MODALS

Modals have only one form: MODAL + BASE FORM VERB

(Modals do not have s in the third erson sin!"lar#
Meaning Modal Sentence
A$ility
%an & %an't & $e a$le to (resent#
%o"ld & (as)(ere a$le to (ast#
She can play the iano) $"t she cant play the dr"ms*
She could play the dr"ms (hen she (as yo"n!er*
Advi%e
sho"ld & sho"ldn't
o"!ht to
had $etter & had $etter not
+o" should see the movie Avatar*
+o" ought to go to ,"%o's -a."eria on /enderson Rd*
+o" had better study for the test0
1e%essary
have to
have !ot to
m"st
+o" have to eat yo"r ve!eta$les to $e healthy*
+o" have got to get eno"!h slee to $e healthy*
+o" must sign yo"r name on yo"r driver's li%ense*
1ot
1e%essary
don't have to
doesn't have to
-hey dont have to buy a se%"rity system*
/e doesnt have to buy a do! for her $irthday*
2rohi$ited m"st not +o" must not leave the ho"se (itho"t lo%3in! the door*
Ass"mtion
(affirmative#
4556
m"st
have (!ot# to
may
mi!ht) %o"ld
56
Dad must be home $e%a"se the do! is $ar3in!*
/e has got to be home $e%a"se 7 heard the %ar door sh"t*
She may have a ne( 8o$ $e%a"se she $o"!ht ne( %lothes*
/e might be !"ilty* /is fin!errints (ere fo"nd on the !"n
Ass"mtion
(ne!ative#

4556
%an't) %o"ldn't (imossi$le#
m"st not
may not
mi!ht not
56
/e cant be dead $e%a"se he is ri!ht over there0
+o" must not understand the ro$lem sin%e it is (ron!*
9e may not have eno"!h mil3 for dinner*
/e might not go to the arty sin%e he doesn't feel (ell*
F"t"re
2ossi$ility
may (may $e#
mi!ht
%o"ld
9e may go to E!yt in the fall*
My arents might go (ith "s to :aan*
/e could win the ra%e if he ra%ti%es a lot*
-hese modals are to e;ress a%tions that (ere !ood ideas in the ast $"t did not haen* -hey sometimes
%omm"ni%ate a sense of re!ret or $lame*
Modals form: MODAL + have + ast arti%ile
Meaning Modal Sentence
Advisa$ility
in the 2ast
Re!ret or
Blame
sho"ld have & sho"ld not have
o"!ht to have & o"!ht not to have
%o"ld have
mi!ht have
7 should have taken that 8o$ at the ne( %omany*
+o" ought to have gone to the movie (ith yesterday*
She could have talked to her mother last (ee3*
/e might have done a $etter 8o$ than that*
-hese modals are "sed to e;ress real or "nreal ossi$ilities a$o"t a ast sit"ation*
Modals form: MODAL + have + ast arti%ile
Meaning Modal Sentence
Se%"lations
(ast
ossi$ilities#
may have
mi!ht have
%o"ld have
An%ient E!ytians may have taken years to $"ild
yramids*
-hey may have been very intelli!ent eole*
-he an%ient yramids could have been se%ial $"rial
%ham$ers*
,on%l"sions
m"st have
had to have
My dental aointment (as very lon!*
-he dentist must have had e;tra time to %lean my teeth*
My teeth had to have been terri$ly "n%lean*
7mossi$ility %o"ldn't have /e couldnt have been the m"rderer $e%a"se he (as home
(ith me0