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Modal Verbs: Category Review Booklet

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Modal Verbs Categories Review Booklet

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Modal Verbs: Categories Review Booklet

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents ........................................................................................ 3

Modal Verb Categories Review ................................................................... 4

Modal Verbs of Permission ......................................................................... 5

Exercise 1 - Permission ............................................................................. 9

Modal Verbs of Ability .............................................................................. 11

Exercise 2 – Ability ................................................................................. 14

Modal Verbs of Obligation ........................................................................ 17

Exercise 3 – Obligation ........................................................................... 23

Modal Verbs of Probability and Deduction .............................................. 26

Exercise 4 – Possibility and Deduction ................................................... 29

Modals Verbs for Offers and Polite Requests .......................................... 31

Exercise 5 – Offers and Polite Requests ................................................. 35

Modal Verbs to Express the Future ........................................................... 37

Exercise 6 – Expressing the Future ......................................................... 39




Modal Verb Categories Review

As we learned in the modal verb booklets, many modal verbs are used in

different ways. In the booklets, we looked at groups of related modal verbs

to study the different uses of each one.

In this booklet, we will review by looking at uses and the small differences

between modal verbs that are used in a similar way. For example, the first

unit reviews the different modal verbs we can use to ask for or give

permission. The different modal verbs and semi-modal verbs in each

category are often slightly different in their meaning, or some are more

polite than others.

It’s important to understand these differences when using modal verbs! But

also keep in mind that modal verbs are not an exact science. It is often okay

to use different modal verbs in the same sentence.

Be sure you understand the meaning of the different modal verbs so you

can choose the one that is best for your sentence.

Now, let’s have a look!




Modal Verbs of Permission

The three modal verbs used to ask for (or give) permission are:

Can less formal

Could

May more formal

Can is the most informal, and may is the most formal. Could is in between.

It can sound a little rude or impolite to use can if you are in a formal

situation or do not know the person you are talking to very well.

May specifically refers to what is allowed. In other words, it talks about

what the rules say are okay, or what the person being asked feels is okay.

This is the most polite and correct way to ask permission, and to give it!

For example, a reporter who is

interviewing someone will try to be

as polite as possible. She doesn’t

know the person she is

interviewing, and she wants to

show respect.

She says: “May I ask you some questions, please?”

She will not say, “Can I ask you some questions?” This is too informal!

The person responds: “Yes, of course you may.”




This is because the person being interviewed doesn’t know her, either. He

also wants to be polite!

Remember that the most formal way to ask for permission or to give

permission is with may.

Could is also a polite way to ask for permission. It is usually okay to use

could for almost any situation. It sounds polite, but not too formal. But

remember that we only give permission with may or can, not could.

For example, if a tourist is in a new city and he wants to

ask someone in the street for help, she uses could. It is

polite, but a little less formal than may.

She says, “Excuse me, could I ask you for directions?”

The person replies, “Of course you can!”

The person will not reply, “Of course you could!” We never

use could to give permission, but only to ask for it.

Could is polite, but it does not have a very formal sound.

This is why it is useful in so many situations! It also does

not ask specifically about what is allowed (like may does).

It has a more general meaning when asking for permission.

Just remember that we don’t use could to give permission,

but only to ask for it!




Can is informal. We use can to ask for permission or give permission when

we are talking to people who we know very well and feel very comfortable

with.

For example, if two close friends are talking to each

other, it is most common for them to use can to ask

for permission or give permission.

If someone wants his friend to take a picture of him,

he says, “Hey, can you take a picture of me?”

His friend replies, “Sure, I can!”

They do not use could because it is too formal to use

in most situations between close friends or family.

May is also very formal and asks about what is allowed

(the rules or what someone feels is acceptable). For

informal situations, we use can to ask for permission

and give permission.




Here are some more examples with may:

May I sit while I wait for Ms. Keller to finish her meeting?

You may smoke outside the building if you wish, but not inside.

May I use the bathroom, please?

- Yes, of course you may/can.

Here are some more examples with could:

I’m sorry to call so late, Mrs. Benson. Could I speak to Mike?

This pie is great, James. Could I have another piece?

Excuse me, sir, could you tell me where the nearest bus stop is?

