MODAL VERBS

Characteristics:
1. They are deffective verbs (some of their forms are missing):
 they don't have long infinitives
 they don't have –ing forms
 they don't have forms for all the tenses.
2. They get no –s in the third person singular
 She can play the piano.
3. Their negative is formed with not:
 I cannot/can't dance.
4. They are followed by short infinitives (except for ought to and used to)
 You may take my bike.
 She ought to be more careful.

MUST/MUSTN'T
a. obligation – necessity –duty
You must stop at the traffic lights.

b. prohibition
You mustn't park your car here.

c. strong advice
You must behave yourself at school.

d. logical assumptions
positive logical assumptions
They must be the boy's parents. (I am sure that they are the boy's parents.)

negative logical assumptions

They can't be the boy's parents. (I am sure that they aren't the boy's parents.)

e. must can only be used to talk about the present or near future. For other
tenses we use have to:
He had to work late yesterday, so he didn't go to the party.

MUST – HAVE TO/HAVE GOT TO

Must = it is necessary to do something

We use must when the speaker decides that something is necessary.

I must find a hotel to stay at tonight.

Have to = it is necessary to do something

We use have to when somebody else other than the speaker has made the decision.

I have to wear a uniform at school.

Questions and negations with have to are formed with do/does/did.

Do you have to wear a uniform at school?

Does she have to read that book?

Did you have to call your parents?

Must and have to have different meanings in questions.

Must I do my homework now?

Do I have to read this book now?

Have got to has the same meaning as have to and it is usually used in everyday speech.

I am sorry but I have got to go now. My bus leaves in 10 minutes.

MUSTN'T - NEEDN'T / DON'T HAVE TO

Mustn't = it is forbidden to do something/ you are not allowed to do something

We use mustn't to express prohibition.

They mustn't play on the railway track. (Playing on the railway track is forbidden.)

Needn't = it isn't necessary to do something

We use needn't to express the lack of necessity. We can also don't/ doesn't need to or don't /
doesn't have to for the same purpose.

The farmer needn't / doesn't need to / doesn't have to buy any eggs because he has a lot of
hens.

DIDN'T NEED TO / NEEDN'T HAVE DONE

Didn't need to + infinitive = it was not necessary to do something – it shows that an action
did not happen in the past because we knew it was not necessary.

They didn't need to cut any more flowers from the garden.

Needn't have + past participle = it was not necessary to do something, but it was done – it
shows that an action happened in the past, even though it was not necessary.

You needn't have brought me flowers.

CAN/COULD

Can may be used:

a. To express a present or future physical or mental ability:
She can speak two foreign languages. (mental ability)
My father can help us tomorrow. (physical ability)

b. To express continuity with verbs of perception (to hear, to see):

I can hear that loud music now.
The child can see the numbers now.

c. To express permission in informal English:

Can I borrow your bike? (informal)
May I borrow your bike? (formal)

d. To express possibility when allowed by certain situations:

If my friends come into town, we can go swimming.
If my friends come into town, we may swim. (we can do other things)

e. To express impossibility or disbelief:

Can Jane make such a mistake?
It's only 4 o'clock. They can't be at home now.

f. To express polite requests:

Can we give you a call later?

g. To express offers and suggestions:

Can I get you anything from the supermarket?
We can go to the cinema.

h. To make negative logical assumptions:

can't = I'm sure / certain that something isn't true / real
They can't be strangers. (I am sure they aren't strangers).

Could may be used:

a. To express a past physical or mental ability:
When he was young, he could read without glasses.
 b. To express a polite request:
Could you show me the way to the library, please?

c. To express past happenings which are no longer possible in the present:

Before World War II such cars could often be seen in the streets.

d. To express a past possibility depending on certain situations:

At the seaside we could buy a lot of souvenirs.

e. To express past permission:

As we had all our papers in order, we could easily pass through the customs.

f. To express offers and suggestions:

Could I get you something from the baker's?(offer)
We could go the supermarket to buy rice.(suggestion)

g. could + infinitivul perfect arată că o acțiune a fost posibilă dar n-a avut loc:
The driver could have been killed.

TO BE ABLE TO
It is used as an equivalent for can:
1. In the present perfect:
The tourists have been able to visit the museum as it is open today.

2. In the past perfect:

He had been able to read before he went to school.

3. In the future simple:

You will be able to catch the plane if you take a cab.

4. In the future perfect:

I will have been able to finish the homework by the time mother entered the room.

COULD – WAS ABLE TO

 We use was/were able to to show that someone had the ability to do something in a
particular situation in the past (past single action)
My sister wasn't able to visit me last week because she had a cold.

 We use could to show that someone had the ability to do something repeatedly in the
past (past repeated action)
He could run very fast when he was young.
 MUST - CAN'T

We use must to make positive logical assumptions:

They must be on holiday. (I am sure they are on holiday.)

