MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS By JESÚS HERRERO
MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS DEFINITION
1. They are part of the verbal phrase:
I must get there before 7 o'clock.
2. They always accompany, assist or helpother verbs.
3. They add abstract (modal) meanings likeobligation, permission, advice, etc
must get
MODAL VERBS STRUCTURE
1. How do we use modal verbs?
• Affirmative: subject + modal + base formex. She should stay
• Negative: subject + modal(n't) + base formex: She shouldn't stay
• Interrogative: (Wh)Modal + subject +base form?
ex: Why should she stay?
MODAL VERBS STRUCTURE
2. Modal verbs are used with infinitives without to (bare infinitives or base form) with the exception of ought to:
We must get there before 7 o'clock.She should study harder.I ought to go home now.
(Have to is studied with modal verbs but it's not a pure modal verb as it needs auxiliary verbs and has -s in the third person singular)
MODAL VERBS STRUCTURE
3. Modal verbs do not add -s or -es to the third person singular. They are invariable verbs.
He can swim.He cans wim
MODAL VERBS STRUCTURE
4. They don't need auxiliaries to form shortanswers or negative and interrogativesentences:
She shouldn't eat salt.She doesn't should eat saltMay I help you? Yes, you may.Do I may help you? Yes you do
5. They do not have infinitives or -ing forms.*canning *to might
MODAL VERBS STRUCTURE
6. Modal verbs do not have all the tenses. They use other verbs to complete the tenses:
can > could, be able to They can swim now > She will be able to swim next year
must > had toYou must come early > You had to come early yesterday
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS
We are going to study them from two points of view:
a. number of meanings or concepts that they express:
single, double
b. modal meanings that they express:permission, ability, obligation ...
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (a. number of meanings)
1. The same modal verb can have different meanings depending on the context.
May I come in? It may rain tomorrow
2. We can make two categories:
a. Single concept modals: These modal verbs have 1 meaningb. Double concept modals: They have 2 meanings
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (a. number of meanings)
Can
Single concept Double concept
Will May
Might Must
Should Would
Could
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (a. number of meanings)
Modal
Single concept modals
Concept Example
Will Future Peter will visit London some day
Might Probability He might see Big Ben
Should Advice He should wear comfortable shoes
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (a. number of meanings)
Modal
Double concept modalConcept Example
MayPermission May I come in?
Probability I may go to London next summer
MustObligation Students must wear uniforms
Certainty They must be at home, the lights are on
WouldConditional I would visit London if I had enough money
Habitual past action When I was a child I would go swimming every day
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (a. number of meanings)
Modal
Can
Double concept modalConcept Example
Couldprobability That could be him. He said he'd phone
Past ability I could play the trumpet when I was 10
Permission Students can wear T-shirts
Ability They can swim, they did a course last summer
Can't Impossible They can't be at home, they left yesterday
No permission They can't be at home, it's not their house
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
Modal verbs express a series of modal meanings like:
- ability- obligation- prohibition- necessity- advice- possibility- certainty
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
ABILITY
(can, could, be able to)
1. Present: can
Two of my friends can play the guitar.
2. Past: could
When he was a child he could ski well.
saben
sabía
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
ABILITY
3. Other tenses: be able to- Next week they'll be able to vote.
(future)
- We haven't been able to go on holiday
this year. (present perfect)- We would be able to do it. (conditional)
hemos podido
podrán
podríamos
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
OBLIGATION
Present: mustApplicants must answer the questions honestly
Other tenses (including present): have to- I have to study hard this year- I will have to work hard as a lawyer- I have had to stay at home lately
Tienen que
Tengo que Tendré queHe tenido que
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
PROHIBITION
We use mustn't to express prohibition
- You mustn't eat too many sweets- You mustn't cheat in exams
No debes / no puedes
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
NECESSITY / NO NECESSITY
Affirmative: need to (it's not a modal verb)You need to do this to pass the subject
Negative: needn't (no obligation) = don't have toYou needn't do it = You don't have to do it
Interrogative: needNeed I do this?
No es necesario
Hay que, es necesario que
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
ADVICE
You can use ought to, should, shouldn't toexpress advice or recommendation.
- Candidates should be friendly- You shouldn't worry too much about
exams- Candidates ought to be friendly
No deberías
deberían
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
POSSIBILITY
Present & future: may, may not, might, mightn't, could:
- It may be time for Linda to go- They might choose Danny- They could be on the train
Past: may / might / could + have + past perfectHe might have received our message
Puede que, tal vez
GROUPS OF MODAL VERBS (b. modal meanings)
CERTAINTY / LOGICAL DEDUCTION
Positive: mustIt must be quite late, because it's getting dark
Negative: can'tThat can't be true
No puede
Debe de
MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES
When they refer to the past, certain meanings must be expressed with a modal + perfect infinitive (have + past participle):
1. certainty / logical deductionpositive, negative
2. possibility 3. advice / recommendation
MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES
1. CERTAINTY / LOGICAL DEDUCTION
Positive: must have + past participle
Danny must have felt disappointed when he didn't win the prize
Negative: can't have + past participle
She can't have passed the exam, she didn't study at all
Debió de (haberse)
No pudo (haber)
MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES
2. POSSIBILITY
When we talk about possibility about the past we can use: might / may / could + have + past participle:
-They might not have received our message
- He may have gone to the cinema- The government could have acted more quickly Podría haber / no haber
Puede que haya / no haya
MODALS + PERFECT INFINITIVES
3. ADVICE / RECOMMENDATION
When we express criticism or regret about a past action we can use should / shouldn't + have + past participle
- Linda shouldn't have talked so much- We should have gone to see that film while it was still on at the cinema
No debería haber / debería haber
PRACTICE
Click on this link to practice modal verbs:
http://mimosa.pntic.mec.es/~jherre23/