Topic: Modal verb: can, could, may, might, must, have to, ought to, had better, should…

A.Modality
1.Form:
Positive (+): S + modal verb + V(bare-infinitive).
Negative (-): S + modal verb + not + V(bare-infinitive).
Question (?): Modal Verb + S + V(bare-infinitive)?
2. Usage:
-We use modal verbs when we want to express an opinion or attitude about a possible fact or
to control a possible action.
Compare

I know this fact for certain. I am not expressing an

He’s her brother. She told me.
opinion about it. I am stating it as a fact.

He must be her brother. They I am expressing an opinion about a fact because of the
look so much alike. evidence that I have.

I’m not expressing an attitude or opinion about this

Jan always goes with us.
action.

OK. Jan can go if she’s I’m controlling a possible action. I’m giving Jan
finished. permission.

We can divide most modal words and expressions into two types of meaning:
 The speaker or writer decides how certain something is, either in the present, future or
past. They predict or speculate about a fact. We see this type of meaning when we talk
about degrees of certainty, possibility, likelihood, doubt:
Paula can’t be home yet. It’s impossible. She left 10 minutes after us.
[The speaker hears the phone ring and predicts who is ringing.]
There’s the phone. That’ll be Mum.
I may go. I haven’t decided yet.
 The speaker or writer wants to control or ‘direct’ the action. They give and refuse
permission. They talk about obligation and necessity. They talk about how they would
like the world to be:
[parent says to child]
You can come if you’re good.
He should take more care.
Tell Jen she needn’t bother about the washing up.
You mustn’t worry so much about her.
You may go now. (formal)
Modal verbs
Often the same modal verb is used to express different meanings.

which
meaning example
verb?

will My birthday will be on a Monday this year.

won’t I won’t have a party.

shall I shall have plenty to tell you when I see you.

really certain
shan’t I shan’t ask you to come again.

The cakes must be ready soon. They’ve been in the

must
oven for an hour.

can’t You can’t be hungry. You had a huge lunch.

should The traffic isn’t heavy. We should be there in an hour.

very likely
The traffic isn’t heavy. We ought to be there in an
ought to
hour.

may She may be a friend of Richard’s.

possible might She might be a friend of Richard’s.

could She could be a friend of Richard’s.

strong obligation must You must arrive at 6 to pick up the tickets.

have to I have to go up to the hospital twice a week.

 which
meaning example
verb?

need to We need to win this game to get into the final.

should Children should look after their parents in old age.

weak obligation
ought to Children ought to look after their parents in old age.

needn’t I needn’t do it now. I’ll do it later.

don’t need
I don’t need to do it now. I’ll do it later.
no obligation to

don’t have
I don’t have to do it now. I’ll do it later.
to

Can we go out now?

can
You can go now if you’ve finished.

You may go now if you’ve finished.

may
permission May I borrow a chair?

could Could we borrow the car?

Might we have a little more time to finish the

might
exam? (very formal)

can’t You can’t go in without a ticket.

You may not enter while the exam is in

no permission may not
progress. (formal)

must not You must not leave your bike in front of the fire exit.

offer will I’ll get it. You stay there.

 which
meaning example
verb?

shall Shall I go and make dinner?

will Will you close that door?

request would Would you close that door?

could Could you help me with this?

promise will I’ll come back before 6.

decision will I think I’ll eat later. I’m not hungry now.

advice and
should You should apply for that job.
suggestion

can Can you swim underwater?

ability
could I could play much better ten years ago.

can Too much exercise can be bad for you.

general truth
may A list of verbs may be found at the back of the book.

