Modal verbs II | examples and exercises

Modal verbs II

The verbs will, would, shall, should, can, could, may, might, must, ought to and used to are called modal verbs, because they convey a particular meaning or mood. Modal verbs have some important grammatical features.

1 - Apart from can and could they do not have past or future forms, or use any auxiliary verb (e.g. do/did) either to make a question or a negative:

• Will she be there? • I could not help it.

An exception to this is “used to”, which often takes did as an alternative auxiliary:

• Did you use to be good at maths?

• Used you to be good at maths?

2 - Modal verbs (except ought to and used to) take the infinitive without to:

• They can't have arrived yet.

• You must have seen her.

An alternative to can is be able to, which is used for all tenses:

• They'll be able to book the tickets soon.

Could is used as the past simple or conditional of can.

An alternative to must is have to, which is used for all tenses:

• Surely you didn't have to pay!

See the study boxes below for differences in meaning of these verbs.

Note the short forms will not ~ won't, shall not ~ shan't, cannot ~ can't.

Dare and need can be used either as normal verbs:

• I didn't dare (to) mention it.

• He doesn't need to borrow any money.

Or as modal verbs:

 • She daren't tell him the truth.

• You need not cry.

See the study box below for the different uses of need.

Must/mustn't are used

A - To express commands or the authority of the speaker:

• You must do what I say in future.

B - To express an internal obligation, from the speaker's viewpoint:

• I mustn't forget to phone Jake this evening.

Have got to can be used in all tenses instead of must to express external obligation, especially rules or laws made by someone else:

• We've got to check in at least an hour before take-off.

The modal form needn't is usually used to express the speaker's own opinion or viewpoint: • You needn't phone me unless there’s any problem.

Don't need to is less personal and is usually used to express lack of external obligation: • If you're a UK citizen, you don't need to have a work permit.

Didn't need to do and didn't have to do mean that something was not done, because it was not necessary.

Needn't have done means that something was done, although it was not necessary.

Should/shouldn't and ought to/oughtn't to are both used

A - to express the idea of duty or strong advice. Should gives the speaker's subjective opinion, whereas ought to is a little more forceful, based on objective considerations.

Other uses of should are

B - Instead of would in formal writing:

• I should be glad to hear from you as soon as possible.

C - to convey an assumption:

• Jane should have arrived at the office by now.

D - As a formal or literary alternative to an “if” clause:

• Should the star be ill, the concert will be cancelled.

To express a remote possibility with an “if” clause:

• If they should ever ask about it, tell them the truth.

And after in case:

• We'll hide, in case they should see us.

E - to make a suggestion or a request for advice:

• What should I wear to the wedding?

F - After so that, in order that, verbs like command, insist, suggest, and adjectives like vital, essential, necessary, anxious, to show that something must be done: • I'm anxious that he should feel at home.

Could is used

To express general ability in the past:

• I could read when I was three.

For an achievement on a particular occasion in the past, was able to/managed to/succeeded in are used instead:

• How many letters were you able to write last night?

Couldn't is used

For both general and particular ability.

Used to and would are both used to talk about past habits. Used to is used for situations and actions, whereas would only refers to repeated actions:

• I used to have a guinea-pig when I was younger.

• Lisa would always eat porridge for breakfast.

A question tag is composed of

An auxiliary verb and a personal pronoun. If there is a modal verb in the main clause, we use this in the question tag:

• They won't mind, will they? • He can swim, can't he?

Remember that will you? is the usual question tag after a command, and

 shall we? after a suggestion with Let's.

Exercise 1:

Complete the sentences with the correct verb: will |dare| may| be able| ought| should| used| have­|

1 -How________ you speak to me like that?

2 -He really________ admit that he is to blame for the whole affair.

3 -When she was younger, she never________ to wear make-up.

4 -________ I use your phone, please?

5 -Do you think he’l l________ to come up with the money in time?

6 -Steel yourself - it’s just possible you might________ to pay a heavy fine.

7 -The authorities________ to have investigated the incident more thoroughly.

8 -There’s every likelihood our candidate________ win the election.

Exercise 2:

Complete the sentences, using the correct word or phrase from the pair in brackets.

1.    You________ take flowers to your hostess if you don’t want to. (mustn’t / needn’t)

2.    She________ do all the work herself, because nobody will help her. (must / has to)

3.    I’m so tired, I really________ go to bed now. (must / have to)

4.    What a pity you________ go now! You’ll just catch your train if you hurry, (must / have to)

5.    Yesterday all the students ________ read a poem aloud. (must / had to)

6.    I was going to book the tickets, but Angus bought them on his way home, so I _________ . (didn’t need to / needn’t have done)

7.    When I turned up at the hospital and saw Natalia surrounded by visitors, I realised I ________ coming. (didn’t need to bother / needn’t have bothered)

8.    You________________ smoke in here. It’s against the rules. (mustn’t / needn’t)

Exercise 3:

Complete the sentences with the correct question tag.

1 We can’t see him yet,_________ ?

2 I ought to pay now,________ ?

3 Remember to lock up,_________ ?

4 You’d rather wait till next week,.

5 He must be there,_________?

6 It might rain tonight,_________ ?

7 They had to do it,_________ ?

8 Don’t tell him about it,________ '

9 Let’s have a picnic on the beach, _

10 You love him very much,_________ ?

11 I’d better not say anything,________ ?

12 We could stay overnight,_________ ?