Modals (Riju Ganguly)

A modal verb (also known as a modal auxiliary verb) is used alongside a main verb to
express possibility, ability, permission, necessity, obligation, or advice. They are always
used with a main verb in its base form (without "to").

Examples of Common Modal Verbs:

Can, Could, May, Might, Shall, Should, Will, Would, Must.

Examples of semi-modal verbs:

Ought to, Used to, Need to, Have to, Want to, dare to

(Semi-modal verbs, also known as quasi-modal verbs, are a group of verbs that
function similarly to modal verbs, but they also have some characteristics of regular
verbs. They are used to express shades of meaning, such as obligation, ability, and
possibility.)

Key Characteristics of Modals:

1. No "-s" in the third person singular: Unlike regular verbs, modals do not add "-
s" in the third person singular

e.g. He can swim. (correct) But He cans swim. (incorrect)

2. No "do/does" in questions or negatives: Modals form questions by inversion

and negatives by adding "not" directly after the modal

e.g. Can you help? (correct) But Do you can help? (incorrect)

I cannot go. (correct) But I do not can go. (incorrect)

3. Always followed by a bare infinitive: The main verb following a modal is always
in its base form (infinitive without "to")

e.g., You should study harder. (correct) But You should to study harder.
(incorrect)

4. No infinitive or -ing forms: Modals do not have infinitive forms. (e.g. to can, to
must) or -ing forms (e.g. canning, musting).

5. Fixed forms: Modals do not change their form when tense or person changes.
Their meaning, however, can be affected by the context and the accompanying
verb.
 Common Modals and Their Uses:

1. Can:

• Ability: Present ability

o I can speak three languages. (Present ability)

o He can run very fast.

• Permission (informal):

o Can I borrow your pen?

o You can leave now if you want.

• Possibility (general/theoretical):

o It can get very cold here in winter.

o Accidents can happen.

• Requests (informal):

o Can you pass me the salt?

• willingness :
o I can teach you.

2. Could:

• Past Ability:

o When I was younger, I could climb trees.

o She could play the piano beautifully when she was a child.

• Permission (more polite than "can"):

o Could I use your phone for a moment?

o You could wait in the lobby.

• Possibility (less certain than "can" or "may"):

o It could rain later.

o That could be a good idea.

 • Suggestions/Requests (polite):

o We could go for a walk.

o Could you please open the window?

• Conditional (in hypothetical situations):

o If I had more time, I could help you.

3. May:

• Permission (formal/polite):

o May I come in, sir?

o You may begin your exams now.

• Possibility (more certain than "could," less certain than "will"):

o It may be true.

o She may arrive late.

• Wishes/Greetings (often in formal or literary contexts):

o May you have a long and happy life!

o May God bless you!

4. Might:

• Possibility (less certain than "may"):

o I might go to the party tonight, but I'm unsure.

o It might be too late to change the booking.

• Suggestions (tentative):

o You might try calling him again.

o We might consider a different approach.

• Permission (very tentative/hesitant):

o Might I suggest an alternative? (Less common)

o Might I borrow your computer?

(Many people don’t say this in American English; instead, they would say, “Can I borrow
your computer?” Or “May I borrow your computer?”)
5. Must:

• Obligation/Necessity (strong):

o You must complete this assignment by Friday.

o We must obey the law.

• Strong Recommendation/Advice:

o You must visit the museum; it's fantastic!

• Logical Deduction/Certainty:

o He hasn't eaten all day; he must be hungry.

o That must be the answer.

• Prohibition (in negative form, "must not" or "mustn't"):

o You must not smoke in here.

o Students mustn't use their phones during the exam.

6. Shall:

• Offers/Suggestions/requests (for "I" and "we" in questions):

o Shall I open the window?

o Shall we dance?

• Future (formal/legalistic/literary, becoming less common):

o You shall not pass! (Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings)

o The company shall comply with all regulations.

• Determined Statement (less common now):

o I shall overcome.

• Willingness:
o I shall take us to the airport.
• Certainty:
o I shall be there on time.

7. Should:

• Advice/Recommendation:

o You should get more sleep.

 o He should apologise for his behaviour.

• Obligation (less strong than "must"):

o You should wear a helmet when cycling.

• Expectation/Probability:

o They should be here by now.

o The train should arrive on time.