3. Modality: other modal words and expressions

Other modal words
Apart from modal verbs, there are a lot of words which also express modality. They are words
which express degrees of certainty or obligation.
Expressing degrees of certainty
Adjectives: possible, probable, certain, sure, likely, unlikely, definite, clear, obvious
Adverbs: possibly, probably, certainly, surely, definitely, clearly, obviously
Expressing degrees of obligation
Adjectives: necessary, compulsory, obligatory, essential
Adverbs: necessarily, perhaps, maybe
[on the phone]
Is it possible to ring us back when my husband is home? (or Can/could you (possibly) ring us
back when my husband is home?)
I’m thinking of possibly buying a house now. (I might buy a house.)
[talking about a computer]
A:It’s a good machine.
B:Yeah. It certainly is. (I agree completely.)
Necessarily is often used with not.
Erm I met Gary in Wales when I was at university there and we ideally wanted to stay in
Wales. Not necessarily in South Wales. (not obligatory – it can be South Wales or in another
part of Wales)
Other modal expressions
Spoken English:
These expressions are also very common in informal speaking: for certain, for sure, for
definite:
It’s nice to get something for free, that’s for sure.
A:When’s the wedding going to be? April?
B:April the seventeenth for definite.
We often use for certain for sure/for definite with know:
We think Graham is coming. We don’t know for certain. (or for sure/for definite)
Note:
Certainly and surely do not have the same meaning. We use certainly when we have no doubt
about something. We use surely when we want agreement:
The car is certainly more comfortable than the bike. (I have no doubt about it.)
The car is surely more comfortable than the bike. (I’m not certain but this seems likely.)
A:When I go to town now in Cardiff, I don’t know anybody.
B:But, Richard, surely you’ve still got lots of friends here. (The speaker is asking for
agreement with something that seems likely.)
Modality: expressions with be
Some expressions with be have modal meanings:

be to be certain to be meant to
be able to be due to be obliged to

be about to be forced to be set to

be allowed
be going to be supposed to
to

be likely
be bound to be sure to
to/that

Be about to
Be about to is used to talk about things which are going to happen very soon:
I’m about to eat. Can I phone you back?
It is often used with just:
We’re just about to set off for a walk. Do you want to come?
When used in the past, be about to can refer to things that were going to happen but didn’t:
I was about to complain but he came over and apologised.
We don’t use be about to with time expressions:
I was about to call you.
Not: I was about to call you in ten minutes.
Be able to
*Abilities
Be able to is like can. We use it to talk about abilities. We often use it in places where it is not
possible to use can. For example, it isn’t possible to use can after another modal verb:
Tôi học tiếng anh bởi vì tôi muốn có thể giao tiếp với người bản xứ.
I have studied English because I want to be able to communicate with the local..
She won’t be able to concentrate.
Not: She won’t can concentrate.
He should be able to work in a team.
Not: He should can work in a team.
Be able to is a more formal alternative to can:
I am very sorry but I am not able to give you that information. (or, less formal: I cannot
give you that information.)
*Past achievement: could or was/were able to?
We usually use was/were able to, not could to talk about past achievements in affirmative
clauses. This is because they are facts, rather than possibilities:
Only one person was able to beat the record.
Not: Only one person could beat the record.
We use couldn’t or, more formally, wasn’t/weren’t able to in negative clauses:
We weren’t able to finish the marathon in under four hours. (or We couldn’t finish the
marathon …)
Be due to
Be due to is used to talk about things that are expected or planned to happen at a certain time.
We often use it with a time expression:
Are you due to hand in homework today?
The train is due to arrive at Glasgow Central at 12:12.
Be likely to
Be likely to is used to talk about how probable things are:
Are parents who have a lot of money likely to spoil their children?
It is often used to make comparisons with words like more and less:
I think men are more likely to spend a lot of money on food than women are.
A:I liked Budapest as well.
B:Yeah. I’m probably less likely to go back there than to Prague.
We also use it’s likely followed by that + clause:
It’s likely that sales will rise.
We form the negative of be likely to and be likely that either with not or
with unlikely. Unlikely is more formal:
The company is not likely to make a profit in the second half of the year.
People are unlikely to listen to him now because they know he lied.
Be meant to
Be meant to is used to talk about what is desirable, expected or intended:
A:It looks green to me.
B:Oh, is it meant to be a different colour?
It was meant to be like a quiz and we were all in different teams and there was meant
to be a fantastic prize.
Be supposed to
Be supposed to is used to talk about obligations and arrangements:
Where were you? You were supposed to be at the party!
You’re supposed to have an hour for lunch. That’s the law.
It’s also used to talk about people’s expectations or beliefs about something:
[talking about some medicine]
A:Take some of this.
B:What’s it supposed to do? (What does it do to you?)
And then I’m gonna get a train over to Brussels which takes all day as well. It’s supposed
to be a nice route with forests and mountains and things. (gonna represents ‘going to’, as it is
pronounced in informal speaking.)

