Modal verbs

Modals -  Auxiliary verbs used with main verb to express

  • attitude of speaker or  I.e. advise, promise, permission
  • sense of  obligation, possibility  or necessity of action .
  • In conditional sentences to show the possibilities.

Ex.

  • Walk fast lets you should miss the bus. ( Sense of advise)
  • You can use my laptop. (Sense of permission )
  • It may rain heavily .( Sense of possibility)
  • You must follow rules while driving.  Sense of compulsion or obligation  
  • If you let him acquainted , he will surely help you. (Conditions and possibility)

Characteristics of Modal verbs

  • always used with main verb.

Ex. She can deliver the speech.

Modal verb-can

Main verb -deliver

‘Can’ is used with main verb ‘deliver’

  • don’t change according to the number of person of the subject.

Ex.

  • Tom will lend me money.
  • I will lend you money .
  • They will lend you money.

Here, subject Tom, I, and They in all the examples have same modal verb ‘will ‘ showing  promise

  • don’t have the infinitive form.

Types of modal verbs

Modal verbs can be classified according to the attitudes like

  • Permission- can,may,could
  • Ability - can, could,
  • Possibility-can,may,could, might
  • Obligation-should, must, need
  • Promise- will

Modal verbs of obligation

Must and have to - express a firm obligation or necessity 

Rule

Present

subject + Must / have to + base verb

  • You must wear mask.
  • You have to  wear mask.

Past

Subject+ Had to  +  base verb

(Past of ‘must’is ‘had to’)

  • You had to wear mask

Ex.

  • You must carry identity cards to get entry in the premises.
  • I must have left my purse in the car as I can’t find it.
  • She must have gone as none has received the call.
  • I  have to reveal the secret otherwise it will be too late.
  • They had to be loyal toward the rules.

should , ought to and need to- express a recommendation or moral obligations

Rule

Present

should /ought to +  base verb

  • You should dance every day to be flexible.

Past

Sub+should have /ought to have+ past participle + -----

  • You should have  danced every day to be flexible.
  • You ought to have been careful.

Ex.

  • You should meet him to make amends.
  • You ought to listen to your elders to be successful in business.
  • You ought to have visited your friend after the accident.
  • She need to take rest as she is not feeling well.
  • You should have cleared all your dues to avoid inconvenience.

Modal verbs of permission 

can, could and may used to

  • politely ask for permission
  • to make a request
  • to offer help to someone.

Rule

Can / Could / May /might+ subject +base verb

Can - least formal

 (generally with friends or people of same status)

  • Can I have some water from the bottle ?
  • Can I open the window?

 Could-  little more polite than ‘can’.

(talking to a stranger irin very urgent requirements)

  • Could you tell me the way to the bus stop, please?
  • Excuse me, could I sit here, please?
  • Could you let me use your phone?

 May - even more polite than   ‘could’

(Usually at the work place )

  • May I make an appointment for Tuesday?
  • May I begin?

Shall

( Used if someone wants you to do something)

  • That backpack looks heavy. Shall I carry it for you?
  • Shall I write the speech? (Do you want me to?

Might - used  if we want to add even more politeness or formality to the question

( a bit more informal than may, not used very often)

  • Might I ask you a few questions regarding your personal life?”
  • “I’m finished with my dinner. Might I be excused from the table?”

Modal Verbs for Possibility 

Structure

Sub.+may/Might/Could/Must + Base Verb

May - shows probability in the present or the future.

(May is formal and used  in writing often )

  • He may be at  home . (present)
  • He may throw a party tonight. (Future)
    • Side effects of this medication may include upset stomach and fever.

Might- probability in the present, past or future.

less formal than  ‘may’ (used in least probable situation than may)

  • Where are my keys? They might be in the car.
  • I might meet her  in the get together tonight.
  • She said that she might talk to you.

Could- shows options or possibility in past, present and future.

 (shows that something is possible, but not certain more probability than may)

Ex.

  • He could be here within few minutes as he has boarded the bus.
  • Boss could call you as he was asking about you.
  • He could refuse to help me as he is miser.
  • She could not come today as it is raining heavily

can - to make general statements about what is possible.

