LET'S TALK ABOUT MODAL AUXILIARIES IN ENGLISH

I) MODAL AUXILIARIES  IN THE PRESENT TENSE

A) Can: expresses an ability an opportunity  

- Exemplification n°1: Can you speak English?

- Exemplification n°2: Can you drive a van?

B) Can/May: express a permission  

- Exemplification n°1: You can use your telephone to call 911

- Exemplification n°2: You may use the emergency telephone number 911

C) Mustn't/Can't: express an obligation  

Exemplification n°1: You mustn't be warmly clad if you want to travel to the South Pole

Exemplification n°2: You can't be just the two of you call for backup

D) Don't have to/Don't need to/Needn't: express an absence of obligation  

- Exemplification n°1: You don't have to worry about me

- Exemplification n°2: You don't need to stay up so late, finish the project tomorrow

E) Shall (used with I and We): expresses a suggestion 

- Exemplification n°1: Shall I go see if my car has been fixed?

- Exemplification n°2: Shall we let it go at that?

F) Should/Shouldn't or Ought to/Ought not to: all express advice  

- Exemplification n°1: If you have a stinking cold, you ought not to go outside in a storm

- Exemplification n°2: You should phone her at once to find out where she is 

G) Can/Could: express a request  

- Exemplification n°1: Could you explain it to me in detail, please?

- Exemplification n°2: Can you send a copy of the contract by return email?

H) Must: expresses high probability

- Exemplification n°1: The doorbell rings, it must be the postman

- Exemplification n°2: We hear a rambling in the sky, it must be the storm that is looming

I) Can't: expresses incredulity  

- Exemplification n°1: It can't be hot, it's winter!

- Exemplification n°2: This can't be happening, I lost my key again!

J) Might/May/Could: express a possibility 

- Exemplification n°1: There may/might be a slight delivery delay due to heavy traffic 

- Exemplification n°2: There could be a new CEO to lead the company

K) Must and Have to: both express and idea of obligation. However, mustn't and don't have to, do not have the same meaning at all! Check for yourselves with the two examples below:

- Exemplification n°1: You must call him by his last name (it's forbidden to!)

- Exemplification n°2: You don't have to call him by his last name (you are not obligated to!)

II) MODAL AUXILIARIES IN THE PAST TENSE

A) Modal substitutions in the past tense:

In the past tense, we use:

1) Could or Was able to instead of can:  

- Exemplification n°1: Anne couldn't drive at the age of 15 

- Exemplification n°2: Lynn was able to drive by the age of 15

2) Could: expresses a generality in the past tense 

- Exemplification n°1: Sue could sing when she was seven

- Exemplification n°2: When I saw him, I couldn't forget all the misdeeds I endured 

3) Was able to: is used for an isolated action 

- Exemplification n°1: I was able to find a table by the window

- Exemplification n°2: He was able to run the semi-marathon in less than two hours

4) Was able to: describes an ability in the past and implies 'succeeding in doing something'

- Exemplification n°1: Hans was able to count up to ten by the age of five. 

- Exemplification n°2: She was able to wash her hands on her own at a very young age

5) Had to instead of Must: expresses an obligation  

- Exemplification n°1: We had to give up due to bad weather

- Exemplification n°2: They had to go to Paris to meet the new CEO

6) Needed to/Didn't need to: are the past forms of need to. 

- Exemplification n°1: They didn't need to call him on the phone because he was already there

- Exemplification n°2: He needed not to negotiate the contract alone

B) The modal structure + have + past participle:

1) Only a few modals use this form:

- You should have phoned them (= something that didn't happen but we wish it had happened)

- Ought the students (to) have bought a sandwich for lunch? / The students ought have bought a sandwich for lunch / The students oughtn't (to) have bought a sandwich for lunch (= they did not actually do it although it was best or correct for them to do it in the past)

- You needn't have phoned them (= it was not necessary but you did so)  

- You could have phoned them (= you had the possibility to do something in the past but it didn't happen)

- You might have phoned them (= it was a possible action that was not carried out)

2) We can use can't/might/could/must + have + past participle: to make a hypothesis about the past. 

- Exemplification n°1:  Roswitha can't have picked up your book by mistake, she was miles away. 

- Exemplification n°2: Albert might have said it, but I'm not sure! = Albert could have said it, but I'm not sure!

- Exemplification n°3: Sophia must have done it, because that's just like her

III) POLITE REQUESTS

A) Polite requests include: prepositions, suggestions, offers of help 

- Exemplification n°1: Could you pass me the salt, please? Sure thing!

- Exemplification n°2: Would you please remind me of your name?

B) Polite requests are made with modal auxiliaries:

1) Can/Could/Would: for a query

- Exemplification n°1: Can I call you back should I have any further questions?

- Exemplification n°2: Could you let me know when he's definitely finished in this room?

- Exemplification n°3: Would you be kind enough to do it for me?

2) Shall: for a suggestion 

- Exemplification n°1: Shall we open the window to let the sun in?

- Exemplification n°2: Let's do it, shall we?

3) Would you like: to propose something  

- Exemplification n°1: Would you like to take a break before continuing?

- Exemplification n°2: I would like you to have a salary increase following your achievements

4) May: to request permission  

- Exemplification n°1: May I open the window to let some fresh air in?

- Exemplification n°2: May I leave now because I have another meeting to attend?

IV) LIKE / WOULD LIKE / BE LIKE

A) Like: expresses a generality, Would like a desire or a preference in a given situation 

- Exemplification n°1: I like soft drinks. Do you like Coca-Cola? Yes, I do / No, she doesn't

- Exemplification n°2: I would like some Coca-Cola. Would you like to drink it through a straw?

B) Be like: is used to describe something or somebody

- Exemplification n°1: Your newly purchased used car is just like the old one

- Exemplification n°2: What is the new hire like? = How is the new recruit?

V) SUGGESTIONS

We saw in the chapter 'polite chapter' that shall allowed us to make suggestions. There are many other ways to offer something and you need to know them because you can come across them during a test.

A) With a modal followed by a verb base:

- Exemplification n°1: Shall we call it a day?

- Exemplification n°2: You could call it a day

- Exemplification n°3: You should call it a day

B) With let's or why don't we/you + verb base:

- Exemplification n°1: Let's call it a day, shall we?

- Exemplification n°2: Why don't you call it a day?

C) With how about or what about + ing verb:

- Exemplification n°1: How about calling it a day?

- Exemplification n°2: What about calling it a day?

D) With the conditional:

- Exemplification n°1: If I were you, I would call it a day

- Exemplification n°2: If I were you, I wouldn't call it a day



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