Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
no s inflection in the 3rd person singular (modals have an invariable form for all persons, in the
singular and plural). E.g.: I/we/he can speak Japanese.
no long infinitives after modals; modals can only be followed by short infinitives (go, be, etc.) or
perfect infinitives (have + Past Participle: have gone, have been). E.g.: You can go now. You
should have apologized to him.
no auxiliary (do) in the negative/ interrogative. E.g.: You mustnt negotiate with them. May I ask
you a question?
no Past Tense forms (except for could [ability, probability] and might [probability]). To refer to past
events/ situations, non-modal equivalents are used see Equivalents of Modal Verbs
Possibility, Probability
may/ might/ could/ must + short Infinitive : She may/ might/ could be right about it.
probability of something happening or being She might come back tomorrow.
the case in the present/ future/ past:
They spend a lot: they must be wealthy.
- may: more formal than might/ could
- might: lower probability than may
must: very high probability/ logical
deduction based on clues
may/ might/ could well: fairly high probability
Compare with: may/ might/ could as well
should/ ought to
+ perfect infinitive: past
unfulfilled obligation
need/ neednt + short infinitive: necessity/
absence of necessity or obligation in the present;
the same meaning as the ordinary verb to need
2. Fill in the blanks with modal verbs expressing obligation or necessity (or the lack of
it):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. She have applied for a scholarship. Her parents can pay for her tuition.
Other Uses
permission (can, may, could?, might?, would?), request (can, could, may, would),
and ability (can, could):
Can/ could I use your computer? (informal)
May I begin my presentation? (polite).
This is odd, if I might say so. (polite, somewhat diffident)
Can/ will you answer the phone, please?
Would you please give me your phone number?
Can you swim?
I could play football for hours on end. (I was able to play)
suggestion (shall, should ?, couldnt?), recommendation and advice (should,
ought to), emphatic advice (must), offer and invitation (will, would)
Shall we stop here? Couldnt we add one more paragraph here?
You should read that book. Its a masterpiece.
You must visit the Guggenheim when you are in New York.
I will answer the phone, if you wish.
Wont you stay for dinner? (informal)
Would you care for a drink? (polite)
Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? (very polite)
habit (will), habitual action in the past (would):
She will always be late! A mad dog will bite anyone!
When I was younger, I would go out with friends every weekend
interdiction (shall not in 2nd and 3rd persons; formal and obsolete).
You shall not divulge our secret
command/ order (shall in 2nd and 3rd persons- very formal; will)
Participants shall enter their names in the books provided by my assistant.
You will do as I tell you.
promise (shall in 2nd/ 3rd person; formal and obsolete; will in the 1st person)
You shall receive the document by the end of the month.
I will do it, as agreed!
obstinate refusal (wont, wouldnt), obstinate insistence (will):
He wont talk to make.
I advised him to see a doctor, but he wont listen to me.
She will drink coffee every day, although she is not allowed to.
supposition, acceptance (dare in the phrase I daresay)
I daresay theyll be waiting for us.
I didnt break the law! I daresay you didnt, but your behaviour was unethical!
in rhetorical questions (you want someone to stop doing something annoying):
Must you make all that noise?
3. Identify the modality (e.g. probability, ability, etc.) in the following sentences:
1. You could ride a hot air balloon, but I wouldnt advise you to do it.
2. Since they live on a dole, they must be rather hard up.
3. You might consider taking out a bank loan to start your business
4. I will wait for you even if I have to stay up all night.
5. He can literally bend over backwards.
6. I would drink milk every day as a child.
7. You may find our method a bit surprising.
8. The taxi should be here in a few minutes.
9. Can I add something?
10. You might have asked for permission before using my computer.
11. Boys will be boys!
12. He will smoke in here, although I asked him not to.
13. Its still early. They cant miss the plane.
14. She may (might, could) well have been hurt.
Equivalents of Modal Verbs
MODAL VERB
must
must not
can
EQUIVALENT
to have to
NOTE:
Slight difference in meaning
between must and to have to see Obligation and Necessity)
EXAMPLE
Present Tense: I have to swim 5
laps a day to keep in shape.
not to be allowed to
(used especially in the Past
Tense, or in Indirect Speech).
to be able to
NOTE: In The Past Tense, it is
used especially to express ability
shown in a particular past
situation, instead of the modal
COULD, which is preferred for
general ability in the past)
may
to be allowed to
neednt
not to have to
should/ ought to
to be supposed to
to be expected to
should
to be to
would (habitual used to
action in the
past)
4. Rewrite the sentences in exercise 3 replacing the modal verbs by their equivalents
(where available) or by ordinary verbs followed by suitable adverbs (e.g. probably,
habitually, usually, etc.), keeping the meaning unchanged.