B. Modal verb
1.CAN
1.1.Form
1.2.Use:
*Permission
We often use can to ask for or give permission:
Can I take Daisy for a walk?
Students can use calculators during the exam.
We use can’t to forbid (say what you must not do):
You can’t park there.
You can’t just take the day off work. You have to have permission in advance.
*Ability
We often use can to talk about ability to do something in the present or future:
I can sing one song in Polish.
Can you sleep on your back?
We can go swimming after school tomorrow, if you like.
* Offers
We use can as a question form to make offers:
Can I help you lift that?
Can we do anything for you?
* Requests
We use can as a question form to make requests:
Those cakes look so good. Can I try one?
Can I have your surname?
Can you help me with this form?
*Reproaches
We use can’t as a question form to ask people to stop doing something we don’t want them to
do, or to do something they are not doing which we want them to do:
Can’t you stop making that awful noise?
Why can’t you just be nice to her instead of upsetting her?
*General truths
We use can to talk about things which we think are usually, but not always, true:
Reducing cholesterol through diet can be difficult. (It’s not always difficult for everyone,
but in general it is difficult.)
Fireworks can frighten pets.
Swans can be very vicious.
* Possibility
We use can to express possibility or to question possibilities:
We can go to Rome in June because both of us have a week off work. (It is possible for us
to go to Rome because we don’t have to work in June.)
1.3.Note
 We write cannot as one word:
The children cannot be left unsupervised at any time.
Not: The children can not be left unsupervised …
 We use could, not can, to talk about ability in the past.
They could see a light on in the house as they drove past at 10 pm.
Not: They can see a light on in the house …

2.COULD
2.1.Form
2.2.Use:
* Possibility
We often use could to express possibility in the present and the future.
Compare
It’s blue.
It could be blue. (present)
I am certain that it is blue. It’s a
I’m not certain that it is blue.
fact.

* Suggestions
We often use could to make suggestions:
A:Will’s party is fancy-dress.
B:It’s Halloween.
C:Oh right. I could go as Julius Caesar.
* Permission
We use could to ask for permission. Could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask you a personal question? ~ yes, of course you can [NOT of course you could]
Note: Nhưng không dùng could/ couldn’t để diễn đạt sự cho phép hoặc từ chối lời xin phép.
2.3. Note:
-Could + smell, taste, think, believe, etc.
We use could to refer to single events that happened in the past, with verbs of the senses
(smell, taste, see, hear, touch, etc.) and mental processes
(think, believe, remember, understand etc.):
The food was terrible. I could taste nothing but salt.
We knew they were in there. We could hear voices inside.
He came and spoke to me, but I couldn’t remember his name.
-Be able to có thể dùng thay cho can hoặc could.
+Am/is/are able to có thể được dùng để chỉ khả năng thay cho can, hoặc được dùng thay cho
can ở thì tương lai (will be able to), thì hoàn thành (have been able to) và dạng nguyên mẫu
(to be able to).
e.g: I can/am able to run very fast
+Was/ were able to có thể được dùng thay cho could để chỉ khả năng hoặc cơ hội trong quá
khứ.
e.g: She could/ was able to read when she was four.
Nhưng khi nói về sự việc đã xảy ra trong một tình huống đặc biệt, hoặc người nào đó đã cố
xoay xở để thực hiện được việc gì, chúng ta dùng was/ were able to (=managed to) thay vì
dùng could.
e.g: I was able to/ managed to buy a wonderful bag to match my shoes. [Not: I could buy a
wonderful bag to match my shoes.]
Exercise: A/ P.86
3.MAY/ MIGHT
3.1.Form
3.2.Use:
* Possibility
We use might or may most often to refer to possibility. However, might is weak possibility.
I might go to Japan for a month to study Japanese. [cơ hội 30%]
I may go to Japan for a month to study Japanese. [cơ hội 50%]
* Permission
We use may and might to refer to permission. It is very formal and might is not used very
often (chủ yếu được dùng trong cấu trúc câu hỏi gián tiếp.):
May I ask your name?
I wonder if I might interrupt you for a moment?
* Suggestions
We can use might to give advice or make a suggestion sound more polite or less direct,
especially when used together with like, prefer or want:
[A waiter politely suggesting a dessert to a customer.]
You might like to try one of our wonderful desserts.
*We can use may for a formal wish (not Might)
May you both be very happy!
3.3.Note:
-Không dùng may trong câu hỏi trực tiếp để diễn đạt khả năng có thể xảy ra điều gì, nhưng có
thể dùng may trong câu hỏi gián tiếp.
e.g: Are you likely to go camping this summer? [Not May you go camping…]
Do you think you may go camping this summer?
-We don’t use might for ability, we can use can or could.
I could hear your voice. [ NOT I might hear your voice.]

