MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS OF PROBABILITY

Modals of Probability and Certainty: WILL, MUST, SHOULD, MIGHT, COULD, MAY, CANT. These are used to make guesses or logical deductions about people or things. These deductions can be made according to the present, future or past. A) WILL and WONT are used to express what we believe or guess to be true about the present. They indicate an assumption based on our knowledge of people and things, their routines, character, and qualities. Example: I wonder what my husband is doing. Well, its Saturday night, so I guess that right now hell be dancing with a blonde woman at the disco. Example: Someones knocking at the door, but its so late! That wont be the postman. B) MUST is used to express the most logical or rational interpretations of a situation. We do not have all the facts, so it is less certain than WILL. Example: Alf is a very good tennis player and not many players beat him. But yesterday he played against Bill and Bill won. So: Bill must be a very good player (otherwise he wouldnt have won). The negative of this use is CANT. We use cant to say that we think something is impossible. Example: Youve only just had dinner. You cant be hungry already. (It is impossible that you are hungry). C) SHOULD is used to express what may reasonably be expected to happen. This use of SHOULD has the idea of if everything has gone according to the plan. Example: This homework shouldnt take you too long. (if you ve understood what you have to do.) Our guests should be here soon. (If they havent got lost) D) MAY is used to express the possibility that an event will happen or is happening.

Example: You are looking for Jack. Nobody knows for sure where he is but you get some suggestions. He may be in his office. Wheres Ann? She may be having a bath, I dont know. E) MIGHT is more tentative and slightly less certain than MAY. Example: It might rain. Take your umbrella. F) COULD has a similar meaning to MIGHT. Example: You could be right. Im not sure G) COULDNT has a similar meaning to CANT but is slightly weaker. Example: She couldnt have a ten-year-old daughter! Shes only 21 herself!

MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS OF PROBABILITY IN THE PAST

They express the same degrees of certainty. (WILL HAVE DONE is the most certain, and MIGHT/COULD HAVE DONE is the least certain. Example: I met a tall girl at your party. Very attractive. Thatll have been my sister, Patsy. Although they had selected the best hits, nobody danced. The music cant have been any good! Bob is never late. I dont know what could have happened to him He might have forgotten his wedding!