Английская грамматика: модальные глаголы

1. A ‘certain’ question may produce an ‘uncertain’ answer.


Does she like apples?- She might (do). She may (do). She could (do). She may not.


2. An ‘uncertain’ question may produce a ‘certain’ answer.


3. We use do/done to replace other verbs, though this is optional.

 

Will you catch the early train?- I may/I may do.

 

  

4. We also answer Wh-questions with ‘certainty’ or ‘uncertainty’.

 

What is his name?- It’s Brown. It may/might be Smith.

10. Modal verbs. Deduction

Теория:

Study the information about uses of modals to express deduction.

1. We express deduction with must be/can’t be, must have been, can’t/couldn’t have been.

He must be at work. He can’t be out.

 

2. We use must be in the present to express deduction.

You haven’t eaten for hours! You must be hungry.

  

 

3. The negative of must be is can’t be (not mustn’t be).

You have only eaten. You can’t be hungry.

  

4. The negative of must (be)  is mustn’t (be).

You mustn’t be noisy outside a hospital.

 

 

5. We express deduction about the past with must have been.

You haven’t eaten for hours. You must have been hungry.

 

6. The negative of had to is didn’t have to.

It was a holiday yesterday, so I didn’t have to be at work.

11. Modal verbs. Preferences

Теория:

Study the information about expressing preferences.

  

1. We use would rather and would sooner in exactly the same way to express preference.

We can refer to the present or the future.

 

I’d rather/I’d sooner be an accountant than an artist.

  

 

2. We can refer to the past.

If I could choose again, I’d rather/sooner have been a postman than a builder.

 

 

3. We use the past perfect form after I’d rather to refer to past time.

I’d rather have been present.
I’d rather you had been present.

 

4. You can omit the main part of the verb in short responses.

Frank is going to buy a new coffee machine. - I’d rather he didn’t. (negative response)

  

 

Sam won’t give up his present job. - I’d rather he did.

12. Modal verbs. A scale of choice

Теория:

Study the information about ‘a scale of choice’ and expressing necessity in other tenses.

 

1. We use should and ought to when it’s advisable, but there is some choice.

You should go to the doctor.

 

2. Had better is stronger, it is a warning.

You’d better have medical check.

 

3. Have to, have got to (less formal) and must (when you have no choice).

You have to/have got to/must take medicine.


4. We tend to refer must when we refer to ourselves, with you to express urgency, in public notices, pressing invitations or advice.

  

I really must weed this garden.

 




You must come and repair that fence.

 

5. Must can refer to present or the future.

He must speak to me tomorrow.

  

6. Had is used to show that we couldn’t avoid doing something.

I had to leave at 5.


Should have shows we’ve failed to do something.


I should have left at 8.30.

13. Modal verbs. Expressing habits

Теория:

Study the information about modals that express habits.

 

1. Used to is a simple past form only. If you want to say ‘I am in the habit of’, you must use the simple present.

I get up early every day.

  

2. We often use do and did + use to form questions and negatives:

Did you use to play sports?

 

We also use never to form the negative: I never used to play sports.

 

3. We can use used to when we refer to past habit.


I used to collect stamps.

 

 

4. We can take used to when we want to make a contrast between past and present with expressions ‘but now…’, ‘but not any more’, ‘but not any longer’.

 

I used to eat a large breakfast, but I don’t any longer.


5. Used to can also refer to past states.


She used to very polite.

 

6. When we are ‘remembering the past’, we can use ‘would’ in place of used to.

First we set the scene with used to, then we continue with would.

 

When I was a boy we always spent/used to spend our holidays on a farm.

  

  

We would get up at 5 and we’d help milk the cows.

14. Modal verbs. Need and dare

Теория:

Study the information about ‘need’ and ‘dare’.

 

1. We use need as a modal mainly in the negative to mean ‘it isn’t necessary’.

 

I needn’t go to the meeting today.
I needn’t have visited this place yesterday.

 

2. In positive sentences, we use need as a modal.

 

Need you have told her the truth?

 

3. We use the full verb need to ( like any regular verb).

I need to check these tests.

 

 

4. We use dare as a modal in the negative to express lack of courage.

 

I daren’t ask for money.

