Overview of Modal Verbs in English

(from Lange, Janet and Ellen Lange. 1999. Writing clearly: An editing guide. Heinle and Heinle, Massachusetts.) Modal Function To show ability To suggest a possibility or give an option To ask for or to give permission To show impossibility Form in the Present I can run 10 miles. Students can pre-enroll in classes. Can you call me? You can leave now. It cannot be Jim standing there. He went away for the weekend. I could run 10 miles when I was young. Could I call you? Why isnt Mary here? She could be busy. He could not be here at the party. He is out of town. You could try going this way. May I call you? The instructor may come to class late today. The instructor might come to class late today. You should try the new restaurant downtown. I should renew my drivers license. You should receive my letter in two days. You ought to exercise regularly. I ought to register to vote. You ought to receive my letter in two days. The instructor may have come to class late yesterday. The instructor might have come to class late yesterday. You should have tried the new restaurant downtown. I should have renewed my drivers license. You should have received my letter in two days. You ought to have exercisd regularly. I ought to have registered to vote by October. You ought to have received my letter two days ago. Why wasnt Mary at the party last night? She could have been busy. He could not have been at the party last night. He was out of town. You could have tried going that way. Form in the Past I could run 10 miles when I was young.

Can

To show past ability To ask a polite question To show possibility Could To show impossibility

May

To suggest a possibility/opportunity or give an option To ask for or to give permission (formal) To show possibility To show possibility To show advisability

Might

Should

To show obligation To show expectation

Ought to

To show advisability To show obligation To show expectation

Had better

To show advisability To show probability or to make a logical assumption To show necessity

Must

We had better leave. It is getting late. Janice must be out this evening. She does not answer the telephone. I must call my parent tonight.

Janice must have been out last evening. She did not answer her telephone. I was late for the meeting because I had to call my parents last night.

You must not cross the street on red light. To show necessity Mike has to make up the Mike had to make up the Have to class he missed. class he had missed. To show lack of I am glad that I do not have I did not have to cook last necessity to cook tonight. night. To indicate future time He will leave for the plane at 7 a.m. To make a promises or The federal government to show willingness will provide assistance to Will the hurricane victims. To state a general truth The new car they have developed will run on either gasoline or ethanol. To ask a polite question Will you help me with these boxes? To ask a polite question Would you help me with these boxes? To indicate a repeated When I lived in LA, I would Would action in the past go to the beach every day. To indicate future time Mark promised that he would in the sentence that is help me with my math in the past homework. To show a preference I would rather go to Would summer school than rather graduate late. To express a desire I would like to go to I would have liked to go to Would like medical school. medical school.

To show prohibition

Irregular Verbs

This list gives the innitive form of the verb, its past tense, and then the past participle. If two forms are given, look the verb up in the dictionary to see whether they have a different meaning.
Innitive Past Tense Past Participle Innitive Past Tense Past Participle

arise awake be bear beat become befall begin bend bet bid bind bite bleed blow break breed bring broadcast

arose awoke was/were bore beat

build burn burst bust buy cast catch choose cling come cost creep cut deal dig dive draw

became befell began bent bet, betted bid, bade bound bit bled blew broke bred brought broadcast, (also US) broadcasted built burnt, burned burst (UK) bust, (US) busted bought cast caught chose clung came cost crept cut dealt dug dived, (also US) dove drew drawn

arisen awoken been borne beaten, (also US) beat become befallen begun bent bet, betted bid, bidden bound bitten bled blown broken bred brought broadcast, (also US) broadcasted built burnt, burned burst (UK) bust, (US) busted bought cast caught chosen clung come cost crept cut dealt dug dived

dream drink drive dwell eat fall feed feel fight find flee fling fly forbid forecast foresee forget forgive forgo forsake freeze get give go grind grow hang have hear hide hit hold hurt input keep kneel know lay

dreamed, dreamt drunk driven dwelt, dwelled eaten fallen fed felt fought found ed ung own forbidden forecast, forecasted foreseen forgotten forgiven forgone forsaken frozen got, (also US) gotten gave given went gone ground ground grew grown hung, hanged hung, hanged had had heard heard hid hidden hit hit held held hurt hurt inputted, inputted, input input kept kept knelt, kneeled knelt, kneeled knew known laid laid

dreamed, dreamt drank drove dwelt, dwelled ate fell fed felt fought found ed ung ew forbade forecast, forecasted foresaw forgot forgave forwent forsook froze got

Innitive

Past Tense

Past Participle

Innitive

Past Tense

Past Participle

led leaned, (also UK) leant leap leapt, leaped learn learned, (also UK) learnt leave left lend lent let let lie lay, lied light lit, lighted lose lost make made mean meant meet met mislay mislaid mislead misled misread misread misspell misspelled, (also UK) misspelt mistake mistook misunderstand misunderstood mow mowed outdo outdid outgrow outgrew overcome overcame overdo overdid overhang overhung overhear overheard override overrode overrun overran oversee oversaw oversleep overslept overtake overtook overthrow overthrew pay paid plead pleaded, (also US) pled prove proved put quit read rebuild repay rethink rewind put quit read rebuilt repaid rethought rewound

