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.
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.
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