ENGLISH FOR LABORATORY STUDENTS SILVIA AMUTIO PALACIOS

MODAL VERBS
Nuance Verb Example Use

Ability Can I can run fast. Ability which is usual

Ability which implies
( present simple) Be (am/is/are) able to I am able to walk on my hands.
difficulties
Could I could run fast. Repeated actions (actions
Be (was/were) able to I was able to walk on my hands. that used to happen often)
Ability
I was able to run fast in yesterday’s Single actions (isolated
(past simple) Be (was/were) able to race. facts that happened very
Managed to I managed to run fast in yesterday’s race. few times or just once)
Ability (other tenses) Be* able to I had been able to run. Any other tenses
May She may be late.
Might She might be late.
Possibility in the
Could She could be late.
present
Sb be likely to She is likely to be late.
It is likely that sb It is likely that she will be late.
May have She may have been late.
Possibility in the past Might have She might have been late. Perfect Modal
(modal +have + past participle)
Could have She could have been late.
He must live near here because he comes to work
Deduction Must* on foot. *Never Negative
(Present) Can’t* He has to work on Christmas Day? He can’t feel
very happy about that. *Never Positive
Oh no! Where’s my car? Someone must have
Deduction Must have stolen it! *Never Negative
(Past) Can’t have I can’t find my purse. I can’t have left it in the
*Never Positive
supermarket, I had it on the bus on the way home.
Perfect Modals I can’t find my purse. I could have left it in the
(modal +have + past participle) Could have supermarket but I just don’t know.
Can Can I go to the party? --
Asking for May May I go to the party? - Politeness
permission Could Could I speak to you? +
Might Might I speak to you? ++
Can You can go to the party -
Giving permission Politeness
May You may speak to him +
Can’t You can’t go to the party - Politeness
Refusing permission May not You may not speak to him +
or prohibiting You mustn’t go to the party or speak
Mustn’t to him.
Prohibition
Can I can watch TV. -
In the present
Be (am/is/are) allowed to I am allowed to watch TV. +
Having ruled Be (was/were) allowed to I was allowed to watch TV. Repeated actions
permission, the (used to happen In
speaker expresses it Could I could watch TV. often) the
I was allowed to watch that over 18 Single actions past
Be (was/were) allowed to programme. (very few times)
Can Can you give me some tea? --
Could Could you lend me a pen? -
Requesting Will Will you come with me? +
Would Would you do it for me? ++
Would sb mind +-ing Would you mind doing it? +++
ENGLISH FOR LABORATORY STUDENTS SILVIA AMUTIO PALACIOS

He should pass his exams, he has studied a

Probability in the Should lot.
present Ought to He ought to pass his exams, he’s studied a
Formal occasions
lot.
He should have passed them, he had
Probability in the Should have studied a lot. Perfect Modal
past Ought to have He ought to have passed them, he had (modal +have + past participle)
studied a lot.
Obligation Must I must work today, they need me. Internal obligation
(Present Simple) Have to You have to work today, we need you. External obligation
Obligation He had to work yesterday.
Have* to She will have to study more
*Put in the correct tense
(other tenses)
Need + -ing The room needs being painted. Passive meaning
Necessity
Need to Your dog needs to lie.
Absence of Don’t have to You don’t have to work today.
obligation or absence Don’t need to You don’t need to work today.
of necessity in the
present Needn’t You needn’t work today.
Absence of Didn’t have to You didn’t have to buy any milk. There was no need but we
don’t know if it was done
obligation or absence Didn’t need to You didn’t need to buy any milk. or not
of necessity in the No need Perfect
past Needn’t have You needn’t have bought any milk.
but did it modal
Will I will lend you some salt.
Shall Shall I lend you some salt?
Offers Would sb like sb to Would you like me to lend you some salt?
Can I … Can I lend you some salt?
Would you like… Would you like some salt?
Shall ...? Shall we go home?
How about + -ing...? How about going home?
What about + -ing...? What about going home?
Suggestions Can We can go home.
Could We could go home.
Let’s Let’s go home.
Why don’t sb ...? Why don’t we go home?
Should You should stop smoking.
General advice
Ought to Politicians ought to stop lying.
You had better post the letter or won’t Specific situation
Advice Had better arrive in time. (urgent)
Shall...? Shall I tell him the truth?
Asking for advice
Should...? Should I go to the doctor?
Modal perfecto (modal
Criticism Should have You should have told him the truth.
+have + past participle)