Modal verbs Modal verbs must should can could

Modal verbs

Modal verbs must should can could may

Negative Interrogative Meaning can not = can’t can I / he sing? poder/ ser capaz couldn’t could you. . ? poder/ ser capaz may not may I …? poder must don’t have to must I …? ter de/que dever (suposições) shoul mustn’t ser proibido shouldn’t should I…? dever

Modal verbs: – Permission/Ability/Offer help/ Possibility He can skate quite well. Ability Anyone can get a cold in winter. Possibility Can I read the letter you have just Permissio received? n Can I help you? Offer help

Could – Request / Possibility / Permission / Past ability I could dance for hours when I was younger. Ability We could go to the cinema tomorrow if we Possibility had a babysitter. Could I leave a little earlier today? Permission Could you tell me the way to the post office? Requests

- Possibility / Permission We may go to Greece for our holidays. We haven’t decided yet. May I come in? possibility permission

– Obligation or necessity – absence of obligation – Prohibition must You _____ arrive on time from now on. mustn’t You _____ park your car here. don’t have to I think you _______ worry about your baby. He is okay!

- moral obligation / advice shouldn’t You _____ be rude to your granddad. should It’s so late! I _____be home by now. shouldn’t You _____ eat so much.

Could you Could I use Can I borrow Can I eat a Can I drink Could you please close the phone speak slower? your book? sandwich? water? the window? please?

Use You mustn’t go this way! You must be careful! Railways ahead ! Only pedestrians can use this way. You can find a restaurant here. You can find a motorway ahead.

Use must You ____ stop and give way. You ____ be careful. Crossroads must ahead. You _______ find a camping site can here. You _______ turn on your lights. must can’t Vehicles wider than 2 m ____ go on. You ______ stop or park here. mustn’t

1. If you have permission, you may / must download music files. 2. The lawyer said that I shouldn’t / mustn’t copy music without legal permission. 3. At school, we may / should use cell phones in the hallways. 4. At school, we must / mustn’t use cell phones in class. 5. At the airport, there is a special area where we can /should rest.

6. When I was in high school, we can / could leave the campus if we wished. 7. But, we can’t / couldn’t miss classes. 8. Can / Should you turn off that light? 9. I can /must talk to you right away. It’s urgent! 10. You can /should write to your family. They would like to know about you.