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The following chart demonstrates some uses for single-word modal auxiliaries. Notice that in
some cases when the verb tense changes, the modal is replaced with another word or group of
words. Empty spaces denote non-existent forms.

MODAL MEANING PRESENT FORM PAST FORM FUTURE FORM NEGATIVE FORM

Can 1. Ability He can play the piano. He could play the He will be able to play He cannot play the
piano. the piano. piano.

2. Opportunity I can go now that I’ve I was able to go when I I can go when I finish I cannot go.
finished working. finished working. working later tonight.

3. Permission Their parents say they Their parents said they Their parents will surely They cannot have a
can have a party. were allowed to have a say that they can have party.
party. a party.

4. Informal request Can I borrow your Can’t I borrow your

(refers to near future) book? book?

5. Possibility It can be tiring to study It can’t be tiring to sit

(usually a and work at the same around and watch TV
generalization) time. all day!

Could 1. Past of can Before I hurt my wrist, I Even before I hurt my

could toss pizza dough. wrist, I couldn’t toss
pizza dough.

2. Conditional I could have made an I could make an I couldn’t make an

omelet if we had had omelet if we have the omelet even if we had
the ingredients. ingredients. the ingredients.

3. Suggestion You could have taken a You could take a long

long weekend to visit weekend to visit your
your family. family.

4. Polite Request Could you phone me Couldn’t you phone me

(refers to near future) when you arrive? when you arrive?

5. Possibility / Ms. Stevens could be Ms. Stevens could have Ms. Stevens could Ms. Stevens couldn't be
Impossibility the electors’ choice for been the electors’ become mayor. the electors’ choice for
mayor. choice for mayor. mayor.

May 1. Permission You may submit your You were allowed to When you finish, you You may not submit
paper via email now. submit your paper via may submit your paper your paper via email.
email. via email.

2. Polite Request May I use your phone?

(refers to near future)

3. Possibility The bakery may be The bakery may have The bakery may open The bakery may not
open now. opened earlier today. later today. open.
Might 1. Request (refers to Might I use your
near future) phone?

2. Conditional If you give me a If you had given me a If you will give me a Even if you give me a
chance, I might chance, I might have chance, I might chance, I might not
impress you! impressed you! impress you! impress you.

3. Suggestion You might have called You might call to say You might not want to
to say you weren’t you aren’t coming. call to say you aren’t
coming. coming.

4. Possibility My dog might be the My dog might have My dog might make a My dog might not make
one who made the made the mess. mess. a mess.
mess.

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MODAL MEANING PRESENT FORM PAST FORM FUTURE FORM NEGATIVE FORM

Must 1. Certainty She must be the best She must have been the She must not be the
athlete in our school’s best athlete in our best athlete in our
history. school’s history. school’s history.

2. Strong To be healthy, you must To have stayed healthy, To be healthier, you To be healthy, you
recommendation eat well. you should have eaten should eat better. mustn’t eat poorly.
better.

3. Necessity Visitors must sign in at In the past, visitors had to In the future, visitors Visitors don’t have to
reception. sign in at reception. must sign in at sign in at reception.
reception.

(Must not) 4. Prohibition You must not disrupt his

concentration.

Shall 1. Inevitability One day, we shall Humanity shall never

overcome our abandon the quest for
dependence on oil. immortality.

2. Promising I shall ensure that I shall not let you down.

(British usage) everything goes
according to plan.

3. Future Action Our train shall arrive Our train shall not arrive
(British usage) ahead of schedule. ahead of schedule
after all.

Should 1.Recommendation For strong bones, you For stronger bones, you For strong bones, you You shouldn’t drink too
should drink milk. should have drunk milk. should start drinking much milk.
milk.

2. Obligation I should return this

library book.

3. Expectation She should be at the She should have arrived She should arrive at the She shouldn’t be at the
airport right now. at the airport by now. airport before 9 o’clock airport yet.
tonight.

Will 1. Future Action We will go to the movie We will not go to the

tonight. movie tonight.

2. Promising I will ensure that I will not disappoint you.

everything goes
according to plan.

Would 1. Past of will You said we would go to You said we wouldn’t

the movie. go.

2. Conditional If I were in trouble, I would If I had been in trouble, I If I got into trouble, I Even if I got into trouble,
ask him for help. would have asked him for would ask him for help. I would not ask him for
help. help.

3. Repetition in When we were kids, we When we were kids, we

the past / would always play street would not play street
habitual action hockey in the alley. hockey in the alley.
or behaviour

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The following chart demonstrates some uses for phrasal modal auxiliaries. Notice that in some
cases when the verb tense changes, part of the modal is replaced with another word or group
of words. Empty spaces denote non-existent forms.

MODAL MEANING PRESENT FORM PAST FORM FUTURE FORM NEGATIVE FORM

Be able to Ability She is able to join us. She was able to join us. She will be able to join She is not able to join
us. us.

Be going to Plan (for the future) I was going to start I am going to start I am not going to
university next fall. university next fall. start university next
fall.

Be supposed to Expectation He was supposed to He is supposed to bring He is not supposed to

bring dessert, but I dessert tonight. bring anything
guess he forgot. tonight!

Be to Expectation / She was to see the She is to see the She is not to see the
obligation project through to its project through to its project through to its
end, but she left before end, no matter how end after all.
its completion. long it takes.

Have to Obligation I have to leave now. I had to leave then. I have to leave in I do not have to
(= must) approximately 10 leave.
minutes.

Have got to Strong obligation I have got to prepare I needed to prepare my I have got to prepare I do not need to
my presentation now. presentation at that my presentation as prepare my
time. soon as I finish dinner. presentation
anymore. I’m ready!

Ought to 1.Recommendation One ought to express We should have sent a We ought to send a We ought not forget.
one’s gratitude. note to our hostess. thank you note to our *to is dropped in the
hostess. negative

2. Certainty When one studies With all the studying she With all the studying
hard, one ought to did, she ought to have she’s done, she ought
pass. passed her exam. to pass her exam.

Used to Habitual past action / My grandfather used to

behaviour walk 3 miles to and
from school every day!

Had better Recommendation You had better go. It’s You had better not
getting late! go. The weather
looks pretty nasty!

For more information on modals and other auxiliary verbs, please refer to the following websites:

 http://www.englishpage.com/modals/modalintro.html
 http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/auxiliaryverb.htm
 http://grammar.ccc.comment.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/

You are also welcome to make an appointment with The Learning Centre staff:

 http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/tlc/booknow/

Copyright Marianopolis College. Used with permission.