Grammar - Modal Auxiliaries

 

  Modal Auxiliaries

A modal is a type of auxiliary (helping) verb that is used to express: ability, possibility, permission or obligation. 

Modal verbs never change form, that is, they never take an -s, -ed, or -ing at the end. 

The negatives are formed by adding not after the modal.

Negative contractions are made with some modals- can't, couldn't, mustn't, shouldn't, wouldn't, and so on.


Can  

General ability (present)

I can speak English.

Ask for permission (informal)

Can I borrow your pen please?

To request something

Can you help me please?

Possibility

It can get very cold there at night.

Offer to help someone

Can I carry your bags for you?

Cannot (can’t) = not allowed

You cannot smoke in this room/

You can’t go to the party.

 

Could

General ability in the past

I could play the piano when I was younger.

Ask for Permission (more polite)

Could I use your bathroom please?

To request something (more polite)

Could you pass me the salt please?

Possibility in the past

could + have + past participate

You could have broken your leg.

Suggestion (when asked what to do)

We could go to the movies if you like.

Conditional of Can (would be able to)

If we had some oranges I could make you some fresh juice. (= would be able to)

 

 

May – Might

Uses of May and Might:

 

Possibility

It might rain later so take an umbrella while going out.

Give permission

You may have another cookie if you like.

Ask for permission

May I borrow your pen, please?

Express wishes

May the New Year bring you happiness.

Speculate about past actions

She is late. She may have missed her plane.

 

May or Might?

May and Might can normally be interchanged without a significant difference in meaning. However, Might often implies a smaller chance of something happening (When expressing possibility).

It may rain. (70% chance)

It might rain. (40% chance)

When expressing wishes or giving permission, only May is used.

 

 

Will – Shall

 

Uses of Shall

 

Suggestions

Shall I get a pizza for dinner tonight?

Offers/volunteering

That bag looks heavy. Shall I carry it for you?

Instruction (asking for or giving)

What shall I do with your mail when it arrives

Promises

You shall be the first person to know.

Confirmation (statement of act)

I shall meet your there at 7.

 

Uses of Will

Rapid Decision

I’m thirsty. I think I will buy a drink.

Offer

That looks heavy. I will help you with it.

Promise

Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.

Threat

If you don’t stop, I will tell your mother.

Refusal won’t = will not

She won’t listen to anything I say.

 

Uses of Should

 

Advice or Suggestion

Your hair is too long. You should get a haircut.

The situation likely in the present

Mary should be at home now. Give her a call.

Likely in the future (Prediction)

They should win tonight, they’re a better team.

Should + Have + past participate

Meaning: The subject did not fulfill their obligation in the past or did not act sensibly.

You should have given your boss the report yesterday when he asked for it.

Should + be + verb -ing

Meaning: The subject is not fulfilling their obligation not or not acting sensibly.

You should be wearing your seatbelt.

We should be studying for the test right now.

 

 Click here for worksheet 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Class-5 EVS, Chapter-13, A Shelter so High! , Additional Exercises with Solutions/ NCERT

Image
Chapter- 13 A Shelter so High Match the column: A B Houses in Mumbai are Rebo Bakarwal people live in houses Love to stay in houseboats Tourists in Srinagar lekha House of Changapas is known as Made of stone and mud Place to keep sheeps and goats is known as made of cement, bricks, glass and steel A B Houses in Mumbai are made of cement, bricks, glass and steel Bakarwal people live in houses Made of stone and mud Tourists in Srinagar Love to stay in houseboats House of Changapas is known as Rebo Place to keep sheeps and goats is known as lekha Fill up the blanks with suitable words: 1-     High, dry and flat lands of Leh is called as cold desert. 2-     The goats from which the soft pashmina wool is collected are found at an altitude of 5000 metres. 3-     After almost 250 hours of weaving, one plain p
Read more

Class-5, EVS, Chapter-18, No Place for Us?, Additional Exercises with Solutions / NCERT

Image
Chapter- 18 No Place for Us? Choose the correct answer: 1-     Which job Jatryabhai started doing in Mumbai? a.     Painting on walls b.     Plumbing c.     Repair torn fishing nets  ( √ ) d.     Ironing clothes 2-     Jatryabhai used to money he earned to a.     To pay for medicines, food and school fee b.     Rent for the house c.     Buying water d.     All the above  ( √ ) 3-     What did children learn Jatryabhai’s village? a.     To dance together, recognize birds and their sounds b.     To play flute and dhol c.     To make pots of clay and bamboo d.     All the above  ( √ ) 4-     Young men of village would bring following things from forests and sell them in towns: a.     Fruits, roots and plants for medicines b.     Fish from river c.     Both a and b  ( √ ) d.     Firewood 5-     People of the Khedi village had to leave their lands because of: a.     Upcoming factory b.     Upcoming dam  ( √ ) c.     They wanted to m
Read more

Class-5 EVS Chapter-1 Super Senses/NCERT

Image
Chapter-1 Super Senses Fill in the blanks: 1- Some male insects can recognize their females by their smell. 2- Kites, eagles and vultures can see four times as far as we can. 3- Animals that are awake at night can see things only in black and white. 4- Elephant, rabbit, cow and buffalo have ears bigger than our ears. 5- Fishes give alarm call by electric signals. 6- As the ants move, they leave a smelly trail behind them. State whether the following statements are true or false: 1- Animals can see as many colours as we can.                                                                    False 2- Animals with bigger ears have better hearing than animals with smaller ears. True 3- Snakes do not have external ears.                                                                                       True 4- Some animals start behaving in a different way when an earthquake or storm is about to come.                                                    
Read more

Class-3 EVS, Chapter-8 Flying High, Additional exercises with solutions

Image
Chapter- 8 Flying High Choose the correct answer: 1.        We see birds a.        On trees b.        In water c.        On the ground d.        All the above         ( √ ) 2.        How do birds give birth by? a.        Laying egg             ( √ ) b.        Directly birth of babies c.        Both d.        None of these 3.        Which of these birds stitches leaves together to make nest? a.        Parrot b.        Tailor bird c.        Weaver bird         ( √ ) d.        Humming bird 4.        Which of these bird makes hanging nest by tying dry grass and sticks into knot? a.        Eagle b.        Woodpecker c.        Pigeon d.        Weaver bird         ( √ ) Fill in the blanks: (a)     The Owl said- Stop this hullabaloo. (b)     We all are special in our own way. (c)      Birds eat different types of food. (d)     Birds’ feathers help them to fly and keep them warm. (e)     Birds build a new nest every time they h
Read more

Class-4 EVS Chapter-4 The Story of Amrita

Image
Chapter-4 The Story of Amrita ­­­­­­ Match the column: A B Khejadi can grow is used for making medicines Bark of Khejadi affected by insects. People cook and eat is without much water. Its wood is not leaves of khejadi. Children like to fruits (beans). Animals eat the play in is shade. Ans. A B Khejadi can grow without much water. Bark of Khejadi is used for making medicines People cook and eat is fruits (beans). Its wood is not affected by insects. Children like to play in is shade. Animals eat the leaves of khejadi. Click here for Hindi (रिमझिम) Class-4 Fill in the blanks: 1-     Khejadi was the most common tree that grew in Amrita’s village. 2-     People of Amrita’s village are called ­Bishnoi. 3-     Sometimes back
Read more