MODALS and MODALS PERFECT

What have researchers said about Modal Verbs?

Modals are mainly used when we want to indicate our attitude to what we are saying, or when we are considering how what we say will affect the person we are communicating with.

They are Auxiliary verbs that provide additional and specific meaning to the main verb of the sentence.

Modal verbs are sometimes referred to as Modal Auxiliary verbs because they help other verbs.

The ‘modal auxiliary verbs’ or ‘modal verbs’ are can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, ought to, must, need and dare.

“The use of modal verbs is one of the problematic areas of English Grammar.” (Randolph Quirk et al., 220)

“In respect to the later developments of meaning carried by [modal auxiliaries], the situation is exceedingly complex and no rules yet formed seem adequate to mark out precisely their area of use.” (Peter Howard Fries, 175)

“What makes it so difficult to account for the use of…’modal auxiliaries’ or ‘modals’…is that their meaning has both a logical and a practical (or pragmatic) element.” (Geoffrey N Leech, 66)

The mood represented by modal verbs or auxiliaries expresses “certain attitudes of mind of the speaker towards the contents of the sentence.” (Jespersen)

Modal verbs express “modality” defined as “the manner in which the meaning of a clause is qualified so as to reflect the speaker’s judgment of the likelihood of the proposition it expresses being true.” (Randolph Quirk et al. 219)

We use modal verbs to talk about possibility, willingness, ability, obligation, certainty and permission.

It might rain .(possibility) You must be home by 11 o’clock. (obligation) Will you help me? (willingness) You haven’t eaten all day. You must be hungry. (certainty) May I borrow your car? (permission)

Modals (except ought) are always followed by the base form of the verb. I might play tennis tomorrow. You ought to tell her.

Modals never inflect or conjugate no –ing or –ed forms, no –s in the 3rd person singular present.

He can ski

He cans ski X or He can skis X Modals do not use do or did to form negatives.

They can’t be serious

They don’t can be serious X The negative of can is written as one word.

She cannot (can’t) come. Could is sometimes the past of can (ability).

Louise can read. Louise could read when she was three.

Modals do not use do or did to form questions.Would you like to come with me?

Do you would like to come with me? X Talking about the past: modal verb + have + past participle.

Peter is late. He may have missed his bus.(Perhaps he missed his bus.)

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SSubject

VVerbM

The Meanings of Modal Verbs Intrinsic = imply some kind of human control over events, so they include

meanings which are often described as permission, willingness and necessity.

Extrinsic = involve some kind of human judgment about what is or isn’t likely to happen, so include meanings which are described often as prediction or possibility.

All modal verbs have both intrinsic and extrinsic uses.

You can have a break now. (Intrinsic use)Paris can be very hot in summer. (Extrinsic use)I will see you tomorrow. (Intrinsic and extrinsic use)

How do we use modals?

What do they express?

• They can have different meanings depending on the situations they are used.

• To understand it better we are going to divide them into 3 categories

1. Single Concept Modal: they have one meaning

2. Double Concept Modal: they have two meanings

3. Modals in past (Perfect Modals) : They are used to express a situation in the past

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Single concept Modals

Double Concept Modals

Modals in Past(Perfect Modals)

Will

Might

Should

Ought to

Had better

May

Must

Would

Shall

Could

Can

Would have

Could have

Might have

Should have

May have

Must have

Single Concept Modal

Modal Concept Examples Will Future Joe will travel to NY next week

Might Small probability I might move to Canada some day

Should Recommendation You should go to the doctor

Ought to Formal recommendation

We ought to know about first aids

Had better

Warning I had better study or I will fail the test

Double Concept Modal

Modal Concept ExamplesMay (1) Permission May I come in?

May (2) Good probability We may visit Mexico this summer

Must (1) Responsibility Everyone must pay taxes

Must (2) Assumption She didn’t arrive. She must be sick

Would (1) Past (used to) When I was young, I would play soccer

Would (2) Present unreal I would buy the car but I can’t afford it

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Modal Concept Examples Shall (1) Educated expression

Offer Excuse me, I shall go now.Shall I clean it?

Shall (2) Contractual obligation

The company shall pay on January 1st

Could (1) Unreal Ability I could go if I had time

Could (2) Past Ability She could play the piano, not anymore

Can (1) Present Ability We can speak English

Can (2) Permission Can I have a sweet?

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Perfect Modals (Modals in the Past)They are modals that refer to actions that happened in the past

MODAL + HAVE + verb in past participle (V3)It must have been a difficult decisionThey should have invited her to their wedding

PERFECT MODAL USE EXAMPLES MUST HAVE + V3 Deduction in the past Peter has arrived late. He must have been in a

traffic jam MAY / MIGHT HAVE + V3 Possibility in the past Joe may / might have taken the wrong train.

