Modal Verbs
Modal verbs
Verbos modales
01
What are they ?
¿Qué son?
What are modal verbs?
Modal verbs are auxiliary For example: My keys
verbs. This means that must be in the car; (My
they do not conjugate with keys are probably in the
the grammatical persons. car.)
A modal verb can express Here the modal verb must
capacity, need, condition modifies the verb to be, to
or "modality", hence its indicate that it is very
meaning depends on the likely that the keys are in
context of the sentence the car, we are almost
and the verbs with which sure of it
they are conjugated.
The most used modal
verbs in English are 10:
✿ Can
✿ Could Poder
✿ May Podría
Mayo
✿ Might Podría
✿ Will Voluntad
haría
✿ Would
Debe
✿ Must Deberá
✿ Shall Debería
✿ Should
The characteristics of modal verbs
There are four main characteristics of modal verbs:
They are not conjugated, as we saw in the previous section.
They modify other verbs, so after a modal verb there is always a verb in its infinitive form (without the
to), for example:
you can eat better
(You can eat better)
They express certainty, ability, need, disposition and obligation.
The negative or interrogative form of a modal verb does not need an auxiliary, since the verb in question
is used for those purposes, for example:
I can't swim
Can you drive?
How to use modal verbs in English according to the type of sentence
✿ 2: Negative sentences
✿ 1: Affirmative sentences ✿ Subject + modal verb (negative) + verb
(infinitive) + complement.
✿ The structure is made up of
✿ To convert a modal verb to a negative we can
✿ Subject + modal verb + verb simply add “not” after the modal verb. As in the
(infinitive form) + case of “might not” “may not” “ought not to”
complement. “shall not”
✿ However, in practice various contractions are
✿ e.g. I should call my friend used. Thus we have:
✿ Can't, couldn't, shouldn't, won't, wouldn't,
mustn't,
✿ e.g. I can't go out today - I can't go out today
Interrogative sentences:
✿ As you have to remember, the
auxiliaries in a question are placed
before the subject, the same
happens with the modal verbs:
✿ Modal verb + subject + infinitive
verb + complement + ?
✿ e.g. Would you like a cup of tea?
Ejemplos
Should
✿ This verb that translates into Spanish as
"must" has the idea of an obligation or
recommendation. Examples:
You should take your medicine
We should not be in this meeting
Should I rest more?
Must
✿ On some occasions it can mean
assumptions, but more commonly it
refers to needs or commitments.
He must be back by tomorrow
You must not litter
Must I go to the dentist today?
✿ You can find me in the park.
✿ I'm going to order the chicken pasta, please.
✿ You should continue to study English with a self-paced study course.
✿ You should do what's best for you
✿ we couldn't finish the essay
✿ You shouldn't play with your food.
✿ Let's go?
✿ i would never hurt you
✿ I would never hurt you
✿ They will come today, because they might be busy tomorrow.
✿ We may have to buy more food, we are too many
✿ Puedes encontrarme en el parque.
✿ Voy a pedir la pasta con pollo, por favor.
✿ Debe continuar estudiando inglés con un curso de estudio a su propio ritmo.
✿ Debes hacer lo que es mejor para ti
✿ no pudimos terminar el ensayo
✿ No deberías jugar con tu comida.
✿ ¿Vamos?
✿ nunca te lastimaría
✿ nunca te lastimaría
✿ Vendrán hoy, porque podrían estar ocupados mañana.
✿ Puede que tengamos que comprar más comida, somos demasiados
Modal verbs
Verbos modales
