Unit 3: Healthy habits and modal verbs
Modal verbs for possibility
Can expresses ability, but can it also express a general possibility or
something that is sometimes true.
Eating the right food can affect the way you feel.
The body can’t get energy if don’t eat B vitamin
Modal Verbs for Obligation
Must + infinitive verb: it expresses a strong obligation, a necessity, or
something that is required. This comes from the speaker or a rule.
You must eat regularly to keep your blood sugar steady.
Have to/ has to + infinitive verb: They express an obligation that
comes from an external rule, law, or situation, rather than the speaker's
personal feeling. They are often interchangeable with "must".
I have to eat a snack or I have no energy.
She/he has to go to a nutritionist. She wants to know about a better
diet.
You have to study. You will have an oral exam next week.
IN QUESTIONS:
Do you have to get up early tomorrow?
Does he have to go to the doctor’s?
Modal verbs for lack of obligation
Don't have to/ doesn’t have to + infinitive verb: They express a lack
of obligation or necessity. It means something is not required, but you
can do it if you want.
You don’t have to make many changes to have an impact on your
health.
I don’t have to get up early at the weekend, because I don’t have
classes.
She/he doesn’t have to get up early.
Modal verbs for advice
Should/ shouldn’t + infinitive verb: it expresses a recommendation,
advice, or what is generally considered right or good to do, or not right to
do.
You should get more sleep.
Ought to + infinitive verb: it is very similar to "should" in meaning,
expressing advice. It's slightly more formal than "should."
You ought to go to the dentist twice a year.
Some doctors think that you ought not to skip meals.
Modal verbs for prohibition
Mustn't + infinitive verb: Expresses prohibition (something you are
not allowed to do).
You mustn't smoke here. (It is forbidden)
You mustn't eat more than 50g of chocolate. (It is a strong
recommendation)
She mustn’t smoke. She has asthma.
In the past we use:
Could or was/ were able to express general possibility.
When I was at school, I couldn’t/ wasn't able to study without eating
lots of sugary snacks.
I could focus better/ was able to focus better if I listened to calm music.
REMEMBER THAT:
Can is present
Could is past
Be able to is used for all the other tenses ( We can’t say I haven’t
could !!!)
We say I haven’t been able to have breakfast today.
I was able to ride a bike when I was 5.( we could ride…)
We were able to swim.( we could swim…)
We use was able to/ were able to to talk about a specific situation in the
past, or something that was difficult.
People were able to do better in memory tests using rosemary oil.
At first I couldn’t understand modal verbs, but after lots of practice I was
able to use them well.
Obligation and lack of obligation in the past: had to/ didn’t have to
+ infinitive verb.
I had to rest because I had no energy.
Yesterday I didn’t have to go to the supermarket to prepare dinner.