CAN’T HAVE + V3 Impossibility (negative deduction) in the past.

Mary is very sensitive. She can’t have passed a good time when her child got sick.

COULD HAVE + V3 A possible action in the past that was not fulfilled

You could have played better I could have passed my exam but I didn’t study enough.

WOULD HAVE + V3 Unfulfilled wish in the past I would have visited you, but I forgot your address

SHOULD (NOT) / OUGHT TO

HAVE + V3 Regret about something we did wrong (didn't) in the past.

You should / ought to have warned me earlier He shouldn’t have told them

NEEDN’T HAVE + V3 Says that we did something although it was not necessary to be done.

You needn’t have bought it.You needn’t have come. Why have you done it?

Modal Concept Examples

Would have Past unreal action I would have bought the car, but I didn’t have money

Could have Past unreal Ability She could have taken the flight

May have Past unreal Possibility We may have passed the test, but it was in French

Might have Past Unreal Small Probability

You might have sold the house, if you really needed the money

Should have Past unreal Recommendation

You should have listened to the doctor

Must have Past unreal assumption We must have been crazy!

Modals-like verbsThere are few verbs which often serve as modals too.

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These are modal-like verbsThey need to be conjugated

Modal Concept Example Like to Enjoy I like to watch TV Want to Desire John wants to buy a car Need to Necessity We really needed to talk to you Have to Obligation Susan had to pay the rent

Have got to Have to I’ve got to go now Look forward to Future plan I look forward to seeing you again

PRACTICEEXERCISE 1

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Choose the best answer: a, b, c or d1. My son ___ be home by now. Where can he be?

a. Have to b. Would c. Should d. Could2. I think your thumb is broken. You ___ go to the emergency room.

a. Might b. could c. ought to d. can3. If you are interested in losing weight, you ______ try this new diet.

a. Could b. mustn’t c. don’t have to d. had to4. Johnnie’s fallen down the stairs! I ________ call an ambulance!

a. Will b. might c. may d. ought to5. You _______ come too early. We won’t leave until 9 o’clock.

a. Has to b. must c. needn’t d. can’t 6. Children ________ be accompanied by an adult at the zoo.

a. Ought to b. must c. would d. mustn’t 7. You _________ talk during tests. It’s forbidden!

a. don’t have to b. mustn’t c. couldn’t d. ought to 8. I can feel the heat. We _________ be near the fire.

a. Can b. would c. must d. have to 9. They ________ hear him because he was whispering.

a. Wouldn’t b. mustn’t c. shouldn’t d. couldn’t 10. You’ve never heard of Britney Spears! You ________ be serious!

a. Must b. had to c. can’t d. shouldn’t 11. __________ you like to have dinner with me tonight?

a. could b. may c. should d. would 12. You _________ let him hear about the party tomorrow. It’s a surprise!

a. mustn’t b. wouldn’t c. couldn’t d. can13. __________ I speak to the Chief of Police, please?

a. Must b. May c. Would d. Need 14. He has arrived late. He _______ missed the bus

a. Must have b. Should have c. Could have d. must

EXERCISE 2

Fill in the blanks with don’t have to, mustn’t

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1. You ________ smoke in a gas station.a) don't have tob) mustn't

2. You ________ pass a test to ride a bicycle.a) don't have tob) mustn't

3. You ________ open up the computer while it is plugged in.a) don't have tob) mustn't

4. Shops ________ sell cigarettes to children.a) don't have tob) mustn't

5. This bus is free! You ________ buy a ticket.a) don't have tob) mustn't

6. You ____ live in Canada to study at the University of Victoria. You can take a course by Internet.

a) don't have tob) mustn't

7. In the US, employers ________ discriminate against women or minorities. It's against the law.

a) don't have tob) mustn't

8. You ________ buy the text book for this course -- you can borrow mine.a) don't have tob) mustn't

9. Puerto Ricans________ get a visa to travel to the US.a) don't have tob) mustn't

10. You ________ be late for class, or the teacher will be angry.a) don't have tob) mustn't

EXERCISE 3Using the correct form of the modal verb in capitals, rewrite

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the sentences so that the meaning is almost identical.1. I'm sure he is in love with Mary.(MUST)

