All rules of modals with examples
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There are nine modal verbs: can, could; shall, should; may, might; will, would; must. There are several semi-modals and modal phrases: dare, need, ought to, to be able to, to have to, to be used to, to be allowed to, to be supposed to, be likely to.
1. she/he/it does not take -s in the Present Simple.
2. We use a bare infinitive (an infinitive without "to") with all modal verbs.
You should go home early.
NOT You should to go home early(INCORRECT!).
3. We use a full infinitive (an infinitive with "to") with most of modal phrases.
You ought to go gome early.
4. We form questions by inverting the modal verb and the subject. We do not use auxiliaries.
Must I go to bed now?
5. We form negatives by adding not. We do not use auxiliaries.
You mustn’t tell lies. I cannot leave now.
6. Modal verbs can be used in tag questions.
You can drive, can’t you?
7. Modals do not exist in all tenses. There is normally no Past Simple form.
The train might be in the station. (= present)
The train might arrive late. (= future)
8. There are perfect forms of modals (modal + have + III) and continuous forms of modals (modal + be + ing).
You could have done better (but you did not).
She might be writing the exam as we speak.
See the table below.
9. When a tense of a modal verb does not exist, we use another verb with the
same meaning.
I could buy a ticket with any credit card.( = I could do that, but I might decide otherwise. It is not the Past Simple tense)
I was able to buy a ticket with my credit card. (the Past Simple tense)
10. We cannot use one modal after another.
She must be able to do it. NOT
She must can do it. (INCORRECT!)
11. Don’t have to is the opposite ofmust. Mustn't has a different meaning.
I must take this job so that I do not have to starve the next week.
12. Some modal verbs can be matched with modal expressions. The meaning, however, changes a bit, or a modal expression has to be used in a different tense form, for example in the past or in the future (see p 7 above).
can - to be able to
should - ought to
must - have to
1. she/he/it does not take -s in the Present Simple.
2. We use a bare infinitive (an infinitive without "to") with all modal verbs.
You should go home early.
NOT You should to go home early(INCORRECT!).
3. We use a full infinitive (an infinitive with "to") with most of modal phrases.
You ought to go gome early.
4. We form questions by inverting the modal verb and the subject. We do not use auxiliaries.
Must I go to bed now?
5. We form negatives by adding not. We do not use auxiliaries.
You mustn’t tell lies. I cannot leave now.
6. Modal verbs can be used in tag questions.
You can drive, can’t you?
7. Modals do not exist in all tenses. There is normally no Past Simple form.
The train might be in the station. (= present)
The train might arrive late. (= future)
8. There are perfect forms of modals (modal + have + III) and continuous forms of modals (modal + be + ing).
You could have done better (but you did not).
She might be writing the exam as we speak.
See the table below.
9. When a tense of a modal verb does not exist, we use another verb with the
same meaning.
I could buy a ticket with any credit card.( = I could do that, but I might decide otherwise. It is not the Past Simple tense)
I was able to buy a ticket with my credit card. (the Past Simple tense)
10. We cannot use one modal after another.
She must be able to do it. NOT
She must can do it. (INCORRECT!)
11. Don’t have to is the opposite ofmust. Mustn't has a different meaning.
I must take this job so that I do not have to starve the next week.
12. Some modal verbs can be matched with modal expressions. The meaning, however, changes a bit, or a modal expression has to be used in a different tense form, for example in the past or in the future (see p 7 above).
can - to be able to
should - ought to
must - have to
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