modal+verbs

** MODAL VERBS **


 * MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF MODAL VERBS **

- They are followed by a verb in the infinitive without “to” form or “base form”.


 * o // She must be joking! //

- They add meaning to the sentence (obligation, advice, ability, etc.).

- The same form of the verb is used for all the persons in the present simple (we don’t need to add [-s] in the third person singular)


 * o // I can play the piano //
 * o // She can play the piano ( // not *cans)

- They do not require the use of an auxiliary verb to form the negative form. The word //NOT// is added after the modal verb.


 * o // must – mustn’t //
 * o // should – shouldn’t //
 * o // can – can’t / cannot //

** * Exception: //have to// **


 * o // have to – don’t have to / doesn’t have to //
 * o // had to – didn’t have to //

- They do not require the use of an auxiliary verb to form the interrogative form. The modal is simply placed before the subject.


 * o // must I…? //
 * o // should you…? //

** * Exception: //have to// **


 * o // do you have to…? //
 * o // does he have to…? //
 * o // did she have to…? //

HAVE TO   HAS TO  ||  HAD TO  ||   || * I must go. I have to study for my exam. CAN’T ||  COULDN’T  ||   || * You mustn’t smoke here. DOESN’T HAVE TO   NEEDN’T DON’T NEED TO   DOESN’T NEED TO  ||  DIDN’T HAVE TO    DIDN’T NEED TO  ||  NEEDN’T HAVE + past participle  || * I don’t have to make breakfast. My sister does it for me. AM/IS/ARE ABLE TO ||  COULD WAS/WERE ABLE TO ||  COULD HAVE + past participle  || * I can play the piano. MIGHT COULD ||   ||  MAY HAVE + past participle MIGHT HAVE + past participle COULD HAVE + past participle || * It may rain today, but it’s not certain. COULD MAY WOULD AM/IS/ARE ALLOWED TO ||  COULD WAS/WERE ALLOWED TO ||  COULD HAVE + past participle WOULD HAVE + past participle* * This is also part of the third conditional clause || * Can I go to the toilet, please? OUGHT TO   HAD BETTER / ’D BETTER  ||   ||  SHOULD HAVE + past participle* OUGHT TO HAVE + past participle* * In this case, the modals would mean regret or criticism || * My friends think I should stop smoking. CAN’T (sure that something isn’t true) MIGHT (unsure) ||   ||  MUST HAVE + past participle CAN’T HAVE + past participle MIGHT HAVE + past participle || * There are no lights in the house. They must be out.
 * ** MEANING ** ||  ** MODAL VERBS (present or future meaning) **  ||  ** MODAL VERBS (past meaning) **  ||  ** MODAL PERFECTS **  ||  ** EXAMPLES **  ||
 * ** OBLIGATION ** ||  MUST
 * Yesterday, I had to cook dinner. My parents weren’t home ||
 * ** PROHIBITION ** ||  MUSTN’T
 * When I was younger, I couldn’t go outside school during break time. ||
 * ** LACK OF OBLIGATION ** ||  DON’T HAVE TO
 * I didn’t have to study yesterday. We didn’t have any homework or exams.
 * You needn’t have bought me flowers, but thank you. ||
 * ** ABILITY/CAPACITY ** ||  CAN
 * When I was younger, I could run fast.
 * I could have won the race, but I let my little brother overtake me. ||
 * ** PROBABILITY ** ||  MAY
 * He may have left school. We haven’t seen him in a week, but we don’t know for sure. ||
 * ** PERMISSION/REQUEST ** ||  CAN
 * Would you give me a hand, please?
 * I wasn’t allowed to go to the disco.
 * I could have stayed up late, but I was too tired to do so. ||
 * ** RECOMMENDATION / ADVICE ** ||  SHOULD
 * I should have studied more for my exams. I failed. ||
 * ** DEDUCTION ** ||  MUST (sure that something is true)
 * He can’t be kidding. He looks serious.
 * He might be seeing someone.
 * The butler must have killed him! ||

Here you'll find some exercises online to practise

 exercises 1

 exercises 2

 exercises 3

 exercises 4

 exercises 5

 exercises 6

 exercises 7

Let's analyze some modal verbs little by little.

OBLIGATION
have to must have to or must

ADVICE
should ought to