Here are some more examples with can:

- Dad, can I borrow your jacket?

- Sure, you can!

Honey, can you help me in the kitchen?

Hey, Jen, can I use your calculator for a minute?




Exercise 1 - Permission

A. Choose the correct modal verb for each example. Remember that

sometimes more than one modal verb can be correct.

1. Welcome to Jenson Industries. Mr. Jenson is currently taking a phone

call, but you __________ wait for him here.

a) can

b) could

c) may

2. Mom, I’m bored! __________ I go over to Amy’s house?

a) can

b) could

c) may

3. Excuse me, I’m doing a survey about life in the city. __________ I ask you

a couple of quick questions?

a) can

b) could

c) may

4. – Hello, I’m a bit early for my appointment. Is it okay if I wait here?

– Of course, you __________ sit on the couch or outside on the bench.

a) can

b) could

c) may




B. Complete the sentences with the correct modal verb in parentheses.

1. Kelly has a great idea in class. She raises her hand and asks the teacher,

“__________ (May/Can) I tell the class about my idea?”

2. There is new snow on the ground, and it looks fun! The kids look at their

mom and ask if it’s okay to go outside and play. She says, “Sure, you

__________ (could/can) go outside!”

3. Jane makes excellent cake! She has friends over for dinner and tells

them, “You __________ (can/may) have all the cake you want!”

4. Louise wants to park her car. She sees a policeman and asks him,

“__________ (Can/May) I park here?”

5. The teacher tells her student, “I’m sorry, Pam, but the lesson isn’t over

yet. You __________ (couldn’t/may not) use your cell phone.”

6. Janet feels cold. She asks her sister, “__________ (Can/May) I close the

window?”

7. Leo walks into a department store. He looks for a clerk and says, “I am

afraid I have a complaint. __________ (Can/Could) I speak to the

manager?”

8. Philip wants to check his personal email at work and asks his supervisor if

it’s okay. She says, “No, I’m sorry. You __________ (can’t/couldn’t) access

your personal email from work.




Modal Verbs of Ability

We use two modal verbs and one semi-modal verb to talk about ability in

English. They are:

Can

Could

Be able to

Can and could are both modal verbs, and be able to is a semi-modal verb.

Can talks specifically about what is possible for a person to do (his or her

abilities). We use can in the simple present tense. The negative of can is

cannot, but it is more common to use the contraction can’t.

For example, if you want to ask Greta about her ability to speak another

language, you say, “Can you speak any foreign languages?”

She says, “Yes, I can speak French and a

little Italian. But I can’t really have a

conversation in Italian!”

You use can because you are talking

about an ability that she has or doesn’t

have in the present.




Could is used to talk about abilities in general in the past or when we

imagine abilities in the future.

If we’re not sure we will be able to do something, we use could.

For example, if you are having a very busy week and someone invites you

to the movies on Saturday, you say, “I’m not sure. Maybe I could go, but it

depends on work.”

Could is also used to talk about general abilities in the past. These are

abilities that someone had over an extended period of time.

For example, a woman says, “When I used to

stretch every day, I could touch my toes. Now I

can’t!”

When we use could to talk about abilities in the

past, they are things that we can no longer do.

They are also abilities in general. This means that

we are talking about things that were always

possible for us in the past. Any time the woman

wanted to touch her toes, she was able to.




The semi-modal verb be able to has the same meaning as can because it

talks about a person’s ability. In the simple present, it sounds very formal.

We always use be able to in the simple future or the perfect tenses when it

would be grammatically incorrect to use a modal verb.

For example, if you want to talk about your ability to help a friend move in

a few days, you say, “Sure, I will be able to help you on Saturday!”

Whenever we want to talk about future abilities, we must use be able to. If

you want to talk about someone’s ability during a specific period of time

before the present (using the present perfect) you say, “I’m sorry, but I

haven’t been able to read your essay yet.”

In these two cases (the simple future and the perfect tenses), be able to

does not have any special meaning. It is the same as can in meaning, but

we need to use the semi-modal verb because of the tense.

But we also use be able to in the simple past when we want to talk about

an ability at a specific moment and in a specific situation.

