Grammar for ielts fiona Aish & Jo Tomlinson ■L& 11

C 
Because the project w ill be diffe re nt from those of th e ir classm ates.
People and places 
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12 
Crime
Using m o d a ls fo r o b lig a tio n and a b ility
Modal verbs can be used fo r present and futu re obligation and ability in the follow ing ways:
Can 
is used:
1 
to express ability
I can drive a car.
2
to request and give perm ission 
Can I use your car? Yes, you can.
3
to say th a t som ething is allowed 
You can eat in this room, (it is allowed)
Cannot (Can’t) 
is used:
1 
to express inability
I can't find my keys.
2
to deny perm ission
Can I use your car? No, you can’t .
3
to say that som ething is not allowed 
You can't take money! (it is not allowed)
M ight/ May/Could 
is used:
1 
to express possibility in the present/future 
Prisons m ight become overcrowded, (it is possible)
2
In the negative; it is more common to use 
mightn't/may not
in order to express negative possibility.
Should 
is used:
1 
to express a recom m endation
People should try to be kind to others, (it is a good thing to do)
Gram mar for IELTS
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Unit 12
2 
in the negative to express a negative recom m endation 
People sh o uld n ’t be horrib le to others, (it is a bad thing to do)
Must 
is used:
from the speaker’s point of view to express a strong obligation 
He m ust go to prison! 
(I think 
it is necessary)
Must not (Mustn’t) 
is used:
from the speaker’s point of view to say that som ething is not allowed 
You m u s tn 't take money! 
(I think 
it is not allowed)
A ll of these m odal verbs are used w ith another main verb and w itho u t 
to.
There is no third
person construction, e.g. 
He must ao to prison.
NOT 
He must to go to prison.
OR 
He m usts go to
prison.