Modal verbs, as per its name, indicate modality (like permission, necessity or suggestion) in the English language. These are auxiliary verbs, so they need a main verb to be paired with, except in the case of answering a yes/no question, and they can’t ever have a tense conjugation like –ed or –ing.

Like all auxiliary verbs, they always go before the main verb in the clause, and before the subject in interrogative questions.

Modal verbs are: can, could, must, would, have to, need to, may, might, shall and ought to.

Can

Can expresses:

1. Ability with the meaning of “be able to, be capable of or know how to do”.

Elisabeth can play the harp to sing the most wondrous melodies.
The twins can speak Italian because his other dad Vinnie had Italian family.
I can twist my tongue in several directions, although it’s not a really useful ability.
Yes, of course I can install an upgrade for your mobile phone’s game for you.

2. Permission to act or to request said permission.

Yes, you can go to play videogames after you have done your homework.
Can Mary come tomorrow to talk about her many travels around the world?
You can go play with your friends but only after solving this difficult riddle I found on the internet.
Can I come down from the attic already? It is awfully cold up here and there are weird noises.

3. Possibilities of something happening.

To arrive at your destination you can take the bus or you can take a taxi.
Little Tom can either accept that he has now a little brother or keep pouting.
The weather is acting weird today but it can be worse if it starts raining.
Well, I can repair the TV if I have access to the proper tools, but I don’t have them.

In the negative form (cannot or can’t) it expresses:

4. Prohibition to act.

You cannot stand up in class whenever you like, Naroa.
The merchant cannot enter in Venice after the riots in the Piazza in 1523.
No, you definitely cannot use the bathroom in floor 12; it’s flooded and unusable.
No one can enter the Forbidden Fortress under penalty of being expelled by catapult.

5. Inability to do certain actions.

He is useless. He cannot do anything to improve his life without the fairies’ help.
I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.
It is no use, John. I cannot get Jurassic Park online without Dennis Nedry.
Sarah cannot get to the center of the labyrinth, it is too big and there’s no time.

Could

Could expresses:

1. A past ability (as in a past tensed can).

I could run a marathon back when I was younger.
Moses could part the sea and make water flow from rocks.
In the 30s Superman could run faster than a speeding bullet and was more powerful than a locomotive.
Phillip could throw a javelin a long distance when he was with the Olympic team.

2. Possibility about something happening, either theoretical or factual.

The crime rate could finally go down with the help of the Batman.
With all these recent earthquakes, the road could be blocked.
I guess Tommy could fix the faulty wiring with the proper tools, if he had them around.
The weather today sucks but it could always be worse. It could rain.

3. A suggestion in a polite manner.

We could go to the park together after the class ends, don’t you think?
Sarah could come to the party if you ask her about it.
I could ask Pete to help Eliza with the baking competition, as he is good with pastries.
Teacher, could you be nice and give us a good assignment for our project, please?

Must

Must expresses:

1. An obligation or a necessity in the present tense.

You must obey every single one of my commands, for I am your superior.
We must travel towards Mt. Doom and throw the ring into the magma.
Students must avoid the giant, three-headed dog that is mysteriously located in the third floor.
Civilians must never know the true horrors of the alien masters that controls the world from the shadows.

2. A logical conclusion.

He has been at last elected president. He must be happy about it.
This was her last known position. She must be around here somewhere.
The Christmas tree lies in ruins in the floor. The cats must be guilty of this heinous crime.
The only way out is outsmarting the computer. You must win the game so we can leave.

In the negative form (must not or mustn’t) it expresses:

3. Prohibition.

Students must not venture into the Forbidden Forest without supervision.
Elias mustn’t smoke because it may cause his asthma to asphyxiate him.
Paul and Tom must peek at the presents or open any gift box, so keep them busy for a while.
Look, I know it’s hard for you, but you mustn’t touch any shiny thing in this store.

Should

Should expresses:

1. Suggetion and advice.

You should go to bed early so you can be rested and with energy for the following day.
Nitara should go to te doctor soon because that rash on her skin looks pretty bad.
Pablo told me that I should go to the gym as wll if I want to be as athletic as he is.
Maybe Carl should stop creating crazy schemes just to annoy poor Paul.

2. Likelihood and probability.

Jack should be at the office right now, I'll try to give him a call.
Our Biology teacher should still be on leave, so we have time to study a bit.
It should stop raining soon, so grab your things. We will leave the house soon enough.
Rachel's phone should be charged up enough to turn it on by now and she will use it to call for help.

