Modal verbs

Modal verbs in the past

• By: Fazliddin Umaraliev

• permission

• Can/ could/may

• Should/ ought to

• advice

Modal verbs - ability

• Can
• To talk about ability now or generally
• The doctor can see you now.
• Terry can speak Arabic.
• Could
• To talk about past action (past form of can)
• *As soon as I walked in the room, I could smell gas
• BE ABLE TO (was/were able to)
• To talk about specific situation when somebody did something (here should be given context)
• At the party we didn’t know where David was, but we were able to find him

Modal verbs - possibility

• Could + have+ done
• To talk about past hypothetical situations in other words it was possible but did not happen
• I could have bought a more expensive shirt, but I didn’t want to.
• May/ Might something is possible Might (hypothetical case)
• It may be wrong/ It might be wrong
• If I win the lottery, I might buy a BMW
• May/Might have done something is possible in the past
• She may have been sick

Modal verbs - obligation

• HAVE TO
• To talk about external obligation now, in the future, or generally
• I have to obey a Constitution
• HAD TO
• To talk about external obligation in the past
• I had to tidy my bedroom last night.
• MUST
• To talk about personal obligation, it is necessary to do it
• Don’t tell anybody what I said. You must keep it a secret

Modal verbs - permission

• CAN, COULD, MAY
• To ask for and give permission now, for the future, or generally.
• May I go on the school trip next week?
• May  very polite
• Could  polite
• Can  less polite