MODALS AND SEMI MODALS
We use Modal verbs to talk about an ability/a duty/a need /a necessity/wanting.
Modal verbs behave verydifferently from normal verbs.
Here are some important differences:
HOW?
1. Modal verbs are always followed by a verb in
its base form.
EXAMPLES:
He can speak Chinese.
Compare: I speak Chinese.
He speaks Chinese
You may take the book to school.
She may take the book to school.
Compare: You take the books to school.
She takes the books to school.
2. Modal verbs do not take "-s" in the third
person in the present simple.
EXAMPLES:
• He speaks Chinese.
• He can speak Chinese. (NOT- He cans speak...)
• She eats a sandwich at 9:30
• She may eat a sandwich at 9:30.
3. You use "not" to make modal verbs
negative, even in Simple Present and
Simple Past.
(We don’t use the helping verb “do”)
EXAMPLES:
He should not be late.
They might not come to the party.
Compare: I don’t like to be late.
I cannot eat any more cakes.
I don’t eat carrot cakes.
4. Many modal verbs cannot be used in the
past tenses or the future tenses.
EXAMPLES:
He will can go with us. WRONG
She must studied very hard. WRONG
1. will- will not - won’t
We use this modal to speak about future actions that
we are sure/ convinced about.
WILL- WILL NOT(=WON’T)
Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow will
be Wednesday.
= I know it because this is a known fact.
We will not be in the office
tomorrow.
= I know it because he is going on vacation.
2. CAN – COULD –BE ABLE TO
We use these modals to express:
• General ability/ disability
• possibility / impossibility
• opportunity
• Permission
• request
I can walk.
= I have the general ability to do
the action of walking.
I can’t hear you, it is too noisy.
=I don’t have the ability to hear what you
are saying because of the noise.
3. MAY
=future possibility/get permission
I may choose to wear the red dress to the party.
=I have two dresses. There is a chance that I will
choose to wear the red dress and not the blue
one.
• Today, he may come on time.
=Although usually he comes late,
There is a possibility that today he will come on
time.
4. MIGHT
We may come on time, but if you miss the bus, we might
be late.
=I plan to come on time and this is why I I want to
catch the 7:15 bus.
If I catch the 7:30 bus, I can come on time or not,
I’m not sure.
• If you advertise on the Internet you might get a lot of
spam to your e-mail box.
=Although you don’t want to get spam, there’s a
risk that you will get it.
5. SHOULD
If you want to be a champion you should practice every
day.
=You don’t have to practice but then, you will
not get better.
• When you make a cheese cake, you should first check that
you have cheese.
-or else, it will not be a cheese cake