For example, two friends, Lydia and

Jane, were trying to find each other in

the mall. Lydia had to look for Jane all

over because the mall was very busy.

In the end, Lydia was able to find Jane.




We use be able to because we are talking about Lydia’s ability at a specific

moment and in a specific situation. We are not talking about her ability in

general in the past.

Exercise 2 – Ability

A. Choose the correct modal or semi-modal verb to complete the

sentence. Remember that sometimes there is more than one correct

option.

1. I don’t know where I will spend the holidays. If I decide to travel home,

we ____________________ see each other at the end of December.

a) can

b) could

c) are able to

2. Quinn is pretty sure he will ____________________ film the wedding.

a) can

b) could

c) be able to

3. No, I ____________________ play any musical instruments.

a) can’t

b) couldn’t

c) am not able to




4. It was a really tough match, but we ____________________ score

enough goals to win.

a) can

b) could

c) were able to

B. Complete the sentences with the correct modal or semi-modal verb in

parentheses.

1. When Brett was talking karate lessons, he ____________________ (was

able to/could) break boards with his hands. Now he has forgotten how.

2. Maybe we ____________________ (are able to/could) meet on Thursday

afternoon.

3. Julie ____________________ (can/is able to) solve math problems faster

than anyone else.

4. Bethany and James ____________________ (were able to/could) attend

the class because they signed up and paid the fees on time.

5. I’m sorry, sir, but we ____________________ (can’t/couldn’t) accept

applications without photo identification. That is the company’s policy.

6. Lynn hadn’t ____________________ (could/been able to) learn French in

university, but when she moved to Paris, it was suddenly very easy!

7. A few months ago, I ____________________ (couldn’t/wasn’t able to)

run for more than ten minutes. Now that I practice four times a week, I can

run for a whole hour!




8. The Prime Minister ____________________ (isn’t able to/can’t) make a

comment on the situation at this time.

9. Harry ____________________ (can/could) tie his own shoes now!

10. Doug ____________________ (couldn’t/wasn’t able to) finish the exam

on time.




Modal Verbs of Obligation

There are several different modal and semi-modal verbs in English that talk

about obligation. An obligation is something that is necessary to do, or

something that is the best thing to do.

The first group of modal and semi-modal verbs in this category talk about

things that are absolutely necessary.

They are:

Must

Need to

Have to

Must is a modal verb that means an action is absolutely necessary. We use

it in the simple present.

Must is used in general to talk about actions that are necessary. It has a

more formal sound than the semi-modal verbs have to and need to. The

negative form of must is mustn’t, and it means that it is absolutely

necessary not to do something.




For example, it is necessary

for the postal service to be

very organized. The mailman

must deliver all the mail on

time. He mustn’t lose any

letters!

These are obligations he has,

or things that are necessary for him to do (or necessary for him not to do)

Need to and have to are used in the simple past, the simple future, and the

perfect tenses because it is not grammatically correct to use must in these

tenses.

We can also use need to and have to in the simple present if we don’t want

the formal sound of must. However, there is a difference in meaning

between the two! Have to talks about an action that is necessary because

someone else says so. Need to talks about an action that is necessary

because the person speaking thinks or feels that it is necessary.

For example, if the doctor tells his

patient that it is necessary for her

to get more exercise, she says, “The

doctor told me I have to exercise

more.”

She uses have to because the doctor told her the exercise is necessary. She

did not have this idea on her own.




This difference exists in the simple present and the simple future.

For example, if you are going to have a party tomorrow and you think your

house will need cleaning, you say, “Tomorrow I will need to clean the

house.”

In the simple present, the simple future, and the perfect tenses, have to

talks about something that is necessary because someone else says so, and

need to talks about something that the speaker thinks is necessary for

himself or herself.

In the simple past, had to is much more common. It can be used in all

cases. But it is important to remember that needed to is used especially to

talk about why an action was necessary.

For example, imagine that your office was very

disorganized, but you had bought some new

furniture. You didn’t have a place to put it! You

say, “I had to organize my office because I needed

to make room for the new office furniture.”

It is also okay to say, “I had to organize my office because I had to make

room for the new office furniture.” Had to is more common in the simple

past.

