MODALS

Main Modal verbs are:- may, might, can, could, will, would, shall, should, must, ought to,
dare, need & used to.

Features of modals

1.They are used as helping verbs with the main verbs

to express permission, ability, obligation, possibility,
probability, necessity, uncertainty and so on.

2.Modal verbs are never used alone. They always have

a main verb in the sentence.

EX - He can swim across the river.

3.Modals do not change their form (we can't add 's',

'ing' or 'en') according to the tense.

4.Modals are not governed by the number and the

person of the subject.

He can do this work​.

​I can do this work.

She can do this work​.

They can do this wor​k.

5.Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses
or the future tenses.

6.Infinitive 'To' comes only after two Modals - 'Used to'

and 'Ought to'. Infinitive 'To' does not come after other
Modals.

All the modals take ​V1

1. ​can
Use Examples

ability to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to I ​can​ ​speak​ English.

be able to)

permission to do sth. in the present (substitute Can​ I ​go​ to the cinema?

form: to be allowed to)

request Can​ you ​wait​ a moment,

please?

offer I ​can​ ​lend​ you my car till

tomorrow.

suggestion Can​ we ​visit​ Grandma at

the weekend?
possibility It ​can​ ​get​ very hot in
Arizona.

Power
The C.M can transfer a D.M

2. ​could
Use Examples

ability to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to I ​could​ ​speak​ English.

be able to)

permission to do sth. in the past (substitute I ​could​ ​go​ to the cinema.

form: to be allowed to)

polite question * Could​ I ​go ​to the cinema,

please?

polite request * Could​ you ​wait​ a moment,

please?

polite offer * I ​could​ ​lend​ you my car till

tomorrow.

polite suggestion * Could​ we ​visit​ Grandma at

the weekend?

possibility * It ​could​ ​get​ very hot in

Montana.

3. ​may
Use Examples

possibility It ​may​ ​rain​ today.

permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be May​ I ​go​ to the

allowed to) cinema?

polite suggestion May​ I ​help​ you?

Wish and curse May God save his

life !

May you die soon.

4. ​might
Use Examples

possibility (less possible than may) * It ​might​ ​rain​ today.

hesitant offer * Might​ I help you?

5. ​must
Use Examples

force, necessity I ​must​ ​go​ to the supermarket today.

possibility You ​must​ ​be​ tired.

advice, recommendation You ​must​ ​see​ the new film with Brad
Pitt.
6. ​must not/may not
Use Examples

prohibition (must is a little stronger) You ​must​n't​ ​work​ on dad's computer.

You ​may​ ​not​ ​work​ on dad's

computer.

7. ​need not
Use Examples

sth. is not I ​need​n't​ ​go​ to the supermarket, we're going to the

necessary restaurant tonight.

8. ​ought to
similar to ​should​– ​ought to​sounds a little less subjective

Use Examples

advice You ​ought to​ ​drive​ carefully in bad weather.

obligation You ​ought to​ ​switch​ off the light when you leave the
room.

9. ​shall
Shall is used with the first person to show a general future action.

But shall is used with the second and the third person in the following situation :-
Use Examples

Command, You shall not go out

order without my permission.

Promise You shall be given a

present if you stand
first in the university
examination.

He shall be discharged
Threat
if he does not mend his
way.

Determinat You shall quit the post.

ion He shall apologize.

10. ​should
Use Examples

advice You ​should​ ​drive​ carefully in bad weather.

obligation You ​should​ ​switch​ off the light when you leave the room.

11. ​will
Use Examples

wish, request, demand, order (less Will​ you please ​shut​ the door?
polite than would)
prediction, assumption I think it ​will​ ​rain​ on Friday.

promise I ​will​ ​stop​ smoking.

spontaneous decision Can somebody drive me to the

station? - I ​will​.

habits She's strange, she​'ll​ ​sit​ for hours

without talking.

12. ​would
Use Examples

wish, request (more polite than Would​ you ​shut​ the door, please?
will)

habits in the past Sometimes he ​would​ ​bring​ me some

flowers.

* These are no past forms, they refer to the future.

Fill in the blanks with a modal auxiliary verb.

1. …………………….. you mind posting this letter for me?

Could
Would
Should
2. …………………… you lend me your bicycle?
Shall
Will
May
3. You ……………………….. not come to my door again.
will
shall
would
4. You ……………………….. regret this.
shall
may
can
5. What ……………………….. we do now?
will
shall
can
6. Parents ………………………… teach their children to be honest.
shall
should
would
7. He …………………………. take rest if he is tired.
would
can
shall
8. You ………………………….. have told me before borrowing my car.
would
should
might
9. The students asked if they ………………………. go home early.
would
could
can
10. I ………………………… run faster when I was younger.
would
should
could
11. You …………………………. not light a match. Gas is leaking.
must
should
could
12. I …………………………. smoke before I fell ill.
was used to
used to
Answers
1. Would you mind posting this letter for me?

2. Will you lend me your bicycle?

3. You shall not come to my door again.

4. You shall regret this.

5. What shall we do now?

6. Parents should teach their children to be honest.

7. He can take rest if he is tired.

8. You should have told me before borrowing my car.

9. The students asked if they could go home early.

10. I could run faster when I was younger.

11. You must not light a match. Gas is leaking.

12. I used to smoke before I fell ill.