GRAMMAR

MODALS ARE DIFFERENT FROM NORMAL VERBS

 

1: They don't use an 's' for the third person singular.

2: They make questions by inversion ('she can go' becomes 'can she go?').

3: They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without 'to').

Probability:

First, they can be used when we want to say how sure we are that something happened / is happening / will happen. We often call these 'modals of deduction' or 'speculation' or 'certainty' or 'probability'.

For example:

• It's snowing, so it must be very cold outside.
• I don't know where John is. He could have missed the train.
  
• This bill can't be right. £200 for two cups of coffee!
  

Ability

We use 'can' and 'could' to talk about a skill or ability.

For example:

• She can speak six languages.
  
• My grandfather could play golf very well.
  
• I can't drive.
  

Obligation and Advice

We can use verbs such as 'must' or 'should' to say when something is necessary or unnecessary, or to give advice.

For example:

• Children must do their homework.
  
• We have to wear a uniform at work.
  
• You should stop smoking.
  

Permission

We can use verbs such as 'can', 'could' and 'may' to ask for and give permission. We also use modal verbs to say something is not allowed.

For example:

• Could I leave early today, please?
  
• You may not use the car tonight.
  
• Can we swim in the lake?
  

Habits

We can use 'will' and 'would' to talk about habits or things we usually do, or did in the past.

For example:

• When I lived in Italy, we would often eat in the restaurant next to my flat.
  

• John will always be late
  

MODALS´S VIDEO

CONCLUSION

MODAL VERBS AND THEIR

MEANING

What are modal verbs?

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs which behave irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play, visit..." They are used to indicate modality. They give additional information about thefunction of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of communicative functions.

Use of modal verbs:

Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:

1. Permission
2. Ability
3. Obligation
4. Prohibition
5. Lack of necessity
6. Advice
7. possibility
8. probability

Remember

Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to".

Modal Verb	Meaning	Expressing	Example
must	to have to	100 % obligation	I must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
	to be very probable	logical conclusion (deduction)	He must be very tired after such enormous work
must not	not to be allowed to	prohibition	You must not smoke in the hospital.
can	to be able to	ability	I can swim
	to be allowed to	permission	Can I use your phone please?
	it is possible	possibility	Smoking can cause cancer !
could	to be able to	ability in the past	When I was younger I could stay up all night and not get tired..
	to be allowed to	more polite permission	Excuse me, could I just say something?
	it is possible	possibility	It could rain tomorrow!
may	to be allowed to	permission	May I use your phone please?
	it is possible, probable	possibility, probability	It may rain tomorrow!
might	to be allowed to	more polite permission	Might I use your phone please?
	it is possible, probable	weak possibility, probability	I might come and visit you in America next year, if I can save enough money.
need	necessary	necessity	Need I say more?
need not	not necessary	lack of necessity/absence of obligation	I need not buy any tomatoes. There are plenty in the fridge.
should/ought to	used to say or ask what is the correct or best thing to do	50 % obligation	I should / ought to see a doctor. I have a terrible headache.
	to suggest an action or to show that it is necessary	advice	You should / ought to revise your lessons
	to be very probable	logical conclusion (deduction)	He should / ought to be very tired after such enormous work
had better	to suggest an action or to show that it is necessary	advice	You 'd better revise your lessons

Examples

There is plenty of tomatoes in the fridge. You needn't buy any.

It's a hospital. You mustn't smoke.

He had been working for more than 11 hours. He must be tired after such haed work. He may prefer to get some rest.

I could speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Morocco. But after we moved back to Canada, I had very little exposure to the language and forgot almost everything I knew as a child. Now, I canjust say a few things in the language.

The teacher said we can read this book for our own pleasure as it is optional. But we can read it if we don't want to.

Canyou stand on your head for more than a minute? No, I can't.

If you want to learn to speak English fluently, you need to work hard. .

Take an umbrella. It might rain later.

You shouldn't leave small objects lying around . Such objects may be swallowed by children.

People mustn't walk on grass.

Drivers must stop when the traffic lights are red.

May I ask a question? Yes, of course.

You needn't take your umbrella. It is not raining.

Can you speak Italian? No, I can't.

EXERCISES

ACTIVITIES

1.Choose can o can’t if is possible, or choose could or couldn´t; depend of the sitiation.

1. I’m sorry, I take you to the airport in the morning because I’ve got a business meeting at 9 o’clock.
2. If we left now, we before the shops close.
3. I’m not working this weekend so we go cycling on Sunday.
4. I meet you for coffee at 11, but I’ll only have fifteen minutes.
5. I’ll do the washing and the ironing, but I do the shopping.
6. If we worked together, we finish it before the film starts.
7. I go for a run this evening. My parents are coming to visit and I won’t have time.
8. I do your job. It’s so complicated and stressful.

1. can’t
2. could
3. can
4. can
5. can
6. could
7. can’t
8. couldn’t

2. Choose could, couldn’t.

1. I play the piano when I was four.
2. Mark wanted to see the final of the European Cup, but he get tickets.
3. Henry was so advanced for his age that he burn music CD’s when he was 8 months old.
4. Carlos speak English when he was six years old. His parents are from Liverpool.
5. Cathy grew up near the beach in South Africa. She swim, sail and dive when she was very young.
6. Danny lost his job at the clock factory because he get up on time in the mornings.

1. could
2. couldn’t
2. could
4. could
5. could
6. couldn't

  

3. relate the following sentences with their meaning



1. I think you should marry him. He’s very sexy

2. You can marry him if you really love him.

3. You shouldn’t marry him because you don’t love him

4. You can’t marry him, he’s already married!

5. You must marry him, you’re pregnant!

6. You mustn’t marry him. If you do it’ll be the biggest mistake of your life!

1. c
2. f
3. a
4. d
5. b
6. e

4. Now write must/mustn´t/should/shouldn´t/can or can´t in the right Place

1. Se utiliza para decir que algo es posible.
2. Se utiliza para decir que algo no es posible.
3. Se utiliza para aconsejar a alguien hacer algo.
4. Se utiliza para aconsejar a alguien no hacer algo.
5. Se utiliza para ordenar a alguien hacer algo.
6. Se utiliza para ordenar a alguien hacer algo

1. can
2. can’t
3. should
4. shouldn’t
5. must
6. mustn’t

5 In the Following text find the modal verbs

I would like to go to Japan because it's a really beautiful country, it is modern but ancient at the same time, what I would prefer to do is to eat the traditional food there, like sushi, which I like a lot. I think I enjoy these places, which are old but new at the same time, it's really an intriguing mixture that leaves wanting more.
Most people I know would rather travel to England or USA, but I really like Japan so I wanna go there. If I manage to travel to Japan, I would like to do it with my family, my friends, and even my boyfriend! (o girlfriend, depediendo). I'm sure they would rather watch all the temples and ancient castles but what I would really enjoy the most is visiting the capital, Tokyo and stock up on a lot of electronic gadgets which are unique in Japan. Oh, I would really like to go there someday.