 

  

5. We can use questions with do/does/did.

Do you dare tell him?


6. We can use dare to as a full verb.


Do you dare to tell him?


7. We can use dare when we express courage, lack of courage, challenge, outrage.


How dare you read my notes!

 




I dare you to jump off that wall.

Modal verbs in English

(Use of modal verbs – can, must, will, should, could, may)

Table of contents – modal verbs

On this page you will find the following:

1. 
   Use of modal verbs
   
2. 
   Special rules for modal verbs
   
3. 
   Further explanations and exercises
   

How are modal verbs used in English?

Modal verbs are a subgroup of auxiliary verbs. They express modality and thus denote desires, abilities, obligations, or possibilities. Due to their subjective meaning, they are an essential part of the English language and are used very frequently. Since modal verbs can usually only appear in few tenses and not in combination with other modal verbs in a clause, they all have a substitute form, which is then used in such cases. For details about the use of the present tense, take a look at modal verbs in present simple.

Now, compare the following possibilities in terms of appearance in example sentences (an overview can be found under verb forms of modal verbs):

• 
  English modal verbs are commonly employed to express the following characteristics and meanings:
  
  • 
    can/could:
    
    • 
      permission:
      
      • 
        “Can I borrow your car, please?”
        
    • 
      ability:
      
      • 
        “I can speak French, but I can’t speak Greek.”
        
    • 
      possibility:
      
      • 
        “This can’t be possible.”
        
    • 
      request:
      
      • 
        “Could you call me back later?”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘to be able to’:
      
      • 
        “I’m not sure if I will be able to come to the party.”
        
      • 
        “Will I be able to borrow your car when I have my driver’s license?”
        
    • 
      Attention: ‘could’ and ‘to be able to’ have a slight difference in meaning; for details, have a look at this explanation.
      
  • 
    may/might:
    
    • 
      possibility or probability:
      
      • 
        “I might do that later.”
        
    • 
      politeness:
      
      • 
        “May I ask you something?”
        
    • 
      permission:
      
      • 
        “You may go out until midnight.”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘to be allowed to’:
      
      • 
        “Mobile phones are not allowed to be used in the meeting room.”
        
      • 
        “I don’t know if I will be allowed to go to the concert.”
        
  • 
    must:
    
    • 
      obligation:
      
      • 
        “I had an accident, and now I must go to the police.”
        
    • 
      probability:
      
      • 
        “She doesn’t stop reading. That book must be fascinating.”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘to have to’:
      
      • 
        “Peter had to go home early last night.”
        
      • 
        “You will have to show your passport at the airport.”
        
  • 
    must not / may not:
    
    • 
      prohibition:
      
      • 
        “You must not smoke in here.”
        
      • 
        “You may not park in front of the building.”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘not to be allowed to’:
      
      • 
        “We arrived too late, so we were not allowed to enter anymore.”
        
      • 
        “You will not be allowed to feed any animals in the park.”
        
  • 
    need not:
    
    • 
      a lack of necessity:
      
      • 
        “You needn’t do that just because of me.”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘not to have to’:
      
      • 
        “We don’t have to watch the movie till the end.”
        
      • 
        “They didn’t have to bring any money as they were invited.”
        
  • 
    will/would:
    
    • 
      future:
      
      • 
        “Our trip to Australia will be very expensive.”
        
    • 
      question/request:
      
      • 
        “Would you like some coffee?”
        
    • 
      possibility:
      
      • 
        “I would stay longer, but I have to go to work.”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘to want to’:
      
      • 
        “Sam wanted to help you, but he didn’t know how.”
        
      • 
        “They had always wanted to travel the world, but then they retired and moved to South Africa.”
        
  • 
    shall/should / ought to:
    
    • 
      proposal/suggestion:
      
      • 
        “Shall I turn on the heating?”
        
    • 
      advice:
      
      • 
        “You should get some rest; you look tired.”
        
    • 
      substitute form or paraphrase with ‘to have to’ or ‘to be supposed to’:
      
      • 
        “Mike was supposed to go to the doctor’s yesterday.”
        
      • 
        “I had to close the window because Peter had a cold.”
        

What are the special rules to consider when using modal verbs?

When using modal verbs, the following