Would

Would expresses:

1. Making or requesting offers.

Would you like a cup of tea with your breakfast?
I would like to help you and your friends in every way I can.
This is important so I would like to ask you a favour and help my niece in every way you can.
Would you join us in our quest to defeat the evil wizard, rescue the kidnapped princess and slay some monsters?

2. Probability in the case of hypothetic cases.

He would try to escape prison if given the chance.
Jason would easily pass the subject, but he is too lazy to apply himself.
Sarah and Mary would help if her sister Winnifred wasn’t so grumpy all the time.
I think I would do what you asked me if I could get a proper motivation to actually care

May

May expresses:

1. Permission, in the sense of allowing something to happen.

You may take anything from this room with you, except the lamp.
May I bring some friends for dinner tonight, father?
Mom may allow you to use the garage for your science experiment, but ask her first.
May we start cooking the main course for tonight’s gala with the rest of the staff, gentlemen?

2. Possibility, usual factual ones.

After tonight’s heavy rain, the road to Jamestown may be closed.
Sally may cook her delicious stew tomorrow if we help her.
It may be possible that we cannot access the castle anymore, because it may be closed down.
I may be able to get a van so we can go to the beach, because my uncle rens vehicles for a living.

Might

Might expresses:

1. Possibility about something happening or its validity.

The bottom of this sea might be three hundred feet deep.
The blizzard might start tonight if temperatures drop enough.
Pablo might be on his way to school, because he left home quite early this morning.
I think I might solve the riddle you found on the internet because I have heard something similar earlier.

2. Asking or allowing for permission.

You might not go out and play at this time of the night, lad.
Might it be possible that Elisabeth will join our hunting party?
The children might eat some candy tonight, provided they leave some for me to eat.
Might I be allowed to go to the ball that is celebrated in the palace with you, stepmother?

Shall

Shall expresses:

1. Suggestions or offerings.

Shall I bring some warm tea for our dear guests?
Tobias shall help with the groceries when he arrives, don’t worry.
I shall aide this party of adventurers with my mighty magic and this wand I found outside my house.
I think you shall find the guest room in the north wing of the house quite comfortable.

2. Legal or law-related mandates.

The vendor shall maintain the equipment in a well state of repair.
It is decided that the perpetrator of the scam shall be punished.
The judge ruled that the criminal shall be found guilty of the crimes he was accused of.
The laws shall be applicable to every single citizen of the realm, no matter their status or wealth.

Have to and need to

Have to and need to express:

1. Necessity of doing or acting.

Remember, you have to find the jade monkey before the next full moon.
Hermione needs to sort out her priorities.
I have to remember to write down all of my ideas for my book, or else I’ll forget them.
Children need to learn not only about maths, grammar or science, but also about discipline and limits.

2. Obligation

You have to pass this test in order to pass the subject.
Angela needs to come up with a presentation for her meeting.
We need to reach the centre of the labyrinth if we want to rescue my baby brother from the goblin king.
The police has to get to the bottom of the case and solve the crime before the criminal gets away.

In the negative form (don’t have to and needn’t to) they express:

3. Lack of obligation or lack of necessity.

Lindsay does not have to make dinner tonight after all.
You don’t need to organize the whole event by yourself, Richard.
I don’t have to do anything in this particular situation in order for me to get what I want.
I don’t need to listen to you talk endlessly about your videogame lore, I can leave whenever I want.

Ought to

Ought to expresses:

1. Obligation or about things expected to happen.

Well-behaved children ought to obey both their parents and their teachers.
Medicine students ought to follow the same Hippocratic Oath as veteran doctors.
Well-educated people ought to follow the rules of etiquette in this house through the night.
Clients are ought to pay for any damage they may produce in the goods inside this store.

2. Advice or recommendations.

The meal Rosario made is delicious, you ought to have some of it.
You ought to have come to the meeting yesterday, because it was quite interesting.
I believe you ought to try this new game my cousin has brought from India last week.
Please, I ought you to reconsider and come with us for the summer, we will have a lot of fun.

3. Things that are probably true or that probably happened.

If Will Riker ended his shift, he ought to be playing jazz either in his quarters or at the bar.
With all that cooking you made it ought to be enough for a whole army!
When the adventure finishes, we ought to go to a tavern and enjoy a good rest with proper food.
We ought to find the king in the throne room sleeping if we approach in a silent way.

Modal verbs - Level II

Can