Modal Auxiliaries

THE FORM OF MODAL AUXILIARIES

The verb listed below are called “modal auxiliaries” verbs helping verbs that express a wide range of meanings

Can, could, may, might, should, had better, must, will, and would followed by simple form of a  verb.

AUXILIARIES + THE SIMPLE FORM OF A VERB

Can                   (a)  lia can speak english

Could                (b)  I couldn’t come to party

May                  (c)   May i help you

Might                (d)  it might rain tomorrow

Should              (e)  you should be patient

Had better         (f)    you had batter in test

Must                 (g)   I must go to bank today

Will                  (h)  I will be in class next week)

Would               (i)  Would you help me ?

To + the simple form is used with these auxiliaries : have to, have got to and ought to

·  I have study tonight

·  I have got to study tonight

1.      EXPRESSING ABILITY: CAN AND COULD

-          Can expresses ability in the present or future

                 Aji can you play the piano

                I can find you on path

-          The negative form of can may be written cant, cannot, and can not

            I  can’t    gowith you today

              cannot

              can not              

-          The negative of could: couldn’t or could not

      He couldn’t speak when he child

  

2.  EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY: MAY AND MIGHT

     EXPRESSING PERMISSIOn: MAY AND CAN

      May and might have same meaning. Possibility in the present or future.

    (a)    It may rain tommorow 

    (b)   It might rain tommorow
   They have same meaning between a and b

NEGATIVE: may not and might not.

-          It may not rain tommorow

-          It might not rain tommorow

Maybe it means “possibly”, it comes at the beginning of a sentence

-          Maybe john is sick    (adverb)

-          John may be sick       (verb)

May be the word  is a verb form: the auxiliary may + the main verb be

May also give permission. But, may is formal than can

-          Okay, you can have a a dessert after dinner

May not and cannot are used to deny permission

-          You may not have a dessert

-          You can’t have a dessert

      3.      USING COULD TO EXSPRESS POSSIBILITY

Could can mean past ability. Another meaning of could is possibility

-          A)  Why isn’t greg in class/

       I don’t know. It could be sick

a)      Could exspresses a present possibilty

b)      Expresses a future possibility

    POLITE QUESTIONS: MAY I, COULD I, CAN I

Ask for someone’s permission or agreement. Have basically the same meaning

    a)      May I please borrow your pen ?            Yes

    b)      Could I please borrow your pen?          Yes. Of course

Please can come at the end of the question; May I borow your pen, please?

Please can be omitted

     4.      POLITE QUESTIONS: WOULD YOU, COULD YOU, WILL YOU, CAN YOU

THE QUESTIONS ASK FOR SOMEONE’S HELP OR COOPERATION. The use is less formal than other (can)

Would you please open the door ?

Will you please open the door ?
Can you please open the door ?
Could you please open the door ?
Yes, Of course, Sure, Okay, Certainly

 5. EXPRESSING ADVICE: SHOULD AND OUGHT TO
Should + simple form of a verb(not to)

Ought + to + simple form of a verb

-          My shirt are dirty I {should, ought} to wash them

     Should + not = Shouldn’t                

-          You shouldn’t sleep midnight    ( usually not used in the negative)

Question; should + subject + main verb

-          What should I do ? Run

-          I’m tired today

-          You should/ ought to rest go home

 6. EXPRESSING ADVICE: HAD BETTER
Usually implies a warning about possible bad qonsequences.

-          You’re driving too fast! You’d beteer slow down

-          I’d better send my boss an e-mail right away

        Had usually contracted ‘d.
  
  7. EXPRESSING NECESSITY; HAVE TO, HAVE GOT TO, MUST

EXPRESS THE IDEA THAT SOMETHING NECESSARY.

-          I have a very important test tommorow

I {have to, have got to, must} study tonight

      Have to is used much more frequently in everyday speech and writing than must.

-          All passengers must present their passports at customs upon arrival

     The past form of have to, have got to, must

-          I had to study last night

 8.  EXPRESSING : DO NOT HAVE TO

     EXPRESSING PROHIBITION: MUST NOT

have to expresses the idea that something is not necessary

-          I finished all of my homework this afternoon.

I don’t have to study tonight                                                                       

Must not exprees prohibition

-          You must not play with matches!

Must + not = musn’t

-          You must not play with matches

1                    1.  MAKING LOGICAL CONCLUSION: MUST

To express his logical conclusion

Necessity                                         -  Nancy is yawning

                                               She must be sleepy

Logical conclusion : She must like to play tennis

NECESSITY    :  you must buy a ticket

-          There are shark in the ocean near our hotel. We must not go swimming there.
 2.        GIVING INSTRUCTION: IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

Used to give commands, make polite request and give directions. The difference a command and a request speaker’s tone of voice and use of please.

-          Command

Open the door, please!

Yes, sir

-          Request

Open the door, please!

Okay, i’d be happy to

-          Directions

·         Could you tell me how to get to the post office?

·         Certainly.

  NEGATIVE FORM

   Don’t + the simple form of a verb 
   - Be quiet!             - Don’t be late 

                  3.       MAKING SUGESSTIONS: LET’S AND WHY DON’T

          Let’s  (do something)  and why don’t (do something)

a)      It’s hot today. Let’s go to the beach

Okay

b)      It’s hot today.  Why don’t we go to the beach?

Good idea. 
4.        STATING PREFERENCCES: PREFER LIKE.... BETTER, WOULD RATHER

                  Prefer + noun + to + noun

                 I prefer apples to oranges

                 Like + noun + better than + noun

                 I like aplles batter than oranges

-Would rather is followed simple form of verb

-Ann would rather have an apple than an orange

- I’d rather visit a big city than live there.

Contraction of would = ‘d

She’d / we’d / they’d / I’d / you’d

 Question

Would you rahter an grape or an banana?