Modals: review and expansion

Nayeli Rodriguez Jimenez

Modals verbs?

• Is a type of auxiliary verb

• that is used to indicate modality

Always use modal + base form for the verb

• EXAMPLES :

• she might record it

• NOT

• She mights record it

Ability

• Can and be able to

• Describe present ability

I can made my homework without help

Ability

• Could and was/were able to

• used to describe a past ability

With her broken leg she wasn't able to dance

Advice

• Should, Ought to and Had better

• We can use it to give an advice

• Should is more formal than ought to

You should watch dr. who

Carlos ought to stop drinking

Necessity• Must and have (got) to

have to:Conversation and informal

writing

Must:Necessity in writing

You must ask for an assessor if you don't understand

AssumptionsMay, Might, Could, Must and Can

We use these to make ‘’the best guesses’’

•

CERTAIN • Afirmative

100% certain

• MUST

• HAVE (GOT) TO

• MAY

• MIGHT, COULD

• Negative

• CAN’T, COULDN’T

• MUST NOT

• MAY NOT

• MIGHT NOT

• 0% certain

Future possibility

• May, might and could