Modal Verbs

(obligation, permission,requests,offers)
Contents of these (4) pages:

• An introduction to modal verbs

• Behaviour of modal verbs
• Use of modal verbs:
o expressing obligation : have to/must - should/ought to
o permission
o making requests
o making offers
• Tasks and role play situations using modal verbs

1) An Introduction to modal verbs

The modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, will, would, shall, should, ought to.
They are sometimes called 'nude' or 'bare' verbs. They are more commonly known as modal
auxiliary verbs because they 'help' another verb. For example: I can swim; Do you think I
should go? They behave differently from other verbs for the various reasons listed below:
How modal verbs behave differently

• There is no '-s' in the third person singular: She can ski. He must be tired. It might
rain.
• Modal verbs are immediately followed by the verb in its infinitive form without the
insertion of 'to': He might come to the party. I can help you with your thesis. The verb
'ought' is used with 'to': She ought to wear red. It really suits her.
• Question form:
There is no 'do, does, or did' in the question. The subject and verb are INVERTED as
in the case of the verb 'to be': Shall we go now? Can I help you? What should I do?
What would you do?
• Negative form:
There is no 'don't, doesn't or didn't' in the negative form. As with the verb 'to be' 'not'
or 'n't' is attached to the end:
He can't dance. I won't be a minute (=WILL NOT). You mustn't be late for school!
• Past/ future forms:
Modal verbs don't usually have past or future forms. Other expressions are used
instead.
The verb MUST has an alternative 'HAVE TO' so, in the past it becomes HAD TO: I
HAD TO work hard at school.
COULD is used with a past meaning in some cases.
Compare the following sentences:
could/be able to and must/have to

Past forms:

I COULD swim when I was six (=general ability).

The prisoner WAS ABLE TO escape by climbing onto the roof of the
prison (not 'could escape' where COULD denotes ability/performance on
one occasion).

Future forms:

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• In the future, CAN becomes WILL BE ABLE TO and MUST is substituted with
HAVE TO, hence it becomes WILL HAVE TO:

'I'm sorry, but I won't be able to come with you to the party.'

He'll have to find part-time work if he intends to finance his university
studies
• Modals can be used with perfect infinitives (modal+ have + past participle) to make
assertions and deductions about the past: You SHOULD HAVE TOLD me that you
can't swim. You MIGHT HAVE DROWNED yourself!

Use of modal verbs

Each modal verb has at least two meanings. One use of all of them is to express possibility or
probability:

• I must post this letter (=obligation)

• You must be tired! (=deduction, probability)
• Could you help me? (=request)
• We could go to Spain for our holidays (=possibility)
• May I go home now? (=permission)
• 'Where's Anna?' 'I'm not sure. She may be at work.' (=possibility)

Modal verbs express our attitudes, opinions and judgements of events. Compare the following
dialogues:

• 'Who's that knocking at the door?' 'It's John.' (This is a fact)

• 'Who's that knocking at the door?'
'It could/may/might/must/can't/'ll be John.' (These express our attitude or opinion.
We are expressing a degree of certainty or else making a deduction).

2) Expressing Obligation - have to/must

Have to and must are used to express strong obligation. Should and ought to are used to
mild obligation and to give advice.
Have to: In positive sentences it is equivalent to must, but in the negative form, the
obligation is removed, and it means 'it isn't necessary to...'. Must and have to are often used
indifferently, although sometimes there is a subtle difference. Must: Must is often used when
the reference is personal. Have to is used when there is an external reason or situation which
is beyond our control which obliges us. The verb to have to changes as follows in the
negative and in questions:

• Have to: Positive and negative

I/you/we/they have to/don't have to/get up early

He/she has to/doesn't have to/work hard
• Question

Do I/you/etc have to get up early tomorrow morning?

Does he/she have to start work early?

Must behaves as the other modal verbs do:

• Must:Positive and negative

I/you/he/she/we/they must work hard to succeed

I/you/he/she/we/they mustn't stare at the TV screen for too long
• Question

Must I/you/he/she/they wear a uniform on the job?

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Some examples which show the subtle difference between the two forms must and have
to:

• 'I must find a way of earning money in order to finance my studies.' (personal
obligation)
• 'I definitely must change my hairstyle for the job interview. It looks terrible like this!'
(personal obligation)
• 'I have to go, or else I'll be late!' (obligation, external 'forces' i.e. the train timetable,
are influencing the situation)
• 'Do you have to make all that noise? I can't concentrate on my work!' (Is it
necessary?)
• 'You don't have to come to my parents' if you don't want to!' (it's not necessary)
• 'I really must find those black shoes. I'll be needing them for the gala evening.'
(personal obligation)

3) Giving advice and making suggestions

Should/Ought to
We use 'should' or 'ought to' when giving advice and making suggestions. These verbs are
especially useful when talking about health and advising on the best course of action to take.
Any hint of obligation is mild, allowing the other person the freedom to choose. Here's a short
conversation between a doctor and his patient:

Patient: Doctor, I have terrible backache

Doctor: Have you taken painkillers?
Patient: Yes, but the effect seems to run out
Doctor: Then you should see a specialist. I can refer you to an excellent orthopaedic surgeon.

4) Expressing Permission
Each modal verb has at least two meanings. One use of all of them is to express possibility or
probability:

• Can, may, and be allowed to are used to express permission. Can is more informal
and usually spoken.
You can borrow my bicycle, but you can't have the car. I need it.
May we smoke in here?
You can't come in with those muddy shoes!
You're allowed to get married when you're sixteen.
Are we allowed to use the dictionary for this test?

5) Making Requests
There are many ways of making requests in English:

Can you help me, please?

Could you tell me where the station is, please?
Would you pass me the salt, please?
Would you mind helping me, please? (=would mind + verb-ing: here
you ask someone else to do it)
Would you mind if I opened the window? It's rather hot in here (here,
you ask the other person if you can do it yourself).
Can I speak to you one moment, please?
Could I ask you a question?

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Could is a little more formal; can is a little more familiar. Could I...? and Could you...? are
very useful because they can be used in many different situations.

6) Making Offers
• Will and shall are used to express offers. Again, they are both modal verbs.
• The contracted form of will is used to express an intention, decision or offer made at
the moment of speaking:

Come over after the lesson. I'll make a meal for you.

Oh, that's the telephone. I'll answer it.

Don't worry about the bus. Dave will give you a lift to the university.

'Put the volume down, or I'll call the police!'

• In many languages, including Italian, this concept is often expressed using the Present
Simple tense; 'te lo porto io' (=literally, 'I carry it for you' which translates correctly as
'I'll carry it for you'.)
• Shall...? is used in questions with the first person, I and we. It expresses an offer, a
suggestion, or a request for advice:

'Shall I carry your bag for you?'

'Shall we go? It's getting late!'

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