The negative forms of need to and have to (doesn’t/don’t need/have to;

didn’t need/have to; and won’t need/have to) mean that the action is

optional. This means that the person can do the action if they want, but it is

not absolutely necessary.




Remember that must means that an action is necessary, just like need to

and have to, but mustn’t does not have the same meaning as don’t

have/need to!

For example, if the students in a history class have some reading

assignments that are optional, the teacher says, “You don’t need/have to

read all these chapters if you don’t want to. They’re helpful, but they’re not

absolutely necessary.” This means that they are optional for the students.

The second group of modal and semi-modal verbs that talk about obligation

have a slightly different meaning. They refer to the best thing to do in a

situation, not what is absolutely necessary.

They are:

Should less formal

Ought to more formal

Had better (stronger meaning)

Should is a modal verb and ought to and had better are semi-modal verbs

since they are both two words long. However, they follow the general

grammar rules of modal verbs because we do not add “-ed,” “-s,” or “-ing”

to them. They do not change depending on the subject.

Should and ought to have the same meaning. They both talk about the best

thing to do. Ought to sounds a little more formal, so should is much more

common. We use should in the simple present because it talks about the

best thing to do in the present or the near future.




The negative form of should is should not, but it is more common to use

the contraction shouldn’t.

For example, Milton is very stressed, and this is

bad for him. His friend tells him, “You should

relax, Milton! You shouldn’t let yourself get so

stressed about work.”

According to Milton’s friend, the best things to do

are to relax and to not let himself get so stressed.

The semi-modal verb ought to has the same meaning as should. It can

sound a little more formal, so it’s less common. It is also used in the simple

present because it talks about the best thing to do in the present or the

near future. The negative of ought to is ought not to, and it is very

uncommon to use the contraction (oughtn’t to).

It is important to remember that we do not use ought to in questions! To

ask about the best thing to do, we always use should.

For example, there is a dinner party on

Friday night. Angela wants to ask Emily

about the best thing to wear.

Angela says, “What should I wear to the

dinner party?”

Emily answers, “I think you ought to

wear whatever makes you comfortable.




You ought not to wear something you don’t really like.”

To ask about the best thing to do, we always use should. We can use ought

to and ought not to with the same meaning as should and shouldn’t. They

both talk about the best thing to do in the present or near future.

The semi-modal verb had better has a similar meaning to should and ought

to, but it is a bit stronger. If we say that someone had better do something,

we mean that it is the best thing to do, and that if the person does not do

it, there will probably be negative results. For example, maybe someone

will be angry with the person, or the person will be in trouble.

The negative form of had better is had better not, and we do not use a

contraction. Just like ought to, we do not use had better in questions. We

only use should if we want to ask what is best.

For example, Chris has a problem with the lights at home.

He says, “I think there is a problem with the electrical

wires! I had better call the electrician to fix it. If I don’t, my

lights won’t work! And I had better not try to fix it myself.

Electrical wires can be dangerous if you don’t know how to

work with them.”

Chris knows that there could be negative consequences (negative results of

an action) if he does not call the electrician. He had better call him to avoid

the negative consequences! And he had better not touch the wires himself,

because it could be dangerous. He could get injured, and of course this is a

very negative consequence!




So, had better has a stronger meaning than should and ought to because it

talks about the best thing to do in order to avoid negative consequences.

Exercise 3 – Obligation

A. Choose the correct modal or semi-modal verb to complete the

sentences. Remember that sometimes there is more than one correct

answer.

1. The rules say that each student __________ turn in a final project in

order to pass the course.

a) should

b) must

c) ought to

d) needs to

2. I think you __________ stay up so late at night. It makes it so hard to get

up early in the morning for work!

a) mustn’t

b) ought not to

c) don’t need to

d) don’t have to

3. You can call me when you get there if you want to, but you __________.

a) mustn’t

b) don’t have to

c) had better not

d) shouldn’t




4. We really __________ practice before the concert! If not, we won’t play

well at all, and the director will be upset.

a) must

b) had better

c) don’t need to

d) don’t have to

5. You know, I __________ take a break. I’m too tired to continue for now.

a) must

b) need to

c) had better

d) have to

6. Ida didn’t come to the meeting because she __________ pick her sister

up at the airport that day.

a) must

b) had to

c) should

d) had better

7. Brent will __________ explain his research during our next class.

a) need to

b) have to

c) must

d) should




B. Complete the sentences with the correct modal or semi-modal verb in

parentheses.