(Action which are not fully but certain to some extent)

Ex.

    • It can be very cold here in winter. 
    • Be careful, you can slip in this marshy area. 
    • It can be dangerous to go near sea shore in this storm.

Must / Have to – used for the situation or action which is certain.

Ex.

  • Everyone is happy. We must have won the contest.
  • He is sweating. There must be too hot outside.
  • He was working for 2 hours. He must be tired.

 Past Possibility

May, might, and could are all used to show possibility in the past.

Structure

Modal Verb + Have + Past Participle

  • He might have brought the cake.
  • She may have gone home early.
  • They could have worked late.
  • He must have won the game.

Could have - to say that someone had the ability or opportunity but didn’t do it

Ex.

  • She could have learned Swahili, but she didn't want to.
     
  • I could have danced all night. [but I didn't]

Modal verbs of ability

Sub + Can /Coulf + Base Verb

 Can, Could - to show that someone has an ability to do something.

Can- present ability

Could - past ability

Ex.

  • Paul could speak Chinese when he was a child. (Past ability)
  • She can speak properly now. (Present ability)

Modal verb of promise

Will - to give determination and promise

Ex.

  • I will participate in the international football championship next year.
  • I will never tell the secret to anybody.
  • I will help you in getting accommodation in this city.

Uses of would

Would is a modal auxiliary verb.

 would is used mainly to:

  • talk about the past
  • talk about the future in the past
  • expressing desire, polite requests and questions, opinion or hope, wish and regret
  • express the conditional mood

structure

  • Would have + past participle (He would have gone)
  • Would be + Main Verb +ing (He would be going)

would for the past

structure

Sub +would+ base verb+------

would used as a  of past tense of will or going to:

  • During hardships, he knew that he would succeed in life.
  • I thought it would rain so I brought my umbrella.

would for the future in past

When talking about the past we can use would to express something that has not happened at the time we are talking about

structure

Sub +would+ base verb+------

Ex

  • In London she saw the man that would help her in getting employment.
  • She got determined that she would grab the opportunity.
  • She took the bus so that she would be at home earlier.
  • He left 5 minutes late, unaware that the delay would save his life.

 Would for Polite requests & offers

  • Would you like to have some tea?
  •  I would like the side salad.
  • Would you mind passing the bowl?

Reported speech

“would” is used as a  past tense of “will.” In indirect speech

Ex.

  • “I will bring the drinks,” Anita said.

When we change this into reported speech, we change “will” to “would”:

Anita said (that) she would bring the drinks.

would for opinion or hope/ wish/ presumption or expectation

  • I would imagine that they'll buy a new one. (hope)
  • I suppose some people would call it torture. (hope)
  • Since you ask me, I'd say the blue one is best. (opinion)
  • I wish you would stay. (I really want you to stay. I hope you will stay. (wish)
  • He   likes me. I'm sure he wish I would  accept his proposal. (expectation)
  • Siya has got the tickets of next flight. She would have been getting ready for departure (presumption)

Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences are statements discussing

  • known factors
  • hypothetical situations and their consequences.

Use of will, could, and would in Conditional sentences.

  • First Conditional Sentences

Used to express situations in which the outcome is likely (but not guaranteed) to happen in the future.

Structure

If +sub+ base verb+----, sub +will+ base verb+------.

Ex.

  • If you take rest, you will feel better.
  • If you make attempts, you will eventually achieve it.
  • If you take it lightly, situation will be out of control.
  • Second Conditional Sentences

Expressing outcomes that are completely unrealistic or will not likely happen in the future.

Structure

If +sub+ were+----, sub+  would + base verb+------

Ex.

  • If I were a millionaire, I would travel to the moon.
  • If I owned a zoo, I might let people interact with the animals more.
  • Third Conditional Sentences

used to explain that present circumstances would be different if something different had happened in the past. Look at the following

structure

If +sub+ had+past participle+----,sub+  would / could +have+ past participle+------

Ex.

  • If had been in Delhi, I would have certainty solved the companies’ dispute.
  • If I had informed him earlier, the situation could have been different.