lead lean

led leaned, (also UK) leant leapt, leaped learned, (also UK) learnt left lent let lain, lied lit, lighted lost made meant met mislaid misled misread misspelled, (also UK) misspelt mistaken misunderstood mown, mowed outdone outgrown overcome overdone overhung overheard overridden overrun overseen overslept overtaken overthrown paid pleaded, (also US) pled proved, (also US) proven put quit read rebuilt repaid rethought rewound

rewrite rid ride ring rise run saw say see seek sell send set sew shake shear shed shine shoot show shrink shut sing sink sit slay sleep slide sling slink slit smell sow speak speed spell spend spill spin spit split spoil spread

rewrote rid rode rang rose ran sawed said saw sought sold sent set sewed shook sheared shed shone shot showed shrank shut sang sank sat slew slept slid slung slunk slit smelled, (also UK) smelt sowed spoke sped, speeded spelled, (also UK) spelt spent spilled, (also UK) spilt spun spat, (also US) spit split spoiled, spoilt spread

rewritten rid ridden rung risen run sawn, (also US) sawed said seen sought sold sent set sewn, sewed shaken sheared, shorn shed shone shot shown, showed shrunk shut sung sunk sat slain slept slid slung slunk slit smelled, (also UK) smelt sown, sowed spoken sped, speeded spelled, (also UK) spelt spent spilled, (also UK) spilt spun spat, (also US) spit split spoiled, spoilt spread

Innitive

Past Tense

Past Participle

Innitive

Past Tense

Past Participle

spring stand steal stick sting stink stride strike string strive swear sweep swell swim swing take teach tear tell think throw

sprang stood stole stuck stung stank, (also US) stunk strode struck strung strove,strived swore swept swelled swam swung took taught tore told thought threw

sprung stood stolen stuck stung stunk strode struck strung striven, strived sworn swept swollen, swelled swum swung taken taught torn told thought thrown

thrust tread undercut undergo understand undertake undo unwind uphold upset wake wear weave weep wet win wind withdraw withhold withstand wring write

thrust trod undercut underwent understood undertook undid unwound upheld upset woke wore wove, weaved wept wet, wetted won wound withdrew withheld withstood wrung wrote

thrust trodden undercut undergone understood undertaken undone unwound upheld upset woken worn woven, weaved wept wet, wetted won wound withdrawn withheld withstood wrung written

Appearance adorable adventurous aggressive alert attractive average beautiful blueeyed bloody blushing bright clean clear cloudy colorful crowded cute dark drab distinct dull elegant excited fancy filthy

Appearance Condition Contd. glamorous alive gleaming annoying gorgeous bad graceful better grotesque beautiful handsome brainy homely breakable light busy long careful magnificent cautious misty clever motionless clumsy muddy concerned old crazy fashioned curious plain dead poised different precious difficult quaint doubtful shiny easy smoggy expensive sparkling famous fragile spotless stormy frail gifted strange ugly helpful ugliest helpless unsightly horrible important unusual wideeyed

Condition Contd. impossible inexpensive innocent inquisitive modern mushy odd open outstanding poor powerful prickly puzzled real rich shy sleepy stupid super talented tame tender tough uninterested vast wandering wild wrong

Feelings(Bad) Feelings(Bad) Contd. grumpy angry annoyed helpless anxious homeless arrogant hungry ashamed hurt awful ill bad itchy bewildered jealous black jittery blue lazy bored lonely clumsy mysterious combative nasty condemned naughty confused nervous crazy,flippedout nutty creepy obnoxious cruel outrageous dangerous panicky defeated repulsive defiant scary depressed selfish disgusted sore disturbed tense dizzy terrible dull testy embarrassed thoughtless envious tired troubled evil fierce upset foolish uptight weary frantic frightened wicked grieving worried

Feelings (Good) agreeable amused brave calm charming cheerful comfortable cooperative courageous delightful determined eager elated enchanting encouraging energetic enthusiastic excited exuberant fair faithful fantastic fine friendly funny gentle glorious good

Feelings (Good) Contd. happy healthy helpful hilarious jolly joyous kind lively lovely lucky nice obedient perfect pleasant proud relieved silly smiling splendid successful thankful thoughtful victorious vivacious witty wonderful zealous zany

Shape broad chubby crooked curved deep flat high hollow low narrow round shallow skinny square steep straight wide

Size big colossal fat gigantic great huge immense large little mammoth massive miniature petite puny scrawny short small tall teeny teenytiny tiny

Sound cooing deafening faint harsh highpitched hissing hushed husky loud melodic moaning mute noisy purring quiet raspy resonant screeching shrill silent soft squealing thundering voiceless whispering

Time ancient brief Early fast late long modern old oldfashioned quick rapid short slow swift young

Taste/Touch bitter delicious fresh juicy ripe rotten salty sour spicy stale sticky strong sweet tart tasteless tasty thirsty fluttering fuzzy greasy grubby hard hot icy loose

Taste/Touch Contd. melted nutritious plastic prickly rainy rough scattered shaggy shaky sharp shivering silky slimy slippery smooth soft solid steady sticky tender tight uneven weak wet wooden yummy

Touch boiling breezy broken bumpy chilly cold cool creepy crooked cuddly curly damaged damp dirty dry dusty filthy flaky fluffy freezing hot warm wet

Quantity abundant empty few heavy light many numerous substantial