Modal verbs

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs which behave irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play, visit..." They are used to indicate modality. They give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of communicative functions.

Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to"

Modal Verb	Meaning	Expressing	Example
must	to have to	100 % obligation	I must stop when the traffic lights turn red.
	to be very probable	logical conclusion (deduction)	He must be very tired after such enormous work
must not	not to be allowed to	prohibition	You must not smoke in the hospital.
can	to be able to	ability	I can swim
	to be allowed to	permission	Can I use your phone please?
	it is possible	possibility	Smoking can cause cancer !
could	to be able to	ability in the past	When I was younger I could stay up all night and not get tired..
	to be allowed to	more polite permission	Excuse me, could I just say something?
	it is possible	possibility	It could rain tomorrow!
may	to be allowed to	permission	May I use your phone please?
	it is possible, probable	possibility, probability	It may rain tomorrow!
might	to be allowed to	more polite permission	Might I use your phone please?
	it is possible, probable	weak possibility, probability	I might come and visit you in America next year, if I can save enough money.
need	necessary	necessity	Need I say more?
need not	not necessary	lack of necessity/absence of obligation	I need not buy any tomatoes. There are plenty in the fridge.
should/ought to	used to say or ask what is the correct or best thing to do	50 % obligation	I should / ought to see a doctor. I have a terrible headache.
	to suggest an action or to show that it is necessary	advice	You should / ought to revise your lessons
	to be very probable	logical conclusion (deduction)	He should / ought to be very tired after such enormous work
had better	to suggest an action or to show that it is necessary	advice	You 'd better revise your lessons

Exercise 1.Choose the most appropriate answer for expressing the idea specified in parentheses:

Початок форми

1. You don't look well. You _____ see a doctor. (Advice)

1. are to

2. could

3. need to

4. should

2.     _____  lending me your CD player for a couple of days? (Request)

1. can you

2. could you

3. would you

4. would you mind

3. Whose book is this? – I am not sure. It  _____  be Anna's. (Possibility)

1. might

2. must

3. should

4. would

4. She _____ home yesterday because her little son was sick. (Necessity)

1. could have stayed

2. had to stay

3. must have stayed

4. should have stayed

5. You _____ leave work at 3:30 today. (Permission)

1. can

2. could

3. might

4. will

6. Though he was ill and weak, he _____ get out of the burning building. (Ability)

1. could

2. might

3. should

4. was able to

7. The windows look clean. You _____ wash them. (Absence of necessity)

1. can’t

2. don’t have to

3. mustn’t

4. are not to

8. You _____ disturb him during his work! (Prohibition)

1. could not

2. don’t have to

3. must not

4. should not

9. Whose car is this? – It _____ be Anton's. I think I saw him driving a red car like this one. (Strong probability)

1. might

2. could

3. must

4. would

10. I don't believe it. It _____  be true. (Impossibility)

1. can’t

2. mustn’t

3. shouldn’t

4. wouldn’t

Кінець форми

Exercise 2.Complete each sentence with two to five words including the word in bold:

1. It isn’t necessary to wait for us.

have You ___________ for us.

2. Taking pictures inside the museum is forbidden.

must You ___________ inside the museum.

3. Is it necessary for you to leave so early?

have Do ___________ so early?

4. It isn’t necessary to go by taxi. I’ll give you a lift.

needn't You ___________ by taxi. I’ll give you a lift.

5. Keeping pets in the building is forbidden.

must You ___________ in the building.

6. It isn’t necessary to water the flowers.

have You ___________ the flowers.

Exercise 3.Fill in the gaps with must or can’t. Translate the sentences into Ukrainian:

1. Wow! Look at that man in the beautiful car. Yes, he ____ be rich man.

2. I passed my exam! Congratulations. You ____ be very happy.

3. Aunt Sheila’s dog died. Oh, no. She ____ be very sad.

4. That woman always wears smart clothes and lots of jewellery. I know. She ____ be poor.

5. I’ve been working all day without a break. Sit down, you ____ be really tired.

6. I’ve finished tidying my room. I’m ready to leave now. You ____ be ready so soon! You only started ten minutes ago!

Exercise 4.Underline the correct answer:

1. Good morning madam. May/Must I help you?

2. You might/mustn’t be able to. I need a ball of wool that is the same colour as my jumper.

3. Just a moment, please. I must/mustn’t look in the stock room.

4. We might/might not have some left. I’m not sure.

5. The wool must/might not be exactly the same colour.

6. It must/mustn’t be different.

7. Could/Might I ask you a question, madam?

Yes

What do you want the wool for?

8. I could/must finish knitting this jumper. It only has one sleeve at the moment!