Modal verbs and their use

What are modals?

The Modal Monkey says:

One verb can mean different things, so be careful!

A modal verb is a type of verb that, when put in context, expresses a likelihood, ability, permission, request, capacity, suggestion, order, obligation, or advice. Modal verbs always accompany the base form of another verb.

Modals of Permission:

• can
• could
• may

When to use:

• making a request
• asking for permission in a polite manner
• offering help to someone

The modal regulator:

🐵

This modal regulator can help you figure out how intense a modal verb is

The least intense modal verb is might. It is quite polite and used mostly to formulate requests.

The most intense modal verb is must. It signals full obligation and is used to give orders.

I might have time, but I'm not sure yet.

May I sit down?

They may come to my birthday, but I'm not sure.

Could I borrow some money from you?

Hopefully she could find the books she needed.

Would you be so kind and open the windows?

I can do thirty push ups in a row.

Can you speak Portuguese?

She needs to buy some new trousers.

Do you need to get up early?

We should make sure that we made no errors.

He should really give her a call.

I have to leave early tomorrow.

They have a meeting later in the afternoon.

Society ought to take mental health seriously.

When driving, one must wear a seatbelt.

It must be bloody cold outside.

Modals in differents tenses

Although modals come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, you can definitely add them to your "extra-nice" vocabulary!

Modals of Permission:

• can
• could
• may

When to use:

• making a request
• asking for permission in a polite manner
• offering help to someone

How to be formal using Modals:

• put one of the modals we just mentioned in front of auxiliary verbs in order to tone them down a bit
• use would and could if you want to be extra polite
• do not use "may" in a sentence where to subject is "you"
• the combination of "would+like" e.g "Would you like a drink?" is a guaranteed hit!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwik0Z6yh_b2AhUOi_0HHfRYC-cQtwJ6BAgHEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_facQiZDrU4&usg=AOvVaw0V0dY8gG9P46w_mwD5iK8M

The Modal Monkey says:

Modal verbs do not change tenses, but we use different modals for different times

Modals of ability:

The modals of ability are:

• can
• could
• may
• might

When to use these modals:

• "can" when talking about general ability or specific situations in the present tense
• "could" when talking about general ability in the past
• "might" when requesting an ability e.g "Might I use your phone"
• "may" is used much like "might", but sound more formal

IWe strongly advise you to click on the buttons

Don´t forget: Every modal has to be followed by an infinitive!!

Modals of likelihood and advice:

• might
• should
• could
• may (not)
• ought to
• had better

When and how to use:

• when trying to express something is a good or bad idea
• a had better is a bit stronger and often includes a warning
• can also be used to formulate questions (Should I call my parents?)
  

The Modal Monkey says:

Look out for the negative forms of must and have to!

• Don't have to indicates an absence of obligation -> "You don't have to bring cake"
• Must no (mustn't) indicates a negative obligation-> "We musn't engage in illegal trades"

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi1nJntq_z2AhW-gP0HHdseB-YQtwJ6BAgIEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dj8jQpLf1WkY&usg=AOvVaw2VbsxTT32HApp7YjhsCkad

Some anomalies to look out for:

Must:

• only exists in simple present and present perfect form
• is used in the present perfect only to express a strongly felt opinion
• is replaced by "have to" in all other tenses

Have to:

• present form is often replaced by "got to" (but only in spoken English)
  

The modals of obligation are:

• must
  
• have to
• should
• ought to
• need to

When to use:

• must and have to for firm obligations and necessity
• need/ought to and should for moral obligations and recommendations

Modals of likelihood and advice:

• might
• should
• could
• may (not)
• ought to
• had better

When and how to use:

• when trying to express something is a good or bad idea
• a had better is a bit stronger and often includes a warning
• can also be used to formulate questions (Should I call my parents?)
  

Congratulations! You have made it to the end. Now click on the speaker buton in the lower right hand corner in order to open the Kahoot.

Everything you learned- but made short and sweet

• Recap from the Modal Monkey
• Modal verbs are used to express certain hypothetical conditions, such as advice, capability, or requests (there's a full list in the next section). They're used alongside a main verb to change its meaning slightly. Because they're auxiliary verbs, they can't necessarily be used on their own.
  
• Some modals can take different meanings, depending on the context they are used in.
• Modals only have one tense: the present simple- using modals in other tenses changes their meaning
• Similarly, modals do not inflect (i.e. you can not add -ed, -s,- ing etc.)
  

The modals of obligation are:

• must
  
• have to
• should
• ought to
• need to

When to use:

• must and have to for firm obligations and necessity
• need/ought to and should for moral obligations and recommendations