Have to

Can
ABILITY NECESSITY Have got to
Could
Must

May LACK OF Dont have

POSSIBILITY
Might NECESSITY to

May
PERMISSION PROHIBITION Must not
Can

Should
LOGICAL
ADVICE Ought to CONCLUSION Must
Had better
Modal auxiliary verbs are used
with a main verb to show, mood
and ideas such as ability,
possibility and permission.
 Use the base form of the
word with the modal.
Modals do not change
form.

He could ride for long distances.

He could rode for long distances. X

 Modals never end in s
even in the third person
singular.

She should peddle slower

She shoulds peddle slower. X

 Combine the base form of
the verb with the modals
not with the infinitive to.

He should ride with traffic.

He should to ride with traffic. X

 Use not to make modal
verbs negative.

I cannot ride a bike.

I could not ride a bike because I was
afraid of falling.
I may not be riding next weekend
because I have to work extra hours.
 To form questions:

Can I teach you how to ride a bike?

Should we ask your mother first?
Might it help if I let her know that youll
be wearing a helmet?
 Do not use double modals.

He could can fix the flat tire.

I will might enter the bicycle challenge
marathon.
X
 EXPRESSING ABILITY

CAN COULD
Our son could
Bob can play walk when he
the piano. was six
months old.

Our son could

Bob cannot
not walk when
play the
he was six
piano.
months old.
 EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY

MAY MIGHT
It might
It may rain
rain
tomorrow.
tomorrow.

It may not It might

rain not rain
tomorrow. tomorrow.
 EXPRESSING ADVICE

OUGHT HAD
SHOULD
My clothes TO My clothes BETTER My clothes
are dirty. I are dirty. I are dirty. I
should wash ought to had better
them. wash them. wash them.

My clothes My clothes
are dirty. I are dirty. I
should not had better not
wash them. wash them.
 EXPRESSING PERMISSION

MAY Yes, children, CAN Okay, kids,

you may you can have
have cookies cookies after
after dinner. dinner.

You may not You cant

have cookies. have cookies.
 EXPRESSING NECESSITY

HAVE HAVE
MUST
TO Id like to go GOT TO Bye now! Ive
All passengers
must present
with you, but I got to go. My
their passports
cant. I have to wifes waiting
at custom upon
go to a meeting. for me.
arrival.
 EXPRESSING LACK OF
NECESSITY

DONT
HAVE
TO

Id like to go with you,

but I cant. I have to go
to a meeting.
 EXPRESSING PROHIBITION

MUST
NOT
Children, you must
not play with
matches!
You mustnt use that
door. The sign says
PRIVATE: DO NOT
ENTER.
 MAKING LOGICAL
CONCLUSION

MUST
Amy plays tennis
every day. She must
like to play tennis.
Eric ate everything
on his plate except
the pickle. He must
not like pickles.