4. MUST:
4.1.Form
4.2.Use:
* Obligation and necessity at the present and in the future.
Must expresses strong obligation and necessity:
I must talk to you about the new project.
Seat belts must be worn even in the back of the car.
 There must be a minimum of two members of the company at the meeting.
*Note:
- We use had to not must to express obligation and necessity in the past:
Last year, teachers had to make a report on each child every week.
[Not: Last year, teachers must make a report on each child every week.]
-We use must to talk about the future in the past when we report speech or people’s thoughts
in formal contexts:
The pain was back in full force, but she knew she must not give in to it. She must go on
day by day.
We use will have to more than must to express future obligation, especially when talking
about obligations at a particular point in the future:
He’ll have to wait five weeks for his eye operation. Then he’ll have to have both eyes
operated on.
We often use must with more general references to the future, particularly when talking about
obligations that come from the speaker:
The Prime Minister must decide in the next month.
I must try harder next time.
I must pop round one evening next week.
When we talk about no obligation, we use either need not, don’t/doesn’t/didn’t have to or the
negative of the main verb need (don’t/doesn’t need):
You needn’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.
You don’t have to worry about it. I’ll take care of it.
You don’t need to worry about it. I’ll take care of it.
* Invitations and encouragement
We also use must to express polite invitations or encouragement:
You must come and see us soon.
You must try some of this chocolate cake. It’s delicious.
You must go and see that film.
* Deductions and conclusions
When we think carefully about facts, we often use must to express deductions and conclusions
from these:
[fact]He’s so small. [deduction/conclusion]He must be no more than four years old.
[Two teachers talking about a student]
A:He falls asleep in class every morning. (fact)
 B:He must be out late every night or maybe he works at night. (deduction/conclusion)
* Rules and laws
We use must not to talk about what is not permitted:
You must not park outside the entrance.
You must not make noise after 9 o’clock.
Must and must not often occur in public signs and notices indicating laws, rules and
prohibitions:
[airline website information]
All passengers must present valid photo identification at check-in for all flights.
[bus company website notice]
Tickets must be retained for inspection, and must be produced for inspection on request
by any authorised official of Bus Éireann. (Bus Éireann is the name of the Irish national bus
company)
* Criticisms
We use the question form of must in criticisms:
Must you keep playing that terrible music?
Why must you mispronounce my name every time?
4.3.Note:
 We don’t use must to express obligation and necessity in the past. We use had
to instead:
When she got home, she had to cook dinner before everyone arrived.
Not: When she got home, she must cook dinner before …
 We don’t use must to make predictions about the future. We use will instead:
Don’t worry about our accommodation because I found a nice hotel which will be suitable
for us.
Not: Don’t worry about our accommodation because I found a nice hotel which must be
suitable for us.
Exercise D /P.91
5. HAVE TO
5.1.Form
5.2.Use:
-Have to có thê được dùng tương đương với must để diễn đạt sự cần thiết.
e.g: I have to/ must go to the hairdresser’s soon.
-Have to được dùng thay cho must trong các trường hợp không thể dùng must: thì tương lai,
thì tiếp diễn, thì quá khứ, thì hiện tại hoàn thành, dạng nguyên thể danh động từ, và sau các
động từ tình thái.
e.g: You can borrow my car, but you’ll have to bring it back before ten.
5.3.Note:
-Phân biệt giữa must và have to: We usually use must to talk about obligations which come
from the speaker and we generally use have to when we refer to obligations that come from
outside the speaker. (Must được dùng để diễn đạt sự bắt buộc đến từ phía người nói. Have to
được dùng để diễn đạt sự bắt buộc do tình thế hoặc do điều kiện bên ngoài).
Compare

The obligation is from me to

I must buy some new clothes. Mine look so old.
buy new clothes.

I’ve got to buy some new clothes. I’m starting a new job The obligation is from the
as a teacher and we have to wear formal clothes. school to buy new clothes.

