modal auxilary

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs which behave irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play, visit..." They give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of communicative functions.

Here are some characteristics of modal verbs:

·         They never change their form. You can't add "s", "ed", "ing"...

·         They are always followed by an infinitive without "to" (e.i. the bare infinitive.)

·         They are used to indicate modality allow speakers to express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity, ability

List of modal verbs

Here is a list of modal verbs:

can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must

The verbs or expressions dare, ought to, had better, and need not behave like modal auxiliaries to a large extent and my be added to the above list

Use of modal verbs:

Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:

1.      Permission

2.      Ability

3.      Obligation

4.      Prohibition

5.      Lack of necessity

6.      Advice

7.      possibility

8.      probability

Examples of modal verbs

Here is a list of modals with examples:

Modal Verb	Expressing	Example
must	Strong obligation	You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
	logical conclusion / Certainty	He must be very tired. He's been working all day long.
must not	prohibition	You must not smoke in the hospital.
can	ability	I can swim.
	permission	Can I use your phone please?
	possibility	Smoking can cause cancer.
could	ability in the past	When I was younger I could run fast.
	polite permission	Excuse me, could I just say something?
	possibility	It could rain tomorrow!
may	permission	May I use your phone please?
	possibility, probability	It may rain tomorrow!
might	polite permission	Might I suggest an idea?
	possibility, probability	I might go on holiday to Australia next year.
need not	lack of necessity/absence of obligation	I need not buy tomatoes. There are plenty of tomatoes in the fridge.
should/ought to	50 % obligation	I should / ought to see a doctor. I have a terrible headache.
	advice	You should / ought to revise your lessons
	logical conclusion	He should / ought to be very tired. He's been working all day long.
had better	advice	You 'd better revise your lessons

Remember

Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to", also called the bare infinitive.

Examples:

·         You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.

·         You should see to the doctor.

·         There are a lot of tomatoes in the fridge. You need not buy any.

Exercise : fill with can     could     have to     must     might     should

1. Ted's flight from Amsterdam took more than 11 hours. He be exhausted after such a long flight. He prefer to stay in tonight and get some rest.

2. If you want to get a better feeling for how the city is laid out, you walk downtown and explore the waterfront.

3. Hiking the trail to the peak be dangerous if you are not well prepared for dramatic weather changes. You research the route a little more before you attempt the ascent.

4. When you have a small child in the house, you leave small objects lying around. Such objects be swallowed, causing serious injury or even death.

5. Dave: you hold your breath for more than a minute?
Nathan: No, I can't.

6. Jenny's engagement ring is enormous! It have cost a fortune.

7. Please make sure to water my plants while I am gone. If they don't get enough water, they die.

8. I speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Egypt. But after we moved back to Canada, I had very little exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as a child. Now, I just say a few things in the language.

9. The book is optional. My professor said we read it if we needed extra credit. But we read it if we don't want to.

10. Leo: Where is the spatula? It be in this drawer but it's not here.
Nancy: I just did a load of dishes last night and they're still in the dish washer. It be in there. That's the only other place it be.

11. You take your umbrella along with you today. The weatherman on the news said there's a storm north of here and it rain later on this afternoon.

12. we pull over at the next rest stop? I really use the bathroom and I don't know if I hold it until we get to Chicago.

13. Oh no! Frank's wallet is lying on the coffee table. He have left it here last night.

14. Ned: I borrow your lighter for a minute?
Stephen: Sure, no problem. Actually, you keep it if you want to. I've given up smoking.

15. I believe she said that to Megan! She insult her cooking in front of everyone at the party last night. She have just said she was full or had some salad if she didn't like the meal.

16. Do you chew with your mouth open like that? Geez, it's making me sick watching you eat that piece of pizza.

17. Mrs. Scarlett's body was found in the lounge just moments ago, and it's still warm! Nobody has left the mansion this evening, so the killer be someone in this room. It be any one of us!!!

