All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals.

Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals

only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence.

Be, do, and have also differ from the other auxiliaries in that they can also serve as ordinary verbs
in a given sentence.

The modal verbs are:-

CAN / COULD / MAY / MIGHT / MUST / SHALL / SHOULD / OUGHT TO / WILL / WOULD

Modal Example Uses

Can They can control their own budgets. Ability / Possibility

We can’t fix it. Inability / Impossibility

Can I smoke here? Asking for permission

Can you help me? Request

Could Could I borrow your dictionary? Asking for permission.

Could you say it again more slowly? Request

We could try to fix it ourselves. Suggestion

I think we could have another Gulf War. Future possibility

He gave up his old job so he could work for us. Ability in the past

May May I have another cup of coffee? Asking for permission

China may become a major economic power. Future possibility

Might We'd better phone tomorrow, they might be eating their Present possibility
dinner now.
Future possibility
They might give us a 10% discount.

Must We must say good-bye now. Necessity / Obligation

They mustn’t disrupt the work more than necessary. Prohibition

Ought to We ought to employ a professional writer. Saying what’s right or correct

 Shall Shall I help you with your luggage? Offer
(More
common in Shall we say 2.30 then? Suggestion
the UK than
the US)
Shall I do that or will you? Asking what to do

Should We should sort out this problem at once. Saying what’s right or correct

I think we should check everything again. Recommending action

Profits should increase next year. Uncertain prediction

Will I can’t see any taxis so I’ll walk. Instant decisions

I'll do that for you if you like. Offer

I’ll get back to you first thing on Monday. Promise

Profits will increase next year. Certain prediction

Would Would you mind if I brought a colleague with me? Asking for permission

Would you pass the salt please? Request

Would you mind waiting a moment? Request

"Would three o`clock suit you?" - "That’d be fine." Making arrangements

Would you like to play golf this Friday? Invitation

"Would you prefer tea or coffee?" - "I’d like tea Preferences

please."

!Note The modal auxiliary verbs are always followed by the base form.

The verb used to, which is explained here, can also be used like a modal verb.

 See more at:

http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/verbmodal.html#sthash.2nO8wEmx.dpuf
VERBOS MODALES

Los siguientes verbos son auxiliares modales:

CAN – COULD – MIGHT – MUST – SHALL – SHOULD – WILL – WOULD.

Los verbos modales comparten ciertas características. Observa:

1. Estos verbos "ayudan" a otros verbos a conjugarse. La forma del verbo es

INFINITIVO SIN "TO".
She can drive. Ella puede (sabe) conducir.
I must get my hair cut. Debo hacerme cortar el pelo.

2. Con estos verbos no se usa DO ni DOES para el interrogativo.

Can Lucy sing in French? ¿Puede (sabe) cantar Lucy en francés?
Should I go home now? ¿Debería irme a casa ahora?

3. Con estos verbos no se usa DON'T ni DOESN'T para el negativo.

Simplemente se agrega NOT o N'T.
I would not (wouldn't) like to be a teacher. No me gustaría ser maestro/a.
You must not (mustn't) steal. No debes robar.

Para el negativo con WILL (will + not) se prefiere usar la contracción WON'T.
It won't rain tomorrow. No lloverá mañana.

4. El formato verbal es idéntico para todas las personas. No se agrega -S o

-ES a las tres terceras personas del singular (he, she, it).
He can dance very well. Él puede (sabe) bailar muy bien.
She should try harder. Ella debería esforzarse más.
It will rain very soon. Lloverá muy pronto.

5. La mayoría de los verbos auxiliares modales se refieren al presente y al

futuro. CAN es el único modal que tiene pasado directo = COULD (pude,
pudo, podía, sabía). Observa:
I could swim when I was three. Yo podía (sabía) nadar cuando tenía tres
años.

EXPRESANDO OBLIGACION
Observa las siguientes oraciones:

- We have to know daily what the prices are.

Tenemos que conocer a diario cuáles son los precios.
- Every day Robinson has to fax his opinion on the politics.
 Todos los días Robinson tiene que faxear su opinión sobre la política.

En ambos ejemplos el verbo modal have to se usa para expresar una obligación.
Pero no todos los niveles de obligación tienen la misma intensidad. Para
expresar diferentes Grados de Obligación, puedes utilizar los siguientes verbos
modales:

ECE CONSEJO AUSENCIA DE OBLIGACION

o NECESIDAD

have to should / shouldn't don't have to

must / mustn' ought to needn't
need to don't need to

Es importante destacar que habitualmente existe una marcada diferencia

entremust y have to (que los hispanohablantes suelen no tener en cuenta):
a) MUST se usa para hablar acerca de lo que nosotros consideramos que es
importante:

I must finish this today. (I would like to start working on the new project
tomorrow)
Debo terminar esto hoy. (Me gustaría comenzar a trabajar en el nuevo
proyecto mañana).

b) HAVE TO se usa preferentemente para hablar acerca de una obligación

impuesta desde afuera, externa a nosotros.

I have to attend a meeting. (The boss has asked me to attend the meeting).
Tengo que asistir a una reunión. (El jefe me pidió que asistiese a la reunión).

Finalmente, observa ahora los diferentes significados que tienen las formas
negativas de must y have to:
a) Usamos MUSTN'T para indicar que es importante no hacer algo, por
ejemplo, por estar prohibido:

You mustn't tell Monica about this. (Don't tell her)

No debes comentarle a Mónica acerca de esto. (No le comentes).

b) Usamos DON'T HAVE TO para indicar que no hay obligación de hacer

algo, es decir, puedes hacerlo si lo deseas, pero no es necesario:

You don't have to tell Lisa. (You can tell her if you want to, but it isn't
necessary)
No tienes que comentárselo a Lisa. (Puedes comentárselo si lo deseas, pero
no es necesario).