2. You are not allowed to walk on the grass.(MAY)

3. I don't believe it's ten o'clock (CAN).

4. You'd better call the police. (SHOULD)

5. Perhaps he works for the mafia.(MIGHT)

6. Why don't you bring me that book?(COULD)

7. Please stop talking. (COULD)

8. Please sit down.(WILL)

9. You cannot walk on the grass.(MUST)

10. Peter, you study very little. (SHOULD)

11. He wasn't able to lift the piano.(COULD)

12. It's forbidden to enter the building.(CAN)

13. It's just possible that the phone is out of order.(MIGHT)

14. He used to smoke his pipe in the evenings. (WOULD)

15. Let me help you.(CAN)

16. The Government is not creating enough work.(OUGHT)

17. I insist that you do as I say.(MUST)

18. We didn't call the doctor because it wasn't necessary.(NEED)

19. Do you know how to make an omelette?(CAN)

20. Why don't we go for a walk?(SHALL)

21. Perhaps it is going to rain.(COULD)

22. You're not allowed to look.(MUST)

23. It's possible that she's visiting her parents.(MAY)

24. You are not obliged to say anything.(NEED)

25. I'm sure that this is not Peter. He is taller. (CAN)

EXERCISE 4

Complete the sentences with one of the modal verbs listed Page | 10

below:

must, mustn’t, can, can’t, could, couldn’t needn’t, will, won’t

1. Dogs ___________________fly.2. You ___________________wear a coat, it’s quite warm.3. Students ___________________be quiet when they write the test!4. I ___________________go to school tomorrow because I am ill.5. ___________________you open the window, please?6. You ___________________drive fast. It’s dangerous!7. When he was fifteen he ___________________run fast but he can’t now.8. She’s a famous ballerina. She ___________________dance very well.9. She ___________________dance at the party because her leg was broken.10.If you go to bed so late every day, of course you _________________feel tired.11.Your father is sleeping. You ___________________be noisy.12.Birds ___________________fly.13.If you don’t study, you ___________________do very well in the test.14.He is late; he ………………………………………………. run to school.15.We ………. book a table in the restaurant. John has already booked one for us.16.Lions ……………………. sing.17.He …………………………… buy anything he wanted when he was rich.18.You ………………………………………….smoke. It is forbidden in here.19.We ………………………..leave now. We can stay for a while if you want.20.I …………………………………………... send you a postcard from Spain.

Answers,EXERCISE 1

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1. d2. c3. a4. a5. c6. b7. b8. c9. d10. c11. d12. a13. b14. d

EXERCISE 21. b2. a3. b4. b5. a6. a7. b8. a9. a10.b

EXERCISE 31. He must be in love with Mary.2. You may not walk on the grass.3. I can't believe it's ten o'clock.4. You should call the police.5. He might work for the mafia.6. Could you bring me that book?7. Could you please stop talking?8. Will you please sit down?9. You mustn't walk on the grass.10.Peter, you should study harder11.He couldn't lift the piano.12.You can't enter the building.13.The phone might be out of order.14.He would smoke his pipe in the evenings.

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15.Can I help you?16.The Government ought to create more work.17.You must do as I say.18.We didn't need to call the doctor.19.Can you make an omelette?20.Shall we go for a walk?21.It could rain.22.You mustn't look.23.She may be visiting her parents.24.you needn't say anything or You don't need to say anything.25.He can't be Peter.

EXERCISE 41. Dogs can’t fly.2. You needn’t wear a coat, it’s quite warm.3. Students must be quiet when they write the test!4. I won’t go to school tomorrow because I am ill.5. Will you open the window, please?6. You mustn’t drive fast. It’s dangerous!7. When he was fifteen he could run fast but he can’t now.8. She’s a famous ballerina. She can dance very well.9. She couldn’t dance at the party because her leg was broken.10.If you go to bed so late every day, of course you will feel tired.11.Your father is sleeping. You mustn’t be noisy.12.Birds can fly.13.If you don’t study, you won’t do very well in the test.14.He is late; he must run to school.15.We needn’t book a table in the restaurant. John has already booked one for

us.16.Lions can’t sing.17.He could buy anything he wanted when he was rich.

18.You mustn’t smoke. It is forbidden in here.19.We needn’t leave now. We can stay for a while if you want.20.I will send you a postcard from Spain.

References

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1. “An Old English Grammar”: Randolph Quirk, Northern Illinois University Press, 1994.

2. ”Meaning and the English Verb”: Geoffrey N. Leech, Pearson ESL, 3rd. ed. 2004.

3. ”On Subject and Theme” :Peter Howard Fries, John Benjamin Publishing, 1996.

4. “The Philosophy of Grammar”, Jespersen, The University of Chicago Press, 1992.

5. ”Understanding and Using English Grammar”. Azar, Betty. Pearson Education: New York, 2007.

6. My communicative grammar study guide.

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