Modals - English Grammar : What are Modal Verbs?
Modal verbs are special verbs which behave very
differently from normal verbs. Here are some important differences:
1. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third
person.
- He can
speak Chinese.
- She should be here by 9:00.
2. You use "not" to make modal verbs
negative, even in Simple Present and Simple Past.
- He should not be late.
- They might not come to the party.
3. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the past tenses
or the future tenses.
- He will can go with us. Not
Correct
- She musted study very hard. Not
Correct
Common Modal Verbs
Can
Could May Might Must |
Ought to
Shall Should Will Would |
For the purposes of this topic, I have included
some expressions which are not modal verbs including had better, have to, and have got to. These expressions are
closely related to modals in meaning and are often interchanged with them.
1) can
Use Examples
ability to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to
be able to) I can speak English.
permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form:
to be allowed to) Can I go to the cinema?
request Can you wait a
moment, please?
offer I
can lend you my car till tomorrow.
suggestion Can
we visit Grandma at the weekend?
possibility It
can get very hot in Arizona.
2)
could
Use Examples
ability to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to be
able to) I could speak English.
permission to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to
be allowed to) I could go to the
cinema.
polite question * Could
I go to the cinema, please?
polite request * Could you wait a moment, please?
polite offer * I
could lend you my car till tomorrow.
polite suggestion * Could
we visit Grandma at the weekend?
possibility * It
could get very hot in Montana.
3) may
Use Examples
possibility It
may rain today.
permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form:
to be allowed to) May I go to the cinema?
polite suggestion May
I help you?
4)
might
Use Examples
possibility (less possible than may) * It
might rain today.
hesitant offer * Might
I help you?
5) must
Use Examples
force, necessity I must go to the supermarket
today.
possibility You
must be tired.
advice, recommendation You
must see the new film with Brad Pitt.
6) must
not/may not
Use Examples
prohibition You
mustn't work on dad's computer.
You may not work on dad's computer.
7) need
not
Use Examples
not necessary I
needn't go to the supermarket, we're going to the restaurant tonight.
8)
ought to
Use Examples
advice You ought to drive carefully in
bad weather.
obligation You ought to switch off the
light when you leave the room.
9)
shall
instead of will in the 1st person
Use Examples
suggestion Shall I carry your bag?
10)
should
Use Examples
advice You should drive carefully in
bad weather.
obligation You should switch off the light
when you leave the room.
11) will
Use Examples
wish, request, demand, order (less polite than would) Will you please shut the door?
prediction, assumption I
think it will rain on Friday.
promise I
will stop smoking.
spontaneous decision Can somebody drive me to the
station? - I will.
habits She's
strange, she'll sit for hours without talking.
12)
would
Use Examples
wish, request (more polite than will) Would
you shut the door, please?
habits in the past Sometimes
he would bring me some flowers.
*
no past forms - future forms
Modals,
Auxiliaries
be, have and do can be auxiliaries and full verbs.
Modals are: can,
could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would and need
(need can be a full verb, too).
We can play
football.
We could play
football.
We may play
football.
We might
play football.
We must
play football.
We mustn't
play football.
We needn't play
football.
We ought to
play football.
We shall play
football.
We should play
football.
We
will play football.
We
would play football.
Note:
1) Do not use modals for things which happen
definitely. The sun rises in the
East.
2) They do not have an -s in the 3rd person singular. He
can play football.
3) Questions are formed without do/does/did. Can
he speak Spanish?
4) It follows a full verb in the infinitive. They
must read the book.
5) There are no past forms (except could and would). He was allowed to watch the film.
6) When you use the past particple, you tell about
things which did not happen in the past. You
should have told me.
Form
positive
negative
long
form contracted form long form contracted form
can -- cannot
can't
could -- could not couldn't
may -- may
not --
might -- might
not --
ought to -- ought
not to oughtn't to
-- -- need
not needn't
shall 'll shall
not shan't
should 'd -- shouldn't
will 'll will
not won't
would 'd would
not wouldn't
have or
have got
Affirmative
sentences
have have got
I have a brother. I have got a
brother.
I've got a brother.
have got is often used in its contracted form even in
written language.
Negation
have have got
I don't have a brother. I have not got a
brother or I haven't got a brother.
Questions
have have got
Do you have a brother? Have
you got a brother?
Don't you have a brother? Haven't you got a
brother?
Have to, Had to
have to
in affirmative sentences (Simple Present)
Example:
I/we/you/they have to get up early.
He/she/it has to get up early.
have to
in negative sentences (Simple Present)
Example:
I/we/you/they do not have to get up early.
He/she/it does not have to get up early.
contracted
forms:
I/we/you/they don't have to get up early.
He/she/it doesn't have to get up early.
have to in questions (Simple Present)
Example:
Do I/we/you/they have to get up early?
Does he/she/it have to get up early
had to
in affirmative sentences (Simple Past)
Example:
I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they to get up early.
had to in negative sentences (Simple Past)
Example:
I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they did not have to get up
early
contracted
forms:
I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they didn't have to get up
early.
had to in questions (Simple Past)
Example:
Did I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they have to get up early?
Put in have to or has to into the lines.
Example: I _________ get up early every day.
Answer: I have to get up early every day.
Example: I _________ get up early every day.
Answer: I have to get up early every day.
1) They_______ write a test.
|
2) She _______clean her desk.
|
3) Ken
and Liz ________earn English words.
|
4) Andy_______ help his
brother.
|
5) We __________do our
homework.
|
6) He ___________write
with a pencil.
|
7) I __________feed the
hamster.
|
8) You_________ take photos.
|
9) Victoria___________ read the
newspaper.
|
10) The
teacher __________send a text message.
|
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario