Function

Modal
Ability
Can

Present
I can speak 3
languages
Obligatio Must, have to Drivers {must/
n
have to} stop at a
red light.
Prohibiti Mustnt
Students mustnt
on
cheat in exams
Advice
Should, ought You {should/ought
to,
to } study hard
Criticism Should(ought
to) have done

Past
When I was a child I
could run fast
They had to stop at a
red light

Explanation
be able to , know
how to
It is obligatory to

it is forbidden to, it is
against the law
It is advisable, it is a
good idea
You { should/ought to Somebody did
}have tried better (but something wrong in
they didnt try and
the past
their team lost)
Lack of
Neednt =
There are only few
You neednt have
It is not necessary to
obligatio dont
guests. We {
bought cakes ( it
do
n
( doesnt)
neednt
wasnt necessary , but
have to
/ dont have to }
you bought them)
Function
Modal
Present
Past
Explanation
buy many
cakes
Ability
Can
I
can
speak
3
When
I
was
a
child
I
be
able
to ,I
, know
Deductio must
He has Rolls Royce. I cant have access to
I am sure
am
languages
could
run
fast
how
to
n
He must be rich.
the internet. My father certain
Obligatio Must, have to Drivers {must/
They
tochanged
stop at a It is obligatory to
musthad
have
n
have to} stop at a red
light
the password.
red
light. be
Impossib Cant
He cant
He cant have
I am sure someone/
Prohibiti
Mustnt
Students
mustnt
is forbidden
to, it is
ility
American, His
written the poem. He it
something
is not
on
cheat
in
exams
against
the
law
English is terrible.
is illiterate.
Advice
ought You
it is a
Possibilit Should,
May, might,
It is {should/ought
cloudy. It{
I guess it {may/ could/ It
It is
is advisable,
possible/perhaps
to,
to
}
study
hard
good
idea
y
could
may/could/might } might} have been
Criticism Should(ought rain
You
should/ought
Lucy{on
the phone. to Somebody did
to) have done
}have tried better (but something wrong in
they didnt try and
the past
their team lost)
Lack of
Neednt =
There are only few
You neednt have
It is not necessary to
obligatio dont
guests. We {
bought cakes ( it
do
n
( doesnt)
neednt
wasnt necessary , but
have to
/ dont have to }
you bought them)
buy many cakes
Deductio must
He has Rolls Royce. I cant have access to
I am sure ,I am
n
He must be rich.
the internet. My father certain
must have changed
the password.
Impossib Cant
He cant be
He cant have
I am sure someone/
ility
American, His
written the poem. He something is not
English is terrible.
is illiterate.
Possibilit May, might,
It is cloudy. It{
I guess it {may/ could/ It is possible/perhaps
y
could
may/could/might } might} have been
rain
Lucy on the phone.
Modals Summary

Modals Summary