Exercise A/ P.94
6.SHOULD
6.1.Form
6.2.Use
*What is likely to happen
We also use should to talk about what is likely to happen:
Shall we start? Luke’s delayed but he says he should be here in ten minutes.
There should be a very big crowd at the party. Mary has so many friends.
*Advice and suggestions
We often use should to give advice and make suggestions:
You should tell him what you think.
We should leave it until tomorrow; it’s late now.
*What is ideal or desired
We use should most commonly to talk about what is the ideal or best thing to do in a
situation:
They should reduce the price of petrol. It’s so expensive.
There should be four more candles on the cake.
6.3.Note:
Should and ought to
Should and ought to have similar meanings and uses. Ought to is more formal and less
common than should:
We should clean up the garden.
We ought to clean up the garden.
Should is much more common in negatives and questions than ought to:
Should we keep a seat for Margaret? (more common than Ought we to keep a seat …?)
He shouldn’t speak to his parents in that way. (more common than He oughtn’t/ought not
to speak …)
Exercise A/ P.98
7.OUGHT TO
7.1.Form
7.2.Use
* What is desired or ideal
We use ought to when talking about things which are desired or ideal:
They ought to have more parks in the city centre.
We ought to eat lots of fruit and vegetables every day.
*What is likely
We can use ought to when we talk about what is likely or probable:
The concert ought to only take about two hours so we’ll be home by 12 pm.
There ought to be some good films at the cinema this weekend.
8.HAD BETTER
8.1.Form
8.2.Use (should/ ought to)
8.3.Note:
We use had better to give specific advice, not to talk about obligations or requirements;
instead, we use have to, have got to or must:
You have to (or must) hold a full, valid driving licence to hire a car.
Not: You’d better hold a full, valid driving licence to hire a car.
We don’t use had better to talk about preferences; instead, we use would rather or would
prefer:
They offered her a job in Warsaw, but she said she’d rather work in a smaller city. (or
… she’d prefer to work …)
Not: … she’d better work …
****Phân biệt SHOULD/ OUGHT TO/ HAD BETTER:
-We use both should and ought to to ask for or to give advice:
e.g: I’ve got toothache. What should I do?
-We use ought to to talk about a duty or a law:
e.g: I saw a robbery. What should I do? ~ You ought to report it to the police.
-We use should to give a personal opinion:
e.g: I think you shoul forget about it.
-We use should much more than ought to in negatives an questions:
e.g: I shouldn’t go. (or I ought not to go.)
-We use had better to give advice, to say what is the best thing to do:
e.g: There’ll be a lot of traffic tomorrow. We had (or We’d) better leave early.
However we only use had better to give advice about a particular thing; when we give
general advice, we use should or ought to:
e.g: When people are in trouble, they shoul go to the police. (Not… they had better go to the
police.)
Exercise: C/ P.101

C.Modal perfect
1.May/ might/ could have + Vp2
-Điều gì đó có thể đã xảy ra hoặc có thể đúng trong quá khứ.
e.g: You may/ might have left your wallet at home (Có thể bạn đã để ví ở nhà.)
-Điều gì đó có thể xảy ra nhưng đã không xảy ra.
e.g: Why did you let him come home alone? He might/ could have got lost [But he didn’t get
lost]
I could ask you a personal question.
I could have asked you a personal question.
2.May not/ mightn’t have + Vp2:
-Diễn đạt điều gì đó có thể đã không xảy ra trong quá khứ.
e.g: I may not/ mighn’t have locked the door.
3.Can’t/ couldn’t have + Vp2:
-Diễn đạt điều gì đó chắc chắn không thể xảy ra trong quá khứ.
e.g: Daniel can’t/ couldn’t have caught the bus. It doeasn’t run on Sundays.
He couldn’t catch the bus.
4.Must have + Vp2:
-Diễn đạt điều gì đó hầu như chắc chắn đã xảy ra trong quá khứ.
e.g: The phone rang but he didn’t hear it. He must have been asleep.
5.Should/ ought to have + Vp2:
-Diễn đạt một điều gì đó lẽ ra nên hoặc phải xảy ra nhưng đã không xảy ra trong quá khứ.
e.g: I got lost ~ Sorry. I ought to have drawn you a map.
I should have phoned her this morning, but I forget.
6. Shouldn’t have + Vp2:
-Diễn đạt điều gì đó lẽ ra không nên xảy ra nhưng đã xảy ra trong quá khứ
e.g: It was a lovely old building. They shouldn’t have knocked it down.
7. Needn’t have + Vp2:
-Diễn đạt điều gì đó đã được thực hiện trong quá khứ, nhưng không cần thiết.
e.g: You needn’t have gone to the supermarket. We already have a pizza for tonight. (Anh
đâu cần phải đi siêu thị làm gì. Tối nay chúng ta đã có bánh pizza rồi mà.)
Exercise: B/ P.105