MODALS INTRODUCTION MODAL VERBS can could may might
MODALS - INTRODUCTION MODAL VERBS can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will and would: • are always used before another verb in its infinitive form without to: He can swim. • never change – they do not add –s, or –ed or –ing. • are immediately followed by not in the negative: You should not (shouldn’t) be late. • go immediately before the subject in a question: Could you wake me up?
OBLIGATION AND NECESSITY • PRESENT: must and have to I must/have to go now or I’ll miss the bus. • We only use must in the present tense. In all other tenses we use have to: I had to work every day last week. (past simple) I will have to work longer hours. (future) • When something is unnecessary we use don’t have to, or needn’t (NOT mustn’t): You don’t have to / needn’t take your shoes off inside, but you can if you want to. • Mustn’t is a prohibition (when it’s wrong to do it, it isn’t allowed): You mustn’t smoke inside.
ADVICE • You should / ought to start looking for a job. • Should and ought to mean the same but we use should more than ought to, especially in negative forms and questions: They shouldn’t let their children watch that. What should I do? • When we talk about the past , we use should + have + past participle I should have told the truth (= it was a good idea but I didn’t)
ABILITY • How many languages can you speak? • CAN - present ability • He could read when he was three. • COULD - past ability in general • WAS/WERE ABLE TO or MANGED TO – specific occasion in the past (not COULD) • WILL BE ABLE TO – future ability • • She was able to finish on time. She managed to finish on time • You will be able to operate the machinery at the end of this course.
DEDUCTION: CERTAINTY AND POSSIBILITY • I haven’t seen the neighbours all week. They must be away. • MUST – certainty • The man in the photo can’t be Peter because he never wears a hat. • CAN’T – impossibility • The letter might be / may be / could be from Tony. She might come and see you tomorrow. • MIGHT / MAY / COULD – present and future possibility • Ed may not know how to find our house. • we use MAY NOT and MIGHT NOT in negative sentences, not COULD NOT
TALKING ABOUT THE PAST • I can’t find my keys. I must have left them at home. • He can’t/couldn’t have got there yet because it will take at least two weeks. • MUST / CAN’T / COULDN’T HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE – when we are certain about the situations in the past • I’m not sure what sort of bird it was that I saw, but it may/might/could have been an eagle. • MAY / MIGHT / COULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE – possibilities in the past
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