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Mastering Modal Verbs: Usage and Examples

Understand how modal verbs express certainty, ability, permission, and more. Learn about their forms in different tenses with helpful examples. Improve your English grammar skills with exercises.

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Mastering Modal Verbs: Usage and Examples

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  1. Modal verbs

  2. When do we use modal verbs? • We use modal verbs to show if we believe something is certain, probable or possible (or not). • We also use modals to do things like talking about ability, asking permission making requests and offers, and so on.

  3. The modal verbs are: • Can Could • May Might • Shall Should • Will Would • must Have to

  4. Modal verbs are unlike other verbs. They do not change their form (spelling) and they have no infinitive or participle (past/present). The modals must and can need substitute verbs to express obligation or ability in the different tenses. Here are some examples:

  5. Past simple: Sorry I'm late. I had to finish my math test. • Present perfect: She's had to return to Korea at short notice. • Future: You'll have to work hard if you want to pass the exams. • Infinitive: I don't want to have to go. • Past simple: I couldn't/wasn't able to walk until I was 3 years old. • Present perfect: I haven't been able to solve this problem. Can you help? • Future: I'm not sure if I will be able to come to your party. • Infinitive: I would love to be able to play the piano.

  6. Modals in the present and past • Generally speaking modals in the past have the following form: Modal + have + past participle Example: • Present: You should see a doctor. • Past:You should have seen a doctor • Except for modals that express obligation,ability and lack of necessity: • Obligation: Present = I must / have to work hard. -- Past = I had to work hard. • Ability: Present = I can run fast. -- Past = I could run fast when I was young. • Lack of necessity: Present = You don't have to / needn't take your umbrella. -- Past = You didn't have to / didn't need to take your umbrella.

  7. Exercises • https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-modals.php • https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-modals-present-past.php • https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-modals-must-not-need-not.php

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