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Modal Verbs

Learn how to effectively use modal verbs like can, could, may, must in various contexts. Understand abilities, requests, permissions, possibilities, offers, obligations, advice, and inference with detailed examples. Enhance your language skills at an intermediate level.

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Modal Verbs

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  1. Modal Verbs Introduction to Simple and Perfect Modal Verbs. Intermediate level.

  2. Ability:CAN / BE ABLE / CAN’T /COULD • In thepresent: • “I can drive” / “I can’tspeakGerman”. • In any tense: • “I havebeenableto open thetin” • In thepast: • “I couldride a bikeforhourswhen I wasyounger”

  3. Request – ask & give permission: CAN /WOULD/ COULD / MAY • Informal request • Can you pass me the sugar, please? • Formal request • Would you send me the documents by email? • Polite request • Excuse me, Could you tell me the way to the post office, please? • Polite request • May I have the menu, please? • Give permission: • You can go out if you want. • You may leave the class when the bell rings.

  4. Possibility: CAN/COULD/MAY/MIGHT • Probable: • I think we can easily find an agreement • Less probable: • I am not sure but we could meet one of these days • They say it may snow in Seville next weekend • Even less probable: • Who knows? She might like your idea

  5. Offer – Suggestion:SHALL / WOULD / COULD /CAN • Offer: • I shall do the activity on the board • Would you like a cup of coffee? • Suggestion: • Shall we go to the cinema? • You can drink some water if you’re thirsty • Polite suggestion: • You could try and stop smoking

  6. Obligation-Prohibition:MUST / HAVE TO / MUSTN’T • Obligation: • You must come to class on weekdays. • I have to study hard to pass this term. • Prohibition: • Students mustn’t bring mobile phones to school

  7. Necessity-lack of obligation/necessity:NEED TO/ NEEDN’T/DON’T HAVE TO • Necessity: • I need to understand what’s happening to us. • Lack of necessity: • You needn’t give anything in return. • You don’t need to be so nasty • Lack of obligation: • You don’t have to pay for that, it’s free

  8. Inference:MUST / CAN’T • Positive certainty that something is true: • She must be living in this neighbourhood because I see her everyday at the baker’s. • Negative conclusion or disbelief: • Look! That’s Mary’s car! –No, It can’t be her car, she has recently left the city.

  9. Advice:SHOULD/ OUGHT TO / HAD BETTER • Advice, opinion: • They should pay more attention to the explanations • You ought to reconsider your decision • Colloquial speaking: • You’d better go to the dentist if that toothache continues. • Warnings: • You’d better not touch my Wii.

  10. Modal Perfect • Inference for the Past: • He must have left because the lights are off • Guess about a past action: • He may/might have taken the tube if he missed the bus • Regret about something undone in the past: • He could have said he was sorry • I would have done it if I had had the chance • Criticism after an event: • You should/ought to have woken me up earlier • An unnecessary past action: • You needn’t have bothered to bring anything for dinner

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