SUMMARY OF MODAL VERBS USE

1.- ABILITY/CAPABILITY

SIMPLE PRESENT CAN This software can

distinguish between
different viruses
SIMPLE PRESENT CANNOT This software cannot
(negative) distinguish between
different viruses
SIMPLE PAST COULD It was found that the
gun could shoot
accurately even at 300
meters

COULD HAVE If we had extended the

time period we could
have produced more…
SIMPLE PAST COULD NOT iTunes could not
(negative) contact the iPhone
software update server
because…

COULD NOT HAVE The subjects reported that

could not have fallen sleep
without medication

NOTES:
- If you need other tenses, use BE CAPABLE OF or BE ABLE TO:

e.g: It is believed that this software will eventually be capable of distinguishing /able to
distinguish between different viruses

- In the past, there is a difference between COULD and WAS ABLE TO.
COULD means “was generally able to do something in the past”
WAS ABLE is used in relation to specific past events or past occasion:
e.g.: The results suggest that in this case the viruses were able to multiply freely.

If you are not sure, use TO BE ABLE

 2. POSSIBILITY OPTIONS

Present Simple MAY A rubber seal

MIGHT may/might/could/can
COULD be useful at this location
CAN
Present Simple MAY NOT A rubber seal may not/might not
(negative) MIGHT NOT be useful at this location
Past Simple MAY HAVE The fall in pressure
MIGHT HAVE may have been / might have
COULD HAVE been/ could have been caused by
leakage
Past Simple MAY NOT HAVE The fall in pressure may not have
(negative) MIGHT NOT HAVE been /might not have been
caused by leakage

NOTES:
1. COULD NOT, CANNOT, COULD NOT HAVE and CANNOT HAVE do
not mean “possible not”, they mean IMPOSSIBLE
2. The word well is sometimes used to communicate a stronger belief in the
possibility: e,g. : This may well be due to leakage
3. Might is weaker than may

4. PROBABILITY- BELIEF-EXPECTATION

Present Simple SHOULD The material should remain stable

OUGHT TO if it is kept below 30ºC
Present simple SHOULD NOT The material should not
(negative) OUGHT NOT TO decompose if it is kept below 30ºC
Past Simple SHOULD HAVE By the time the cobalt is added,
OUGHT TO HAVE the crystals should have dissolved
Past Simple SHOULD NOT HAVE This was unexpected: the material
(negative) OUGHT NOT TO HAVE should not have decomposed at
his temperature

NOTE:
- OUGHT TO is less common in scientific writing
- SHOULD HAVE usually refers to something that DID NOT OCCUR
- SHOULD NOT HAVE usually refers to something that OCCURRED
 5. VIRTUAL CERTAINTY
( no other explanation is possible)

SIMPLE PRESENT MUST Our results indicate that

HAVE TO contamination must be
due to the presence of sea
water in the pipe
SIMPLE PRESENT CANNOT It is clear that
(negative) contamination
cannot/could not be due
to the presence of sea
water in the pipe
SIMPLE PAST MUST HAVE Our results indicate that
contamination must have
been due to the presence
of sea water in the pipe
SIMPLE PAST CANNOT HAVE It is clear that contamination
(negative) cannot have been/ could not
COULD NOT be/ could not have been due
to the presence of sea water in
COULD NOT HAVE the pipe

Notes:
- Have to is less common in scientific writing
- MUST NOT means not allowed, not permitted ( it does not mean “not possible”)
-
6. ADVICE/OPINION

Present Simple SHOULD This apparatus should be

OUGHT TO disconnected from the mains
during repairs
Present simple SHOULD NOT This material should not be
(negative) OUGHT NOT TO exposed to sunlight
Past Simple SHOULD HAVE This apparatus should have been
OUGHT TO HAVE disconnected from the mains
during repairs
Past Simple SHOULD NOT HAVE This material should not have
(negative) OUGHT NOT TO HAVE been exposed to sunlight
 7. NECESSITY- OBLIGATION

SIMPLE MUST the apparatus

PRESENT NEED O must/needs to/ has to be
HAVE TO disconnected from the
mains during repairs
SIMPLE NEED NOT the apparatus
PRESENT DO NOT NEED TO must/needs not/ does
(negative) DO NOT HAVE TO not need to/ does not
have to be disconnected
from the mains during
repairs
SIMPLE PAST NEEDED TO We needed to/had to heat
the valves before use
HAD TO
SIMPLE PAST DID NOT NEED TO We did not need to/ did not
(negative) have to heat the valves
DID NOT HAVE TO before use
We need not have heated
NEED NOT HAVE TO the valves before use

NOTES:
- MUST NOT cannot be used here because it indicates prohibitions (nt allowed),
not lack of need (not necessary)
- - DID NOT NEED TO and DIS NOT HAVE TO heat the valves does not
indicate whether or not you actually heat the valves
- NEED NOT HAVE HEATED implies that you heated the valves although it was
not necessary
Exercise:

Complete the sentences using could, must, may, might, need to, can, have to using
the correct form of the verb (tense) and positive/negative)
1. Perhaps the damage was caused by heat exposure
2. We felt sure that the damage was caused by heat exposure
3. No way the damage was caused by heat exposure
4. We do not expect heat exposure to cause any damage
5. It is possible that the damage was not caused by heat exposure
6. I advise you to heat it
7. I don’t think it was a good idea to expose it