'm telling you.)


We must be quiet. (I'm telling you.)

I/we must can also express a wish.

I must buy a newspaper. I want to see the racing results.

We must invite Claire. She’s a wonderful Company.

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Must or Have to?

 We use have to when the situation makes something necessary.

I have to exercise. (The doctor told me.)


We have to be quiet. (That's the rule.)

I have to buy a newspaper. The boss asked melt get one.

We have to invite Trevor and Laura. They invited us last time.

 Have got to means the same as have to, but have got to is
informal. We use it mainly in the present.

I have to /I've got to make my sandwiches.


Do Exercises.

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