18. Ted: I don't know why Denise starting crying when I mentioned the wedding.
Pamela: It have been what you said about her brother. Or, perhaps she is just nervous. After all, the big day is tomorrow.

19. you always say the first thing that pops into your head? you think once in awhile before you speak?

20. I was reading the book last night before I went to bed. I never took it out of this room. It be lying around here somewhere. Where it be? be swallowed, causing serious injury or even death.

Source : http://www.englishpage.com/modals/interactivemodal1.htm

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-modals.php

CONDITIONAL SENTENCE : IF CLAUSE

Conditional Clause and Main Clause

If I have enough money, conditional clause	I will go to Japan.     main clause
I will go to Japan, main clause	if I have enough money     conditional clause

First, Second, and Third Conditional

1. First conditional:	If I have enough money, I will go to Japan.
2. Second conditional:	If I had enough money, I would go to Japan.
3. Third conditional:	If I had had enough money, I would have gone to Japan.

Conditional clause	Main clause
1. If + Present Tense	will + inf / present tense / imperative
If you help me with the dishes (if + pres), I will help you with your homework. (will + inf) If the sum of the digits of a number is divisible by three, the number is divisible by three (Pres. tense) If you see Mr Fox tonight, tell him I am ill. (imperative).
2. If + Past Tense	would + inf
3. If + Past Perfect Tense	would have + past participle
We do not normally use will or would in the conditional clause, only in the main clause.

Uses of the Conditional

1. First conditional
1. Nature: Open condition, what is said in the condition is possible.
2. Time: This condition refers either to present or to future time.
   e.g. If he is late, we will have to go without him.
   If my mother knows about this, we are in serious trouble.

2. Second conditional
1. Nature: unreal (impossible) or improbable situations.
2. Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talking about the present, now.
   e.g. If I knew her name, I would tell you.
   If I were you, I would tell my father.
   Compare: If I become president, I will change the social security system. (Said by a presidential candidate)
   If I became president, I would change the social security system. (Said by a schoolboy: improbable)
   If we win this match, we are qualified for the semifinals.
   If I won a million pounds, I would stop teaching. (improbable)

3. Third conditional
1. Nature: unreal
2. Time: Past (so we are talking about a situation that was not so in the past.)
   e.g. If you had warned me, I would not have told your father about that party.(But you didn't, and I have).

Remember!

1. The conditional construction does not normally use will or would in if-clauses. EXCEPTION: If will or would express willingness, as in requests, they can be used in if-clauses.

e.g. If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.
I would be grateful if you would give me a little help.
(= ± please, come this way; please, give me...)

2. For the second conditional, were replaces was:

If I were a rich man...

3. After if, we can either use "some(-one, -where...)" or "any(-one, -where...).

If I have some spare time next weekend....or :
If I have any spare time...

4. Instead of if not, we can use unless.

e.g. I'll be back tomorrow unless there is a plane strike.
He'll accept the job unless the salary is too low.

5.There is a "mixed type" as well, for the present results of an unreal condition in the past:

If + Past Perfect - would + inf.
If you had warned me [then], I would not be in prison [now].

If clauses: Fill in the correct form of the verb.

1. if Ben – have – a better computer/he – play – computer games (3) If , he .

2. If – he – fall – down the cliff/he- hurt - himself (2) If , he .

3. If Lucy – sing – in the group/Jake -write- a new song (1) If , Jake .

4. If the party – be – on Saturday/ Emma – go – there (3) If , Emma .

5. If the dress – be- red /Ben – give – Lucy – red flowers (1) If , Ben .

6. If the building – be – too high /I take – the lift (2) If , I .

7. If the car – not start/ we – be- late – for school (3) If , we .

8. If the film – be - good/ Jake and Ben – watch – it again. (1) If , Jake and Ben .

9. If someone – attack me /I shout – for help (2) If , I .

10. If he – break – his arm /they take – him to hospital (3) If , they .

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional2.htm

http://first-english.org/english_learning/if_clauses_conditional/65_if_clauses_type_1_2_3.htm