Additional Handouts for Self-study English for Mattayomsuksa 4 - 6 …Modal Verbs… www.eduvictors.com What is a modal verb? A modal verb (also modal, modal auxiliary verb, modal auxiliary) is a type of auxiliary verb that is used to indicate modality – that is, likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation. Examples include the English verbs can/could, may/might, must, will/would, and shall/should. (en.wikipedia.org) How to use a modal. Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence. They are always followed by the base form. Possibility: We use the modals could, might and may to show that something is possible in the future, but not certain: They might come later. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come later.) They may come by car. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come by car.) If we don’t hurry we could be late. (= Perhaps/Maybe we will be late) We use could have, might have and may have to show that something was possible now or at some time in the past: It’s ten o’clock. They might have arrived now. They could have arrived hours ago.
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…Modal Verbs…km.streesp.ac.th/files/140514099413080_15051812124509.pdf · 2015-05-18 · …Modal Verbs… What is a modal verb? A modal verb (also modal, modal auxiliary verb,
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Additional Handouts for Self-study English for Mattayomsuksa 4 - 6
…Modal Verbs…
www.eduvictors.com
What is a modal verb?
A modal verb (also modal, modal auxiliary verb, modal auxiliary) is a type of auxiliary
verb that is used to indicate modality – that is, likelihood, ability, permission, and
obligation. Examples include the English verbs can/could, may/might, must, will/would,
and shall/should. (en.wikipedia.org)
How to use a modal.
Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act
alone as the main verb in a sentence. They are always followed by the base form.
Possibility:
We use the modals could, might and may to show that something is possible in the
future, but not certain:
They might come later. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come later.)
They may come by car. (= Perhaps/Maybe they will come by car.)
If we don’t hurry we could be late. (= Perhaps/Maybe we will be late)
We use could have, might have and may have to show that
something was possible now or at some time in the past: