THE CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BANGALORE

ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25

GRADE 11; ENGLISH - NOTES

GRAMMAR : MODALS

What are modal verbs?

Modals (also called modal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs, modal auxiliaries) are special verbs that behave
irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like “work, play, visit…” They give
additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety of
communicative functions.

The words that describe the ‘mode’ of the verb are called modals. They are also called modal auxiliaries.
They are never used alone. Together with the verb which follows them, they express the mode or manner
of the action denoted by the verb.

The main modals are:

can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, need to have to
The negative modals are:
couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t, mustn’t, needn’t, oughtn’t/ought not to

Modal Example Uses

She can swim very well. ability

It can rain today. possibility/probability
can/can’t
Can you help me? request
Can I help you with this work? offer

Could you please repeat what you said?

request
We could go for a movie today.
suggestion
could/couldn’t I think you could come first this time.
possibility/probability
There was a time when I could run with
past ability
the hare.

May I have some sugar?

request
May I help you?
offer
May I open the window?
may permission
India may become a superpower by
possibility/probability
2020.
wish/desire
May God bless you.

future
might They might give us a good discount.
possibility/probability
 It is raining so I will stay at home. intention
I will help you if you come over. offer
will/won’t Will you help me? request
It will rain tonight. prediction
I will get you a laptop from Australia. promise

Would you mind if I take an off

tomorrow? permission
Would you pass the salt? request
would/wouldn’t Would five o’clock suit you? making arrangements
Yes, it would. invitation
Would you have dinner with us tonight? preference
Would you prefer tea or coffee?

Shall I help you?

offer
Shalt we meet at 3.00 p.m.?
making arrangements
shall/should We should check the timings of the
recommended action
train.
advice
You should listen to your conscience.

You ought to serve your parents. advice

ought to
The bus ought to be here any minute. probability

We must make a move now. obligation

must/mustn’t
You must do your duty. necessity

He need not go to the market. necessity

need You need to lose weight. compulsion
I need to take time off. insistence

I. Use suitable modals to complete the dialogue given below.

Waiter: Good evening, sir. What (a) ……………… you like to have?
Man: I (b) ……………… like to have a drink.
Waiter: What drink (c) …………….. you like, sir?
Man: You (d) ……………… bring something hot.
Waiter: (e) ……………….. I bring a cup of coffee?
Man: Yes, you (f) ………………..
Waiter: (g) …………….. you like it with milk or without milk?
Man: I (h) …………… like it with milk. I (i) …………….. like to have a sandwich too.
Waiter: (j) ……………. I bring a veg sandwich or non-veg sandwich?
Man: I (k) ………………. take veg.
Waiter: I (l) …………….. be back within a few minutes, sir.

Answer:
(a) would
(b) would
(c) would
(e) May
(f) may
(g) would
(h) would
(i) would
(j) Should
(k) will
(l) will/shall

II. Fill in the blanks with suitable modals.

Whenever I think of my school Principal, I feel highly impressed by his habit of going on a regular
morning walk. He …………………………. get up early. Rain or storm, he …………………………. go
for a walk. Even when he fell ill, no one in the house …………………………. stops him from going out.
He …………………………. always say that morning walks …………………………. cure him of
illnesses and he was right. He never fell ill. At the age of seventy – five, he …………………………. run
for miles together and …………………………. leave youngsters far behind. Now he is running ninety
miles …………………………. he lives long!

Answer:
Whenever I think of my school Principal, I feel highly impressed by his habit of going on a regular
morning walk. He would get up early. Rain or storm, he will go on for a walk. Even when he fell ill, no
one in the house could stop him from going out. He used to always say that morning walks—cure him of
illnesses and he was right. He never fell ill. At the age of seventy—five, he—run for miles together and
even leave youngsters far behind. Now he is running ninety miles. May he live long!

III. Fill in the blanks with suitable modals.

The art of cooking was perfected in ancient India. When people were eating raw meat the world over,
Indians …………………………. prepare hundreds of food items from one single commodity. Even
today we know that we …………………………. prepare many items from milk alone. It
…………………………. be curd, butter, cheese, sweet burfis, etc. Unfortunately, this milk-producing
country is running short of milk. We …………………………. not improve this condition unless we pay
serious attention to our milk – cattle. We …………………………. improve their breed by new scientific
methods. Attention …………………………. also be paid to their proper nourishment.

Answer:
The art of cooking was perfected in ancient India. When people were eating raw meat the world over,
Indians would prepare hundreds of food items from one single commodity. Even today we know that we
can prepare many items from milk alone. It may be curd, butter, cheese, sweet burfis, etc. Unfortunately,
this milk-producing country is running short of milk. We will not improve this condition unless we pay
serious attention to our milk—cattle. We ought to improve their breed by new scientific methods.
Attention must also be paid to their proper nourishment.

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