1. __________ (Should/Ought to) we have breakfast at the hotel or at the

conference center?

2. The government’s policy is very clear. All diplomats __________

(must/need to) carry their official identification at all times.

3. The guard said this entrance is blocked, so we __________ (have to/need

to) go around to the side entrance.

4. I think we __________ (ought to/had better) visit the botanical garden

this weekend. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

5. The students have __________ (must/had to) make several corrections

on their final papers already.

6. I waited for you because I __________ (must/needed to) ask you a

question.

7. The supermarket will __________ (have to/must) close early because of

the protest scheduled for this afternoon.

8. You __________ (must/ought to) give us a photocopy of your passport

before we can make a visa appointment for you.

9. I think Jessica __________ (had better not/ought not to) use her

mother’s car without permission. Her mother could get really angry!

10. Ryan __________ (shouldn’t/mustn’t) worry so much. It’s better to

relax.




Modal Verbs of Probability and Deduction

There are also modal verbs in English that talk about possibility (if

something is likely to happen). These modal verbs can be used for

deduction, or making logical conclusions based on facts that we know.

The modal verbs used for deduction are:

Might less likely

May more likely

Must definitely true

Might and may are very similar in meaning. They both mean that

something is likely to happen. Might is a little less likely, and may is a little

more likely. However, many native speakers use these two modal verbs in

the same way. Might is a bit more common, but you’ll hear both might and

may.

The negative of might is might not. It is uncommon to use the contraction

“mightn’t.” The negative of may is may not. Again, it is very uncommon to

use the contraction “mayn’t.”

We use might and may in two slightly different ways in the simple present.

First, we can talk about something that we will possibly do in the near

future.




For example, if you are at a café looking at the menu with a friend, you say,

“I might have a latte. Oh, but the cappuccino is very good here. I may have

that. But I might not have a muffin because I’m not very hungry.”

We can also use might and may to make deductions (logical conclusions

based on information that we have).

For example, someone calls Rachel’s house

asking for her brother, Perry. Perry is not at

home. Before he left, he told Rachel he was

going to the beach, and he took his surfboard.

She tells the person on the phone, “He’s not

home at the moment. He might be surfing

already. Or he may just be talking to friends

on the beach. If you go there now, you might find him! In fact, he left

recently. He might not be at the beach yet. Go and wait for him there.”

She uses might and may because she is not completely sure what Perry is

doing. He said that he was going to the beach, so she can logically conclude

that he is there now, either surfing or enjoying the sand. Or perhaps he is

still on his way to the beach.

Rachel can be fairly sure about what Perry is doing, but not absolutely sure.




If we are more sure of a logical conclusion, we use must. When we are

making deductions, we do not use the contraction mustn’t. We only use

must not.

For example, Rita is leaving work. She calls her roommate, Natalie, on her

cell phone. Natalie says that she is at the mall because there are a lot of big

sales at the moment. But she says she is about to go home.

When Rita gets home, she sees that Natalie’s car is not in front of the

building. She says, “Oh, Natalie must not be home yet. She must be on her

way. There must be lots of traffic around the mall because there are so

many sales right now.”

Rita uses must and must not because she is quite sure that Natalie is

driving her car. If the car is not in front of the building, Rita can be sure that

Natalie is not home. And since Natalie said she was leaving soon, Rita can

be sure that she is on her way.

Because she is more certain of her deductions, she uses must and must not

rather than might and might not or may and may not.




Exercise 4 – Possibility and Deduction

A. Choose the correct modal verb to complete the sentences. Remember

that sometimes there is more than one correct answer.

1. Sylvia isn’t sure what she’ll do this weekend. She __________ go out to

dance with friends.

a) might

b) may

c) must

2. You know, I haven’t seen Eric all week! I guess he __________ be sick, or

maybe he is on vacation.

a) might

b) may

c) must

3. Oh no, I’m late! It’s already 8:15! The teacher __________ be giving the

explanation now. He always starts at exactly 8:00!

a) might

b) may

c) must

4. You can try to call Edwin’s office, but he __________ answer. I think he’s

in a meeting.

a) might not

b) may not

c) must not





1. I’m a little tired of cooking! I __________ (may/must) go to a restaurant

for dinner this evening.

2. Did you talk to Irene? She __________ (must/might) be so happy about

her promotion! We should congratulate her.

3. Bobby, have you seen the keys? I’m worried I __________ (must/may)

have left them at Claire’s house.

4. Look, here are Wendy’s purse and her suitcases! She __________

(must/may) be home from her trip!

5. The secretary didn’t say anything to you about the new manager? They

__________ (might not/must not) know which applicant to pick!

6. Oh no, the plant is dead! I wonder what happened? It __________

(might/must) need more sunlight, or maybe we watered it too much.

7. Is Diane still here? I guess she __________ (must/might) be waiting for

Vera to pick her up. Vera always comes late!

8. Check Mr. Addison’s office. If he’s not there, he __________ (may/must)

be in a meeting, or perhaps in the cafeteria.

9. How is Theresa doing? She __________ (must/might) be so tired after

having the baby!

10. We __________ (may/might) have time to catch the train, but I doubt

it. We’re arriving very late!




Modals Verbs for Offers and Polite Requests

We also use modal verbs in English to sound more polite or respectful. This

is very common when we are making requests or offers.

To make polite offers, we use two different modal verbs. They are:

Shall

Would

To make polite offers with shall or would, we use them in the simple

present in questions.

For example, in the springtime, the weather is

beautiful. Ursula has a visitor from another city, and

she offers to take her guest outside.

She says, “Shall I show you some of the city’s parks?”

Or, if she wants to make a polite suggestion of what

to do, she says, “Shall we take a walk outside today? The weather is

beautiful!”

Remember that we only use shall for “I” and “we” when we make polite

offers or suggestions.




We also use would for polite offers or suggestions. We use the form

“would you like…” or “would you like to…” followed by the activity we

want to suggest or the offer we want to make.

For example, if Ursula’s visitor traveled a long distance to reach her city, he

might be very tired or hungry! Ursula can make

another offer.

She says, “I’m sure you’re very tired after your

trip. Would you like to lie down and rest? Or

would you like a cup of coffee?”

Then she asks, “Would you like something to eat? Would you like to have a

sandwich before dinner?”

When we use would, we ask about what the person wants (using the

subject “you”), but in a polite way. When we use shall, we are directly

offering something, using the subject “I” or “we.”

This is how we make polite offers with modal verbs. If we want to make

polite requests, we use two different modal verbs.

They are:

Could less formal

May more formal

Could is polite, but a little less formal. May sounds more formal because it

talks about what is allowed (what the rules say is okay, or what a person

feels is acceptable).




We use both could and may to make polite request, but remember that we

only give permission with may, not could (see Modal Verbs of Permission).

Could is acceptable in most situations because it is polite, but not overly

formal. We use it in questions to make polite requests.

For example, a presenter at a play wants to be polite with the audience

when he makes requests of them.

He says, “Could you please turn off your cell phones before the

performance begins? We don’t want any distractions. Now, could you

please welcome the actors to the stage with some applause?”

It’s very common to use “Could you please…” to be extra polite.

When we make polite requests with may, we are asking about what is

allowed, either in the official rules or according to a person’s feelings.




For example, after the play, a member of the audience wants to take a

picture of the leading actress in her beautiful costume.

She says, “What a wonderful show! And your dress is so lovely. May I take

your picture?”

Perhaps she is asking whether the theater allows people to take pictures of

the actors, or maybe she is asking if it is all right with the actress herself. In

either case, she uses may.




Exercise 5 – Offers and Polite Requests

A. Choose the correct modal verb to complete the sentences. Remember

that sometimes there is more than one correct answer.

1. Excuse me, I think I’m lost. __________ you tell me how to get to the

museum?

a) shall

b) could

c) may

2. I’m a little bored. __________ we stop working and take a short walk?

a) shall

b) would

c) may

3. This topic is a little difficult. __________ you like to ask any questions?

a) would

b) could

c) may

4. What a cute puppy! __________ I hold him?

a) shall

b) could

c) may





Remember that sometimes there is more than one correct answer.

