modals or defective verbs
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Modal Verbs
For Second Bachillerato
JJSE
Mary can speak Russian.
May I go to the toilet, please?
They won't come back again.
You must pay for this at once!
We might win the race
You needn't study this.
Could you please hang on?We should thank him for his help.
Would you like some tea or coffee?
Shall I open the door for you?
She daren't phone again.
We ought to be more careful.
1. Can2. Could3. May4. Might5. Shall6. Should
7. Will8. Would
9. Must10. Need11. Dare
12. Ought to
IndeX
1. Characteristics
2. Rules of Use
3. Description
1. CHARACTERISTicS
◘Modals are also called "defectives" because they are "faulty": they lack a conjugation.
What does this mean?a) They have only ONE formb) They have NO infinitive, gerund o participlec) They have NO future, perfect, continuous…
I may, you may, he may…I can, you can, he can…I must, you must, he must…
I will mayI have mayedI am maying
Infinitive: to mayGerund: mayingParticiple: mayed
2. Rules of usE◘They cannot be used on their own; they
must be followed by a "standard" verb
• Mary can speak Italian. OK• John must. WRONG!• John must go to the doctor. OK• Kathy call should. WRONG!
BUT: After a question, we can use a modal without a verb(1).
May I use your phone? Yes, you may.(1)This is because the verb is implicit, it is not necessary to repeat it.
2. Rules of usE
◘Modals are followed by plain infinitives or infinitives without 'to'
They can run fast.Peter may win this competition.Your sister should come to the office.
2. Rules of usE◘There can be only ONE modal in each
sentence, and it must come FIRST.
They can run fast.
Peter may win this competition.
Your sister should come to the office.
2. Rules of usE◘Modals can be followed by the auxiliaries
'HAVE' and 'BE', but never 'DO'.
Dad must have forgotten it's your birthday.
You can't be working today, it's Sunday!
She would have been sleeping if not for that horrible noise.
Your sister must do(1) the cooking.(1)It is NOT the auxiliary 'DO'.
2. Rules of usE◘Modals must form the Interrogative,
Negative and Short Answers rather than Auxiliaries.
Can you please open this door?
You shouldn't speak so rudely to your parents.
May I look? Yes, you may.
2. Rules of usE: SUMMARY
◘They cannot be used on their own; they must be followed by a "standard" verb.
◘Modals are followed by plain infinitives or infinitives without 'to'
◘There can be only ONE modal in each sentence, and it must come FIRST.
◘Modals can be followed by the auxiliaries 'HAVE' and 'BE', but never 'DO'.
◘Modals must form the Interrogative, Negative and Short Answers rather than Auxiliaries.
3. DescripTiOn
Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
can cannot/can't
FORM
3. DESCRIPTIONCan we leave?I'm sorry but you can't eat here.We can stay out until late!
Permission
Possibility
Hability
Surprise
Can this be true?I think we can winThis restaurant can't be so expensive!Don't call! He can be sleeping!
Can Nicole speak French?George can play the pianoWe can't move this heavy table
You can't have bought this! (only can't have )They can't have finished!
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM
Alternative
Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
could could not/couldn't be able tomanage to
3. DESCRIPTIONCould you close the window? (= podría)Could you lend me £10?
Ask for favours
Hypothetical possibility
(conditionals)Hability in the
pastUnfulfilledPossibility
We could buy it if we had money (= podría)Don't make noise! The children could be sleepingGeorge could play the piano when he was 9 years old
Possibility in the past*
Alternative
It was dark but they could see her.When I opened the door, I could smell gas.
*Only with the verbs see, hear, smell, taste, feel, remember, understand
The police arrived, but the thief managed / was able to escape.The thief could escape (= podría)
You could have visited the Louvre (pero no lo hizo)The boy could have hurt himself
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
may may not
3. DESCRIPTION
May we leave?I'm sorry but you may not sit here.You may wait here if you like.
Permission (FORM)
Present or future
possibility
Past possibility
He is fast, he may win. (futuro)Ben isn't here, he may be at home. (presente)It may not be true.
"I can't find my keys." "You may have left them at home,""Peter's not here!" "He may have finished and left."
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
might might not / mightn't
3. DESCRIPTION
Might…? (no se usa)"Where's Gloria?" "She hasn't come, she might be sick."You might study medicine and become a doctor.The children might be playing football.
Posibilidad presente o
futura
Posibilidadpasada "Have you seen my phone?" "You might have left it at home."
"Ann wasn't at the party." "She mightn't have known about it."