We use can't to make negative logical assumptions:

She can't be doing her homework. (I am sure she isn't doing her homework.)

MAY/MIGHT
MAY/MIGHT can be used:
1. To express possibility (present/future):
may/might/could + present infinitive = it is possible/ it is likely/ perhaps
It may/ might/could rain later this afternoon.

2. to express possibility in the past:

may/might/could + perfect infinitive = it was possible/perhaps
a. Folosim această structură pentru a ne referi la o acțiune trecută care a fost probabil
adevărată:
The lights are still on.
Helen may/might/could have forgotten to turn them off.

b. We also use it to refer to things which were possible but did not happen. May is not
normally used in this case:
Why did you run across the road?
You might / could have been killed.

Note:
a. She may/might not know about these changes. (possibility)
She can't / couldn't know about these changes. (certainty)
b. He may/might not have left yet. (possibility)
He can't/ couldn't have left yet. (certainty)

3. asking for permission

May/ Might I ask you a question?
Would you mind if I took your umbrella?

4. giving /refusing permission

a. may/can = you are allowed to do something
We use may and can, but not might or could, to give permission. May is very
formal and is not used in everyday speech.
You can sit here if you like. (everyday speech)
 Passengers may take only one item of hand luggage on board. (written notice)
Note: We use could to ask permission , and can or may , but not could, to reply:
Could I borrow your pen, please?
Yes, you can/may.

b. can't / may not = you are not allowed to do something

We use can't and may not, but not couldn't to refuse permission.
Students may not wear outdoor shoes on the basketball court.
I am sorry but you can't park here.

5. requests:
May/Might/Can/Could I have a pen and some paper, please?
We use these structures to ask for something in a polite way. Might I....? is more
formal than May I...? and is not often used.

SHALL
It is used to express:
a. offers
Shall/Can/Could I help you choose your wedding dress?
That would be great.

b. suggestions
Shall/Can/Could we go to the market today?
I'd rather not.

c. asking for suggestions or instructions:

Where shall we go tonight?
We can/could go to the cinema.

WILL/WOULD
It is used to express:
a. requests:
Will/Would/Can/Could you bring me a glass of water, please?
These structures are used when we ask somebody else to do something for us.
Would and could are more polite than can and will.

Can/Will you post this letter for me? (informal, less polite than could or would)
Could /Would you post this letter for me? (more polite than can or will)
 SHOULD/OUGHT TO

Are used to express:

a. advice
You should/ought to be more careful with your personal belongings.

You should see a doctor. (it would be a good idea)

You must see a doctor. (I strongly advise you to see a doctor)

b. criticism
ought to/should + perfect infinitive to show that someone did the wrong
thing in the past.
You all should/ought to have tried harder.

FUNCTIONS OF MODAL VERBS

a. obligation/ duty/ necessity

You must sign the contract. (obligation)
I must sign the contract. (duty)
I have to sign the contract. (necessity)

b. lack of necessity
He doesn't need to / doesn't have to/ needn't get a taxi. I will take him to the airport.
(it isn't necessary)
He didn't need to get a taxi because I took him to the airport. (it wasn't necessary)
He needn't have got a taxi. (it wasn't necessary but it happened)

c. advice
You ought to/ should learn for your test paper.(mild advice)
You must learn for your test paper. (strong advice)

d. suggestions
We can / could go for a walk in the park.
Shall we go for a walk in the park?

e. ability
Jane is five years old. She can read and write. (present ability)
When Jane was five years old she could read and write. (past ability)
Tony was able to win the match. (past single action)

f. lack of ability
Ann cannot play the guitar. (present ability)
She couldn't swim when she was three years old. (past ability)
 She wasn't able to reach the shelf, even though she tried. (past single action)

g. asking for permission

Can I open the door, please? (informal)
Could I open the door, please? (more polite)
May/Might I open the door, please? (formal)

h. giving permission
You can leave your schoolbag here. (you are allowed to do something; informal)
You may leave your schoolbag here. (you are allowed to do something; formal)

i. refusing permission
You can't / mustn't park here. (you are not allowed to do smth.; informal)
You may not park here. (you are not allowed to do smth.; formal)

j. requests
Can / Will you help me with my essay? (informal)
Could / Would you help me with my essay? (more polite)
May I have another piece of cake? (formal)
Might I have another piece of cake? (very formal)

k. prohibition
You mustn't / can't lie in court.

l. asking for suggestions or instructions

When / How shall I contact you?

m. possibility
She could / may/ might finish her homework by six.
She could / might have been late.

n. offers
Shall / Can/ Could I help you with your luggage?

o. logical assumptions
She must be on holiday. (positive; I am sure she is.)
She can't be sleeping. (negative; I am sure she isn't.)
He must have been on holiday. (positive)
He can't have been at home. (negative)

p. criticism
He ought to/ should have told her the truth.