MODALS
ESTRUCTURE
S + modal + Vinfinitive + …
Modal + S + Vinfinitive…?
Yes, S + modal. / No, S + modal.
Any modal can’t be conjugated except: be able to, have to, haven’t to,
need to
CAN (poder)
Uses: Ability, Request, High
possibility, Make Suggestions
BE ABLE TO (ser capaz de)
Uses: Ability (with effort)
CAN’T (no poder)
Uses: Inability, Impossibility,
Prohibition, Certainty that
something is impossible
(disbelief), Deduction
COULD/ COULDN’T (podía/no
podia, podrías)
Uses: Past ability, Polite request,
Polite suggestion, Possibility
(40%)
MAY (puede que)
Uses: Possibility, Polite request
MIGHT (podría)
Uses: Possibility, Deduction
WOULD (conditional)
Uses: Formal request, Offer
Ex. Maria can run very fast
Ex. Can I call you tonight?
Ex. Sports can be exciting to watch
-
Ex. Maria is able to skate very well
Ex. I can’t eat a whole cake myself
Ex. I can’t meet you, I’m working
Ex. You can’t drive without a licence
Ex. You can’t be 40 years old, you
look much younger!
Ex. She could run very fast when she
was a child
Ex. Could you help me with the
homework?
Ex. You could do exercise
Ex. Maria could join us at the cinema
Ex. It may rain tomorrow
Ex. May I join this team?
Ex. They might win the match
-
Ex. Would you open the window?
Ex. Would you like something to
drink?
MUST (deber)
Uses: Obligation, Strong
necessity, Certainty that
something is true, Probability
Ex. You must train for the match
-
Ex. She must be very happy because
he has won the match.
-

MUSN’T (no se debe) Ex. You musn’t exceed the speed limit
Uses: Prohibition

HAVE TO (tener que) Ex. I have to do my homework

Uses: Obligation, necessity -

DON’T HAVE TO (no tener Ex. I don’t have to get up early

que) tomorrow
Uses: Lack of obligation, Lack of -
necessity

NEED TO (tener que, necesitar) Ex. You need to do your homework

Uses: Obligation, necessity Ex. You need to practise harder

NEEDN’T TO (no hacer falta Ex. You needn’t bring anything to the
que, no tener que, no necesitar) party
Uses: Lack of obligation, Lack of -
necessity

SHOULD/ SHOULDN’T/
SHOULDN’T/ Ex. You should to improve you
OUGHT TO (debería) pronunciation
Uses: Opinion, advice .

SHALL (podría) Ex. Shall I help you with your

Uses: Offer, suggestion luggage?
-

HAD BETTER/ HAD BETTER Ex. You had better go to the doctor
NOT (es mejor que, deberías/ -
no deberías)
Uses: Advice, Opinion
MODALS PERFECT
ESTRUCTURE
S + modal perfect + Vpast participle + …
Modal perfect + S + Vpast participle…?
Yes, S + modal perfect. / No, S + modal perfect.
Any modal perfect can’t be conjugated.

MUST HAVE (debe de haber) Ex. Maria has arrived late, she
Uses: Certainty that something was must have been in a traffic jam
true

MAY/ MIGHT HAVE (podría Ex. Maria may/might have taken

haber) the wrong bus
Uses: A guess about a past action

COULD HAVE (podía haber) Ex. You could have asked the
Uses: Ability to do something in the doctor before taking the medicine
past which in the end wasn’t done, -
Advice,

COULDN’T HAVE (no pudo haber) Ex. Maria couldn’t have gone to
Uses: Certainty that something did the concert because she was
not happen doing an exam

WOULD HAVE (habría) Ex. Maria would have gone to

Uses: Desire to do something in the the party but she was too busy
past which in fact could not be
done

SHOULD/ SHOULDN’T
SHOULDN’T HAVE/
HAVE/ Ex. You shouldn’t have forgotten
OUGHT TO HAVE (debería haber/ about her birthday
no debería haber) -
Uses: Criticism or regret after an
event, Advice

NEEDN’T HAVE (no necesitaba Ex. You needn’t have brought

haber) anything to my party
Uses: An unnecessary past action