A modal verb (also modal, modal auxiliary verb, modal auxiliary) is a type of auxiliary verb that is used to indicate modality – that is, likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation.[1] Examples include the English verbs can/could, may/might, must, will/would, and shall/should. In English and other Germanic languages, modal verbs are often distinguished as a class based on certain grammatical properties. For more detail about modals in English, see English modal verbs. Can Could May Might Will Would Shall (maily in British English) Should Must Ought when to use modal verbs for what are they used for

2.  They are used before the infinitives of other verbs.
 They add certain kinds of meaning connected with
certainty, or with obligation and freedom to act.
 They are:
 Can
 Could
 May
 Might
 Will
 Would
 Shall (maily in British English)
 Should
 Must
 Ought

3.  They have no ‘s’ in the 3rd person singular
 Questions, negatives, tags and short anwers are
made without ‘do’.
Can you swim? Yes, I can.
He shouldn’t be doing that, should he?
She may know his address

4.  With the exception of ‘ought’ , we use the infinitive
without ‘to’ (bare infinitive)
 Continuous, perfect and passive infinitives are
also possible
 They do not have infinitives or participles.
I may not be working tomorrow.
She was so angry she could have killed him.
The kitchen ought to be paintedone of these
days.
I must water the flowers.
You ought to water the flowers.
To may
Maying
Mayed
Do not exist

5.  They do not normally have past forms, (although
would, should, could and might are sometimes
used as past tenses of will, can, shall and may.)
 Certain past ideas can be expressed by a modal
verb followed by a perfect infinitive.
◦ Formed: have + past participle
You should have told me you were coming.
I think I may have annoyed Aunt Mary.

6.  Modal verbs have a contracted negative form
which are used in an informal style.
◦ Shan’t and Mayn’t are used in British English, but
Mayn’t is very rare.
 Need and used to
◦ These are sometimes used in similar ways to modal
verbs.
 You needn’t wait for me.
 She used not to be so bad tempered.

7.  Not for situations that definitely exist.
 Not for particular events that have definitely
happened.
 We use them to talk about things:
 Which we expect
 Which are or are not possible
 Which we think are necessary
 Which we want to happen
 Which we are not sure about
 Which tend to happen
 Which have not happened

8.  The meanings of modal verbs can be divided into
two main groups.
 Degrees of certainty
 Obligation, freedom to act and similar ideas (very
important in the polite expression of requests,
suggestions, invitations and instructions)

9.  Complete certainty (possitive or negative) shall,
will, must, can’t
 Probability (deduction; saying that something is
logical or normal) should, ought to
I shall be away tomorrow.
I shan’t be late on Tuesday.
It won’t rain this evening.
That can’t be John, he is in Dublin.
There’s the doorbell, that’ll be Tony.
Things will be alright.
You must be tired.
She should/ought to be here soon.
It shouldn’t / oughtn’t to be difficult to get
there.

10.  Possibility (talking about the chances that
something is true or will happen.) May
 Weak possibility: might, could
I might see you again, who knows?
Things might not be as bad as they seem
We could all be millionaires one day.
The water may not be warm enough to swim
We may be buying a new house.

11.  Strong obligation – must, will, need
 Prohibition – must not, may not, cannot
 Weak obligation; recommendation – should,
ought to, might, shall (in questions)
Students must register in the first week of
term.
All sales staff will arrive for work by 8.40
a.m.
Need I get a visa for Hungary?
Students must not use the staff car park.
Books may not be taken out of the library.
You can’t come in here.
You should try to work harder.
She really ought to wash her hair.
You might see what John thinks.
What shall we do?

12.  Willingness, volunteering, resolving, insisting and
offering – will, shall (in questions)
 Permission – can, could, may, might
You can use the car if you like.
Could I talk to you for a minute?
May we use the phone?
Do you think I might take a break now?
If you will come this way...
I’ll pay for the drinks.
She will keep interrupting people.
I’ll definitely work harder next term.
Shall I give you a hand?

13.  Absence of obligation – needn’t
 Ability – can, could
She can speak 6 languages.
Anybody who wants to can join the club.
These roses can grow anywhere.
When I was a baby I could put my foot in my
mouth.
You could get to my old school by bus, but
not by train.
You needn’t work this Saturday.

14.  Obligation, permission, etc. are usually seen from
a speaker’s point of view in statements and the
hearer’s point of view in questions.
You must go and see Anne. (I think it is
necessary)
Must you go and see Anne? (Do you think it
is necessary)
You can borrow my car. (I give permission)
Can I borrow you car? (Will you give me
permission?)