Modals Summary

Function
Ability

Modal
Can

Present
I can speak 3 languages

Obligation

Must, have to

Drivers {must/ have to}

stop at a red light.

Prohibition Mustnt
Advice

Should, ought to,

Criticism

Should(ought to)
have done

Lack of
obligation

Neednt =
dont ( doesnt)
have to

Deduction

must

Impossibility Cant
Possibility

May, might, could

Students mustnt cheat in

exams
You {should/ought to }
study hard

There are only few

guests. We { neednt
/ dont have to } buy
many cakes
He has Rolls Royce. He
must be rich.

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 }have Somebody did something
tried better (but they didnt wrong in the past
try and their team lost)
You neednt have bought
It is not necessary to do
cakes ( it wasnt necessary ,
but you bought them)

I cant have access to the

internet. My father must
have changed the password.
He cant be American, His He cant have written the
English is terrible.
poem. He is illiterate.
It is cloudy. It{
I guess it {may/ could/
may/could/might } rain might} have been Lucy on
the phone.

I am sure ,I am certain

I am sure someone/
something is not
It is possible/perhaps

Modals Summary
Function
Ability

Modal
Can

Present
I can speak 3 languages

Obligation

Must, have to

Drivers {must/ have to}

stop at a red light.

Prohibition Mustnt
Advice

Should, ought to,

Criticism

Should(ought to)
have done

Lack of
obligation

Neednt =
dont ( doesnt)
have to

Deduction

must

Impossibility Cant
Possibility

May, might, could

Students mustnt cheat in

exams
You {should/ought to }
study hard

There are only few

guests. We { neednt
/ dont have to } buy
many cakes
He has Rolls Royce. He
must be rich.

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 }have Somebody did something
tried better (but they didnt wrong in the past
try and their team lost)
You neednt have bought
It is not necessary to do
cakes ( it wasnt necessary ,
but you bought them)

I cant have access to the

internet. My father must
have changed the password.
He cant be American, His He cant have written the
English is terrible.
poem. He is illiterate.
It is cloudy. It{
I guess it {may/ could/
may/could/might } rain might} have been Lucy on
the phone.

I am sure ,I am certain

I am sure someone/
something is not
It is possible/perhaps