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Understanding Modal Verbs and Their Uses

Modal verbs are a category of auxiliary verbs in English that include can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would. Unlike other auxiliary verbs, modal verbs only exist in their helping form and cannot act as the main verb. The modal verbs express ideas like ability, permission, possibility, necessity, obligation, suggestion and prediction. They are always followed by the base form of the main verb. Common modal verbs and their uses are can (ability, permission, possibility), may (permission, possibility), must (necessity, obligation) and will (future certainty).

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135 views2 pages

Understanding Modal Verbs and Their Uses

Modal verbs are a category of auxiliary verbs in English that include can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would. Unlike other auxiliary verbs, modal verbs only exist in their helping form and cannot act as the main verb. The modal verbs express ideas like ability, permission, possibility, necessity, obligation, suggestion and prediction. They are always followed by the base form of the main verb. Common modal verbs and their uses are can (ability, permission, possibility), may (permission, possibility), must (necessity, obligation) and will (future certainty).

Uploaded by

Branko Filipovic
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Modal Verbs

All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals. Unlike other auxiliary verbs
modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence.
Be, do, and have also differ from the other auxiliaries in that they can also serve as ordinary verbs in a
given sentence.
The modal verbs are:
Modal Example Uses
Can They can control their o!n budgets.
"e can#t fix it.
$an % smoke here&
$an you help me&
Ability ' (ossibility
%nability ' %mpossibility
Asking for permission
)e*uest
Could $ould % borro! your dictionary&
$ould you say it again more slo!ly&
"e could try to fix it ourselves.
% think !e could have another +ulf "ar.
,e gave up his old -ob so he could !ork for us.
Asking for permission.
)e*uest
.uggestion
/uture possibility
Ability in the past
May 0ay % have another cup of coffee&
$hina may become a ma-or economic po!er.
Asking for permission
/uture possibility
Might "e1d better phone tomorro!, they might be eating their
dinner no!.
They might give us a 234 discount.
(resent possibility
/uture possibility
Must "e must say goodbye no!.
They mustn#t disrupt the !ork more than necessary.
5ecessity ' 6bligation
(rohibition
Ought to "e ought to employ a professional !riter. .aying !hat#s right or correct
Shall .hall % help you !ith your luggage& 6ffer
(More
common in
the UK than
the US)
.hall !e say 7.83 then&
.hall % do that or !ill you& .uggestion
Asking !hat to do
Should "e should sort out this problem at once.
% think !e should check everything again.
(rofits should increase next year.
.aying !hat#s right or correct
)ecommending action
Uncertain prediction
Will % can#t see any taxis so %#ll !alk.
%1ll do that for you if you like.
%#ll get back to you first thing on 0onday.
(rofits !ill increase next year.
%nstant decisions
6ffer
(romise
$ertain prediction
Would "ould you mind if % brought a colleague !ith me&
"ould you pass the salt please&
"ould you mind !aiting a moment&
9"ould three o:clock suit you&9 9That#d be fine.9
"ould you like to play golf this /riday&
9"ould you prefer tea or coffee&9 9%#d like tea please.9
Asking for permission
)e*uest
)e*uest
0aking arrangements
%nvitation
(references
;5ote The modal auxiliary verbs are alays follo!ed by the base form.
The verb used to, !hich is explained here, can also be used like a modal verb.

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