La posibilidad de 'might' es menos "posible" que con 'may'
If you ask Jack, he can lend you the money.If you ask Jack, he may lend you the money.If you ask Jack, he might lend you the money.
can = puede prestartemay = quizá te lo prestemight = podría prestártelo
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
shall shall not / shan't 'll
3. DESCRIPTIONShall I open the door? (¿Quiere que yo…)Shall I wait until they finish?
Ofrecer ayuda
Sugerencias
Determinación
Shall we have lunch at Marina's?What shall we do?
'shall' sólo se usa con 'I' y 'we'
I shan't stay here any longer.We shall finish this before midnight.
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
will will not / won't 'll
3. DESCRIPTION
Will you lend me £10?It's cold. Will you close the door?
Pedir favores
Decisión espontánea
Predicción
Condición real
"What would you like to drink?" "I'll have wine."(suena el teléfono) "I'll answer it."
NO uses 'will' con planes
Do you think Kate will pass? Yes, she'll pass easily.I don't think Greg will come.We're late! They will have left when we get there.
If you call Peter, he'll be very happy.If they touch that, they'll burn their fingers.
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
should should not / shouldn't 'd
3. DESCRIPTION
I think you should be more careful or you'll fall.These children should be wearing gloves.
Consejo
Señalar error o problema
Predicción
Queja
Condición real
The price says £12.50 but it should be £10.50Where's Mary? She should be here!
Kate has studied hard, so she should pass easily.You should find him immediately.
I invited you, you should have come.Gloria shouldn't have opened the box; she'll be in trouble now.
Should (= If) you need me, give me a callShould I see them, I'll say hello.
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
would would not / wouldn't 'd
3. DESCRIPTION
I would like to buy a new house, but they're too expensive,Sheila'd love to live by the sea.Deseo
Condicional hipotética
Condicional irreal
Invitación
Futuro en estilo indirecto
We would move to London if we had a visa.I would be working if I weren't ill.
He would have paid if he had had money.Lisa would have called if she hadn't forgotten.
Would you like some tea or coffee?Where would you like to have lunch?
They said they'd come.He promised he wouldn't be late.
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
must must not / mustn't
3. DESCRIPTION
That driver must stop his car immediately.For your own safety, you must wear a helmet.
Obligación
Prohibición
Certeza
Children mustn't drink alcoholYou mustn't open this door. It's dangerous.
(Teléfono) That must be dad! (presente)It's 8 o'clock. They must have finished already (pasada)
Lo contrario de "Must" no es "Mustn't" sino "don't/doesn't have to":I must wait here. You don't have to, if you don't like.You don't have to wear a uniform.
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
need need not / needn't
También existe un verbo 'to need', con su conjugación completa. El significado es idéntico.
3. DESCRIPTION
That driver need stop his car immediately.Your results are not good, you need study harder.
Obligación
Ausencia de obligación
This is a normal school. You needn't wear a uniform (presente)The door is electric. You needn't have pushed it (pasado)
Además de "don't/doesn't have to" puedes usar "needn't" :I must wait here. You needn't wait, if you don't like.This is free. You needn't pay.
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
dare dare not / daren't
También existe un verbo 'to dare', con su conjugación completa. El significado es idéntico.
3. DESCRIPTION
If you dare open the lion gate, I'll leave at once.He daren't walk outside in the dark.
Atrevimiento
AdvertenciaHow dare you! (¿¡Cómo te atreves?!)Don't you dare! (¡Ni te atrevas!)
3. DESCRIPTION
FORM Affirmative /Interrogative Negative Contraction
ought to ought not to / oughtn't
Es el único modal que va seguido de 'to'. Su uso es idéntico a 'should'
3. DESCRIPTION
I think you ought to be more careful or you'll fall.These children ought to be wearing gloves.Consejo
Señalar error o problema
Predicción
Queja
The price says £12.50 but it ought to be £10.50Where's Mary? She ought to be here!
Kate has studied hard, so she ought to pass easily.You ought to find him immediately.
I invited you, you ought to have come.Gloria oughtn't to have opened the box; she'll be in trouble now.
Resumenadvertencia dare habilidad can
couldasombro can't have invitación would
atrevimiento dare obligación mustneed
ausencia de obligación needn't ofrecer ayuda shall
certeza mustmust have
pedir favores couldwill
condición real shouldwill
permiso cancouldmay
condicional hipotética would posibilidad cancouldmaymight
condicional irreal would have predicción ought to shouldwill
consejo ought toshould
prohibición mustn't
decicisón espontánea will queja ought to haveshould
deseo would señalar error ought to should
determinación shall sugerencias shall
futuro en estilo indirecto would
The End