Notes on Modals

Introduction To Modals

Why We Use Them Speakers use modals to express if something is necessary, advisable, permissible, or possible.	She can do it. She may do it. She ought to do it.
One Word Modals One word modals never take a final –s even when the subject is he, she, or it. One word modals are always followed by the simple form of the verb To make a question put the modal at the beginning of the sentence. (see p. 66 for more details.) One word modals include: can, could, had better, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, and would.	She should finish her breakfast. She shoulds finish her breakfast. Should she finish her breakfast? Do she should finish her breakfast?
Phrasal Modals Phrasal modals and one word modals have similar meanings. Phrasal modals are followed by to + the infinitive. Phrasal modals include be able to, be going to, be supposed to, have to, have got to, used to.	She is able to do it. She is supposed to do it. You have got to be kidding!

We Use Modals To: GD 68

Make requests	would, could, will, can	Could you pass the salt?
Talk about permission	may, can be allowed to	May I come in? You are not allowed to come in.
Give invitations	will, would, can	Will you come for dinner?
Make offers	will, shall, would . . . like	I’ll do the dishes. Would you like me to do the dishes?
Make promises	will, going to	I’ll do it. I’m going to do it.
Give advice	should, ought to, had better, had better not, could	You should study harder!
Make suggestions	shall, could, can, might	What do you want to eat? We could get Chinese food.
Talk about necessity & prohibition	must, have to, have got to	We must leave before 5:30.

More Modal Meanings GD 72

Use modals to talk about:
possibility, impossibility, and predictions	can, could, might, may, should, will	San Francisco can be foggy. I should be there next week.
Future activities	will, shall, going to, about to	I’ll be in Mexico City this year.
Inferences and guesses	must, have to, have got to	It has got to be here. It couldn’t be anywhere else.
habitual actions in the past	would, used to	When Mary was young she would pretend to be a fairy princess. I used to speak Chinese, but I’ve forgotten the the vocabulary.

Past Modals: Form

Affirmative Statements
Subject	Modal	Have	Past Participle
I, you, he, she, it, we, they	may might could should must	have	passed

Negative Statements
Subject	Modal	Have	Past Participle
I, you, he, she, it, we, they	may not might not couldn’t can’t shouldn’t must not	have	passed

Past Phrasal Modals

Subject	Modal	Have	Past Participle
he, she, it	ought to	have	come
he, she, it	has to has got to	have	known
he	ought not to	have	known

Use Past Modals: To make guesses or inferences about the past.

less certain more certain

might have, might not have, could have, may have, may not have must have, must not have, have to have, have got to have can’t have, couldn’t have

Could vs. Could have

Could have says that you had the ability but you didn’t do it.	I could have walked to school, but I got a ride instead.
Could says you were able to do it or you did it.	I lived near the school, so I could walk there.

Should have, ought to have, shouldn’t have

Should have & ought to have say you didn’t do something but you were supposed to do it.	You should have asked for help She ought to have talked to the teacher before she left the country.
Shouldn’t have says you did something you weren’t supposed to do.	You shouldn’t have driven in bad weather.

Giving Permission—

Present modals can give permission or to express necessity.

May I have the key to the bathroom? All visitors must register.

Use these in the past

Seniors	were (not) permitted to were (not) allowed to	have cars
All visitors	were required to were supposed to had to	register

Combining One Word and Phrasal Modals 198

Don’t combine one-word modals.	Janet will can help you tomorrow. He might should come later.
One-word modals can be followed by be able to or have to.	I might have to go to the store. I should be able to pick you up after school.
Some phrasal modals can follow each other.	I would rather not have to go to summer school.