Modal verbs

Modal verbs can, could, may, might, must, ought to, will, would, shall, should, need.

Can is the Present Simple and could is the Past Simple. Can borrows the rest of its tenses from be able to . eg. He hasn’t been able to call them yet, but he can call them tomorrow. ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Asking for permission ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Giving or refusing permission ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Talking about permission ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Advice (saying what the best thing to do is) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Criticism (saying what the best thing to do was in the past) ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Obligation – necessity - prohibition

Necessity - obligation ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Must is used only for present and future situations. It borrows the rest of its tenses from have to . Have to forms its questions and negations with do/does (Present Simple) and did (Past simple). Did you have to stay late at work yesterday? Yes, I had to type some urgent letters. (“Must” is not possible in the past tense.

Absence of necessity ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Prohibition ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Probability ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Possibility ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Modal verbs

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Modal verbs