• Criticism (of past actions):

o You should have told me earlier. (With "have" + past participle)

8. Will:

• Future Actions/Predictions:

o He will call you tomorrow.

o It will probably rain later.

• Decisions Made at the Moment of Speaking:

o "The phone is ringing." "I will answer it."

• Offers/Promises:

o I will help you with your homework.

o I will never forget you.

• Requests (polite):

o Will you please close the door?

• Habitual Behaviour (present, often irritating):

o He will always complain about something.

9. Would:

• Conditional (hypothetical situations):

o If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.

o I would help you if I could.

• Polite Requests/Offers:

o Would you mind opening the window?

o Would you like some coffee?

 • Past Habitual Actions (similar to "used to"):

o When I was a child, I would often play in the park.

o Every summer, we would visit my grandparents.

• Imagined Situations:

o I would love to see that movie.

• Reported Speech (past form of "will"):

o He said he would be late. (Direct: He said, "I will be late.")

Semi-Modals (Marginal Modals / Phrasal Modals):

These are expressions that function similarly to modals but are formed with "to" or are
followed by "to." They often have tense and person variations.

• Have to / Has to: (Obligation/Necessity – often external)/ Need to: (necessity)

o I have to/need to work tomorrow. (necessity)

o She has to wear a uniform.

o We had to leave early yesterday.

• Ought to: (Advice/Recommendation – similar to "should," slightly more formal)

o You ought to apologise.

o They ought to be here by now.

• Used to: (Past Habitual Actions or States – no longer true)

o I used to live in London.

o There used to be a cinema here.

• Be able to: (Ability – often used when "can" is not possible, e.g., in future or
perfect tenses)

o I will be able to help you next week.

o She has been able to speak French since she was five.

• Be going to: (Future Plans/Intentions/Predictions based on evidence)

o I'm going to study for the exam.

o Look at those clouds! It's going to rain.

• Dare to: (courageousness)

o I dare to fight the champion.
 Use of modals for the same purpose and their differences:

1. Ability

• Can:

o General ability in the present: "I can speak English." (It's a skill I
possess.)

o Ability at a specific moment (present/future): "I can meet you

tomorrow at 3 PM." (I'm available/able to do it then.)

• Could:

o General ability in the past: "When I was younger, I could run a

marathon." (Past skill)

o Ability in hypothetical situations (present/future): "If I had more time, I

could help you." (I have the ability, but the condition isn't met.)

o Past ability not exercised: "I could have gone to the party, but I decided
not to." (I had the ability/opportunity, but didn't use it.)

• Be able to: (Often used as a substitute for "can" or "could" when other tenses
are needed, or to emphasise difficulty/achievement.)

o Ability in any tense: "I will be able to speak Japanese next year." (Future
ability, "can" can't be used here.)

o "Despite the injury, she was able to finish the race." (Emphasises
successful achievement.)

2. Permission

• Can:

o Informal permission/request: "Can I use your phone?" (Common,

everyday usage.)

o Giving permission informally: "Yes, you can go now."

• Could:

o More polite request for permission: "Could I borrow your notes for a
moment?" (More polite than "can," but still a request, not giving
permission.)

• May:

o Formal permission/request: "May I enter?" (Often used in formal

settings, or when addressing someone in authority.)
 o Giving permission formally: "You may proceed."

• Might: (Less common for permission, but can imply a very tentative or hesitant
request.)

o "Might I make a suggestion?" (Very formal and deferential.)

3. Possibility / Probability

• Can:

o General/theoretical possibility: "It can get very cold in winter here." (It's
generally possible for it to happen.)

o Characteristic of something: "Stress can lead to health problems."

• Could:

o Uncertain possibility (present/future): "It could rain later." (Less certain

than "may," suggests a possibility but not a strong one.)

o Possibility in hypothetical situations: "If she studied more, she could

pass the exam."

o Past possibility (often unfulfilled): "He could have been a doctor." (It
was possible, but he wasn't.)

• May:

o Possibility (present/future, somewhat likely): "She may be at home."

(There's a good chance.)

o Usually implies a stronger possibility than "might."

• Might:

o Lower degree of possibility (present/future, less certain than "may"):

"He might come to the party, but he hasn't decided yet." (More doubtful
than "may.")

o Often used when expressing a remote or unlikely possibility.

