MODALS

I- Modals in the present (Simple Modals)

Modals Functions Examples: Form

Ability I can speak three languages: Arabic, English and French Affirmative (+)
Possibility I can go to Paris this week. I am not sure Subject + modal + verb in bare
Can infinitive(infinitive without to)
Permission Can I go out teacher?
Informal request Can you help me, please?
Offer Can I help you, madam? “She can swim”
Can’t Inability I can’t speak Spanish
Deduction of He is always the first in his class. He can’t be stupid. (it
Negative (-)
Impossibility (I am sure is impossible that he is stupid. Otherwise he can’t be the
Subject + modal + not + verb in
that something is first in his class.) bare infinitive(infinitive
impossible to be) without to)
Must Obligation You must do your homework, either you want to or not “She cannot (can’t) swim”
Deduction of Certainty He has two expensive cars. He must be rich. (I am sure
(I am sure that something he is rich. Otherwise he can’t have two expensive cars) Interrogative (?)
is true) Modal + subject + verb in bare
Mustn’t Prohibition You mustn’t cross the road when the red light is on infinitive(infinitive without to)

“Can she swim?”

May Possibility I may/might go to Paris this week. I am not sure.
Formal Permission May/ might I go out teacher?
might Formal Request May/might you help me, please?
Informal request Will you help me, please?
Will
Intention I will buy that car soon.
Shall Suggestion Shall we have dinner out this evening?
Notice: negative of ought to is
Should Advice You should/ought to/ had better go to the doctor. You
“ought not to” she ought not to
had seem to be sick. go…
better
Interrogative “ought + subject+
ought to The right thing to do to +verb” ought she to go …?
Possibility I could go to Paris this week. I am not sure
Could Formal Permission Could I go out teacher?
Formal request Could you help me, please?
Would Intention I would buy that car soon.
Formal request Would you help me, please?
Need to Necessity (it is necessary) I need to/ have to Affirmative (+) (the presence of necessity)
go to the cybercafé Subject + need/needs to/have/has to + verb in bare infinitive
I need to/ have to go to the cybercafé
Have to
to send this email. She needs to/ has to go to cybercafé (3rd person singular)
There is no internet
connection here.
Needn’t Absence or lack of You needn’t/ don’t
necessity (It is not have to go to school Negative (-) (the absence of necessity)
necessary) Subject + don’t/ doesn’t need to/have to + verb in bare infinitive
on Sundays. There is You don’t need to/don’t have to go to school on Sundays.
don’t no study. She doesn’t need to/doesn’t have to go to school on Sundays.
have to Interrogative (?)
Do/does + subject + need to/have to + verb in bare infinitive
Do you need to/have to go to school on Sundays?
Does she need to/ have to go to school on Sundays?

Notice!! Could; should; would; might are the past of can; shall; will and may, but they can be used in the present
 II- Modals in the past
Notice!! Some functions cannot be expressed using modals in the past, such as: request, permission,
suggestion and offer.
1. Simple modals
Modals Past Functions Examples Form
Can Could Ability When I was a child, I could stay up late
without getting tired See modals in the present. The form is
the same.
Can’t Couldn’t Inability When I was a child, I couldn’t get up early.
Need to Needed There was no internet connection in the hotel. Affirmative (+)
to Necessity So, I needed to/ had to go to the to the Subject + needed to/had to + verb in
Have to Had to cybercafé to send the email bare infinitive
Interrogative (?)
Did + subject + need to/have to + verb
in bare infinitive
Needn’t Didn’t Absence He didn’t need to/ didn’t have to go to Negative (-)
need to /lack of school yesterday. There was no study. Subject + did not (didn’t) need to/ have
to + verb in bare infinitive
Don’t Didn’t necessity
have to have to
2. Perfect modals

Modals Functions Examples

Could have Possibility in the past (it is possible - Linda didn’t send me the email. She may have/might have/could
that something happened or it was have forgotten. (it is possible that she forgot to send me the
May have possible to happen but it didn’t) email)
- I may/might/could have bought that watch for half the price
might have
yesterday. (it was possible to buy it for half the price but I
didn’t buy it)
Couldn’t have Deduction of impossibility in the - John can’t have/ couldn’t have committed the crime. He
past (it is impossible that something was in another country at the moment of murder. (it’s
happened) the circumstances says impossible that he committed the crime because he wasn’t
Can’t have this!
there when the crime was committed)
Deduction of certainty (I am sure - I saw John’s car at the repair cervices all damaged
Must have that something happened) the yesterday. He must have made an accident. (it is sure he has
circumstances says this!
made an accident)
Would have 3d conditional - If I had had enough money, I would have bought that car
Should have Advice in the past ( it was a good - A: a toothache was about to take my soul out yesterday.
Ought to have idea to do something you didn’t do) - B: you should have/ ought to have gone to the dentist. (it
was a good idea to go to the dentist but you didn’t)
Form
Affirmative (+): subject + perfect modal (modal+ have) + past participle of the verb
Ex: you should have told her the truth

Negative (-):subject + modal + not + have + past participle of the verb

Ex: you should not have told her the truth.

Interrogative (?): modal + subject + have + past participle of the verb?

Ex: should I have told her the truth?