MODAL VERBS OR MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS USE TO

MODAL VERBS OR MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS

USE �TO EXPRESS THE SPEAKER’S OPINION INCLUDING: �Advise �Possibility �Probability �Obligation �Ability �Necessity �Permission �Desire and Contingency

FEATURES �INVARIABLE: no –s, 3 rd person sing. � She must study – (X) she musts study �NO NEED THE “DO” SUPPORT IN ? /- SENTENCES. � You don’t should tell him – Do you can swim? �NOT FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE WITHOUT “TO”. � (x) You must to go – You shouldn’t eating so much. �THEY DO NOT HAVE: � Infinitive � Future tense � Past Participle � - ing

� What about: “have to”, “be able to”, “need to” (full verbs) they do not share these features but they share some of the uses. � have to (obligation): You have to study hard if …. . � Be able to (ability): After 5 th year you will be able to speak English very well.

ADVISE AND OPINIONS �SHOULD (not); OUGHT (not). �I think you should study English harder. �We all ought to have a good command of English language. �I don’t think you should…. better than …I think you shouldn’t …. .

ADVISE, RECOMMENDATIONS AND OBLIGATION �ADVISE: � We all must read more in English. �RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON OUR OWN EXPERIENCE: � You should read the undomestic goddess, it’s hilarious¡¡¡¡. �STRONG OBLIGATION (law, authority): � Students in private school must wear a uniform.

NECESITY - OBLIGATION �Must / have to � You must be home by 12 o’clock. (the obligation comes from � I have to be home by 12 o’clock. the speaker) � The meaning is similar but “have to” can be used in all the forms, even the interrogatives. � Yesterday, I had to do the washing up. � You will have to stydy hard if….

MUSN’T – DON’T HAVE TO �MUSN’T (PROHIBITION): � You musn’t smoke in the premises. �DON’T / DOESN’T HAVE TO (LACK OF NECESSITY): � You don’t have to wear a uniform at school.

ABILITY �PRESENT ABILITY: �I can speak English. � If you work hard you will be able to pass the exam. �PAST GENERAL ABILITY/VERBS OF PERCEPTION: � When I was a child, I could read and write. �PAST ABILITY (ON ONE OCCASION): � It was a difficult exam but I managed to do it / succeed in doing it. � VERBS OF PERCEPTION (ON ONE OCCASION): � With a big effort, I could hear her explanations.

REQUEST �CAN �WILL YOU �COULD �WOULD… YOU OPEN THE DOOR? �WOULD YOU MIND + -ING? ? �WOULD YOU BE SO KING OF + -ING? ?

PERMISSION �CAN �COULD �MAY … I COME IN? ? ?

REQUEST AND PERMISSION �WILL YOU HELP ME WITH THIS EXERCISE? � You ask somebody for help �SHALL I HELP YOU WITH THIS EXERCISE? � You offer yourself to help somebody.

SPECULATING �CERTAINTY: � THAT SOMETHING IS TRUE: � It’s eight o’clock, she must be in class. � THAT SOMETHING IS IMPOSSIBLE: � It’s ten o’clock, he can’t be in class.

SPECULATING �POSSIBILITY: �+ CAN: � Finally, � (I’m sure) MAY: �I �- I can go to the party may go to the party (I’m not sure it’s possible) MIGHT �I might go to the party (It’s improbable)

DEDUCTIONS �MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE: (CERTAINTY ABOUT THE PAST) � We went to Rome last month. - that must have been nice. � A women phoned while you were out - that must have been K � CAN is used in questions and negatives: � Where can John have put the matches? - He can’t have thrown them away, can he? .

DEDUCTIONS �MAY / MIGHT / HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE: (POSSIBILITY ABOUT THE PAST) � K. is very late. She may have missed the train. � What was that noise? It might have been a cat. � May/might have + past participle can sometimes refer to the present or future. � I’ll try phoning him but he may have gone out by now. � By the end of this year, I might have saved some money.

DEDUCTIONS �COULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE to mean “would have been able to…. ” �If he had run faster he could have won. �MIGHT HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE to mean “would perhaps have” or “would possibly have”. �If I hadn’t been so tired, I might have realized what was happening.