1. Welcome to the Mountaintop Hotel. __________ (Shall/Would) I get

someone to bring your bags in for you?

2. The lemon ice cream is excellent. __________ (Would/Could) you like to

try some?

3. I think it’s going to rain later. __________ (Shall/Would) we go to the

store now?

4. I’m a bit thirsty. __________ (Could/Shall) I have a glass of water?

5. Excuse me, __________ (may/could) we eat lunch in the garden outside

the library? I’m not sure if that’s allowed.

6. Where __________ (could/would) I find some information on the train

routes and schedules?

7. I hear this movie is excellent. __________ (Shall/Would) we go see it?

8. I just finished reading a wonderful book. I think you’d like it. __________

(Would/Shall) you like to borrow it?

9. Hi, Julia! I wanted to talk to Evan. __________ (Could/May) we have

some coffee and chat while we wait for him to come home?

10. Excuse me, officer. __________ (May/Shall) I leave my motorcycle here

while I go into the building?




Modal Verbs to Express the Future

There is one last function of modal verbs in English, which is showing the

future.

There are two modal verbs that we use to talk about actions that are going

to happen in the future:

Will

Shall

Will is the most common. We use will to talk about future “facts” (things

that definitely are going to happen), promises, predictions, and decisions

that we make in the moment of speaking. The negative of will is will not,

but we usually use the contraction won’t.

For example, Denise is going to travel to London

during the winter. She says to her mother, “I will pack

lots of warm clothes because I’m sure it will be quite

cold! I won’t need any skirts or shorts! I promise I will

call you when I get there.”

She looks at her closet and sees two different coats. “I will take the brown

one,” she says. She uses will because she makes the decision at the

moment she is speaking.

She also uses will and won’t in her predictions about the weather and in

her promise to call her mother.




Shall is a little less common. It has a more formal sound and is usually only

used to talk about future actions in British English. It is also only used with

the subjects “I” and “we.” The negative of shall is shall not, but we usually

use the contraction shan’t. It is used in the same ways as will.

For example, there is a concert in two weeks. Roger and Melanie really

want to go. Roger says, “I shall buy tickets this afternoon. We shall only

need two, right? Or will you invite your sister? We shall have to decide

today, because I’m afraid I shan’t be able to get tickets tomorrow! The

concert will be very popular.”

Notice that Roger only uses shall or shan’t when the subject of the

sentence is “I” or “we.” Otherwise, he uses will.




Exercise 6 – Expressing the Future

A. Choose the correct modal verb to complete the sentences.

1. You have Italian and ranch dressing? I __________ have the ranch,

please.

a) shall

b) will

2. Hannah and Megan __________ record the program for us.

a) shall

b) will

3. Penelope, please tell anyone who calls that I __________ be in a meeting

until 2:00pm.

a) shall

b) will

4. We _________ be back in about fifteen minutes.

a) shall

b) will

5. The twins __________ have a wonderful time at camp, I’m sure!

a) shall

b) will

6. There __________ be trouble if the workers’ strike continues.

a) shall

b) will





Remember that sometimes there is more than one correct answer.

1. I promise that George __________ (will/shall) arrive on time today.

2. I think we _________ (will/shall) have to ask for a special permit to take

our bicycles onto the university campus.

3. Francis _________ (will/shall) be twenty-three on Thursday.

4. Liam says he _________ (will/shall) be ready for the conference.

5. The sun hasn’t come out all day! The weather _________ (won’t/shan’t)

be nice this afternoon.

6. I still have a lot of studying left to do. Maybe we _________

(won’t/shan’t) have time to have lunch with the girls.

7. Do you think the clients _________ (will/shall) be happy with the

portfolio we prepared?

8. I’m sorry, sir, but we _________ (won’t/shan’t) be able to give you a

different table. This is the only one available in the restaurant.

9. I think that in about fifty years we _________ (will/shall) all travel in

space ships and visit other planets.

10. When do you think Kip _________ (will/shall) move into his new

apartment?


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