Modal Auxiliary
What Are Modals?
These are helping verbs or auxiliary verbs which express the mode, manner and attitude of
the action done by the main verb.
For Example:
1) You may go now.
2) You must attend this meeting.
NATURE OF MODALS :
1.Modals are never used alone. They must have a principal Verb with them.
Eg: They should meet the teacher to clear their doubts.
2. They don’t change according to the number or person of the Subject.
Eg. He must learn his lesson.
They must learn their lessons.
3.Modals always take the first form of verb.
Eg. They can speak English fluently.
He may win.
4. Modals express actions like ability, power, permission, possibility, willingness, advice,
compulsion, etc.
Usage of Modal Auxiliary :
MODALS EXAMPLES USES
WILL 1. I will do better in Promise,
future.(promise) determination, threat,
intention,
2. I will punish him.(determination)
willingness.
3. We will stand by her in
trouble.(willingness)
Shall 1. I shall finish this work tomorrow. Promise, threat,
command.
2. He shall be punished for his
rudeness.
Dare 1.How dare you do it? Used in negative and
interrogate sentences.
2. He dare not come here to disturb
me.
Need 1.You need not go to Pune today. Used in negative and
interrogative sentences.
Need I go to Pune today?
Used to 1. He used to go for a long walk daily. To express the habit
in the past.
2. He is used to a hard life.
To express the
3. There used to be a school in this meaning of accustomed to.
place long ago.
To express the
existence of something in
the past.
Exercise (Class work)
Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals
1) I have to take this medicine every morning as it is prescribed to me.
2) You should not hit the dog like that.
3) She must attend the meeting as it is urgent.
4) You need not go to the forest at night.
5) May I ask you a riddle?
6) It may/might rain today.
7) He might come next week or later.
8) We ought to/ must obey our teachers.
9) Last year I used to exercise every morning.
10) May I come in sir? Yes, you can.
Homework Exercise
Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals:
(i) We ____ obey our teachers, (have to, must)
(ii) She _____ pass this time, (ought to, has to)
(iii) He _____ not buy a car. (has to, need)
(iv) He works hard lest he _____ fail, (should, must)
(v) Do you _______ cook your own meal? (should, have to)
(vi) The villagers _____ use kerosene lamps a few years ago. (must, had to)
(vii) The old lady _________ take a bath every day before taking meals, (ought to, should)
(viii) She _____ finish this work before I go. (has to, must)
(ix) Ramesh said that they _________ report for duty on Monday, (should, ought to)
(x) We _______ prepare our lessons well before examination, (ought to, must)