• Must:

o Logical deduction/certainty: "The lights are off; they must be asleep."

(Strong inference based on evidence.)

• Should:

o Expectation/Probability: "The package should arrive tomorrow." (Based

on usual circumstances or schedules.)
4. Obligation / Necessity

o Must:

o Strong obligation/necessity (often from the speaker's authority or a

strong internal feeling): "You must finish your homework." (The speaker
insists.) "I must remember to call my mom." (Internal necessity.)

o Logical conclusion (as above): "That must be the correct answer."

o Prohibition (in the negative): "You must not smoke in here." (Strong
prohibition.)

o Have to / Has to:

o Obligation/necessity (often external rule, law, or circumstance): "I

have to work tomorrow." (It's a requirement from my job.) "Students have
to wear uniforms." (School rule.)

o More common for general or recurring obligations.

o Can be used in all tenses: "I had to leave early." "I will have to study
harder."

o Should:

o Recommendation/Advice: "You should eat more vegetables." (It's a good

idea, but not a strict obligation.)

o Moral obligation (softer than "must"): "You should help those in need."

o Ought to:

o Similar to "should" for advice/recommendation, but slightly more

formal and less common in everyday spoken English.

o Often implies a moral or correct action: "You ought to respect your

elders."

o Rarely used in questions or negatives in modern English (use "should"

instead).

o Need to

o Meaning: Similar to "have to" in expressing necessity, it can sometimes

feel slightly less formal or externally imposed. It focuses on the
requirement itself.
o Structure: Subject + need to + base form of the verb
 • Examples:
o "I need to buy groceries." (Personal necessity)
o "They need to finish the project by tomorrow." (Requirement)
• Negative (Lack of Necessity): "Don't/doesn't need to" or "needn't" (more
formal/less common)
o "You don't need to bring anything."
o "You needn't worry about it."
• Past Tense: "Needed to"
o "We needed to leave early."

5. Advice / Suggestion

• Should:

o General advice: "You should get some rest."

o Recommendation: "We should try that new restaurant."

• Ought to:

o Similar to "should," often implying what is right or ideal. "You ought to

apologise to her."

• Could:

o Tentative suggestion: "We could go for a walk if you like." (Presents an

option.)

• May / Might:

o Very tentative suggestions: "You might find it helpful to read this book."
(Suggests a possible benefit without strong advice.)

6. Future Intentions / Predictions

• Will:

o Spontaneous decisions made at the moment of speaking: "I'm thirsty. I

will get a drink."

o Predictions (often based on opinion or belief): "I think it will rain

tomorrow."

o Promises: "I will help you with your project."

o Offers: "I will carry that for you."

• Be going to:
o Plans/intentions decided before the moment of speaking: "I'm going to
visit my parents next weekend." (The decision has already been made.)
 o Predictions based on present evidence: "Look at those dark clouds! It's
going to rain." (Clear signs now.)

7. Requests

• Can:

o Informal request: "Can you pass the salt?"

• Could:

o More polite request: "Could you please help me with this box?"

• Will:

o Direct request (often used for immediate action): "Will you close the
door, please?"

• Would:

o Polite request (often with "mind"): "Would you mind opening the
window?"

o Polite offer/invitation: "Would you like some tea?"

8. Hypothetical Situations

• Could:

o Hypothetical ability/possibility: "If I had a car, I could drive to the

beach." (Ability that would be possible under the condition.)

• Would:

o Hypothetical outcome/willingness: "If I had a car, I would drive to the

beach." (Action I would take/my preference under the condition.)

o Often used to express a polite desire: "I would love to visit Japan."

Extra key points

Use “not” to make modal verbs negative.
• I cannot ride a bike.
• I could not ride a bike because I was afraid of falling.
• I may not be riding next weekend because I have to work extra hours.
• She might not have a new bike, but it gets her where she needs to go.
• Bike riders under 17 years of age must not ride without helmets
• Riders shall not break the traffic rules that apply to cars.
• He will not go riding when it rains.
To form questions:
• Can I teach you how to ride a bike?
• Should we ask your mother first?
• Might it help if I let her know that you’ll be wearing a helmet?
• Will you let me take the training wheels off?

Do not use double modals.

• He could can fix the flat tire.
• I will might enter the bicycle challenge marathon.

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