What are Modal Verbs?
Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb, like DO, BE and HAVE. However, they differ in that regular auxiliaries only express the idea of time and not meaning; or in the case of DO, cannot be translated into Spanish. There are also some rules to follow when using Modal verbs.
Modal verbs include CAN, COULD, WILL, WOULD, SHALL, MAY, MIGHT, MUST, SHOULD and OUGHT TO.
Rules of Modal verbs:
| 1. The conjugation is the same for all persons. | Example: I can, you can, he can, etc. Not: he cans |
| 2. They are not used with the auxiliary Do. | Example: Can you run? Not: Do you can run? |
| 3. They are followed by the infinitive without TO. | Example: I must take my medicine. (Exception: Ought to) |
| 4. They can be made negative by adding not or the contraction –n’t. | Example: I can’t play the piano. (Exception: may not cannot be contracted) |
Note: HAVE TO and NEED TO are half modals and don´t follow the same rules as full modals, but they do have meaning.
Rules of half modals
| 1. The conjugation changes for third person singular. | Example: I have to, he has to, I need to, heneeds to |
| 2. The emphatic DO may be used | Example: I do need to go, can’t you understand that? |
| 3. They are followed by TO and the infinitive. (Except the negative of need to) | Example: I have to wear a uniform. He needn’t wear a uniform. |
| 4. The negative of have to cannot be made with a contraction. | Example: I don’t have to go. Not: I haven’t to go. |
List of meanings and uses Modals
As mentioned above, Modal verbs and Half Modals express meaning. Here is a list of Modals and Half Modals with their meanings and uses.
| MEANINGS/USES |
EXAMPLES |
| CAN 1. Ability 2. Permission 3. Request 4. Possibility |
1. I can speak English. 2. Can I borrow your pen? 3. Can you open the window? 4. I can come next Monday. |
| COULD 1. past ability 2. polite request 3. permission in Reported Speech 4. possibility 5. Second Conditional |
1. Could I run fast when I was a child? 2. Could you open the window, please? 3. Mary said she could go out tonight. 4. Where’s Mary? I don’t know, she could be in her office. 5. If it didn’t rain, we could go to the park. |
| WILL 1. Certainty 2. Future: – spontaneous decisions – predictions 3. Promises 4. Commands 5. First conditional |
1. He will definitely come to the party 2a. I will call Mary before she leaves. 2b. I think the economy will get better soon. 3. I will return your money tomorrow. 4. You will do as I tell you. 5. If it stops raining we will play football. |
| WOULD 1. Polite offers 2. Conditionals 3. Habits in the past |
1. Would you like some cheese? 2. If I had a car I would change my job. 3. On Sundays we would go to the park to play football. |
| SHALL 1. Future 2. Promise 3. To ask for advice 4. Polite offers 5. To ask for instructions 6. Order |
1. I shall visit Mary next week. 2. I shall help you with your homework. 3. Shall I invite Jim to the party? 4. Shall I open the window for you? 5. Where shall I put this box? 6. You shall go there immediately |
| MAY 1. Possibility 2. Permission 3. Polite request 4. Polite offers |
1. I may be able to take a day off. 2. May I use your phone? 3. May I have some more cake, please? 4. May I help you? |
| MIGHT 1. Possibility: |
1. We might be able to join you in London next week. |
| SHOULD 1. Recommendation 2. Suggestion 3. Probability/Supposition 4. Advice |
1. You should read this book, it’s great. 2. Perhaps we should consider a different option. 3. They should be at home by now. 4. You should see a doctor at once |
| OUGHT TO 1. Moral obligation 2. Recommendation 3. Probability |
1. You ought to do as you are told. 2. You ought to see the Picasso museum. 3. They ought to be home by now. |
| MUST 1. Obligation 2. Necessity 3. Deduction/supposition 4. Invitation |
1. You must wear protective glasses in the lab. 2. I must take my medicine. 3. They left at 8 o’clock, so they must be at home by now. 4. You must stay at my house when you come to the city. |
| HAVE TO 1. Obligation |
1. I have to wear safety goggles in the lab. |
| NEED TO 1. Necessity |
1. I need to take my medicine with my breakfast. |
Negative modals
| CAN’T Certainty |
Example: Mr. Simpson can’t be dead, I saw him only 5 minutes ago. |
| MUSTN’T Prohibition |
Example: You mustn‘t smoke in a hospital. |
| DON’T HAVE TO Not necessary |
Example: You don’t have to go to the party if you don’t want to. |
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