Modal Auxiliary
Verbs
Verbs - An Overview
Verbs belong to the class of words (Part of
Speech) that are used to show :
an action (do, throw, run),
existence (be),
possession (have),
or state (know, love, sleep) of a subject.
To put it simply a verb shows what something
or someone does.
Types of Verbs
Verbs can be divided into two categorize on
the basis of role in a sentence.
1) Main Verbs
2) Auxiliary Verbs or Helping Verbs
1) Main verbs
They are sometime called Full Verbs or Principal
Verbs or non-auxiliary verbs.
Main verbs have meaning on their own
(unlike helping verbs).
E.g.: He is writing a letter.
The main verb expresses ‘the main action’ or
‘state of being’ of the subject in the sentence
1) Main verbs
It changes form according to the subject
(singular, plural, 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd
person).
Ali writes a letter.
We write a letter.
I write a letter.
You write a letter.
He writes a letter.
The main verb changes its form according to the
tense (perfect tense, past tense, simple tense etc).
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
Auxiliary means functioning in a supporting capacity.
They are also known as helping verbs.
They are used together with a main verb.
Types of Auxiliary verbs:
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
b. Modal Auxiliaries: can, could, may, might,
must, shall, should, will, would etc
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
English has three primary auxiliary verbs: To be, to do and to
have.
‘Be’ is the most common verb in the English.
It can be used as an auxiliary and a main verb.
Base form = be
Infinitive form = to be
Present / first form = am/is/are
Past / Second form = was/were
Past Participle/ third form = been
The ‘-ing’ form (Present Participle/Gerund) = being
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
To do: It can be used as an auxiliary and a main
verb.
It is often used in questions.
Base form = do
Infinitive form = to do
Present/ First form = do/does
Past / Second form = did
Past Participle/ third form = done
The ‘-ing’ form (Present Participle/ Gerund) =
doing
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
a. Primary Auxiliaries: To be, to do and to have
To have
Have is one of the most common verbs in the
English language.
Base form = have
Infinitive form = to have
Present form/ First form = have / has
Past form / Second form = had
Past Participle /Third form = had
The ‘-ing’ form ( Present Participle / Gerund
= having
2) Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
b. Modal Auxiliaries
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.
The modal verbs are:
can, could, may, might, shall, should, will,
would, used to, must, ought to, need, dare etc
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Ability I can swim.
(in the present)
Inability /
We cannot fix it.
Can Impossibility
Permission Can I smoke here?
Request Can you help me?
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
1. Permission Could I borrow your
dictionary?
2. Polite
Request Could you say it again more
slowly?
Could 3. Suggestion
We could try to fix it ourselves.
4. Future
possibility During Monsoon , the sea could
be a dangerous place to swim.
5. Ability in
the past
I could drive a car when I was
in school.
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Possibility We may have an English class
next week?
Permission May I come in sir?
May Prayer/ wish/ May you live long!
blessing
Curse May he fail in the exam!
To offer help May I help you in cooking?
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Possibility I might go to London tomorrow.
Might
Past of ‘May’ He said that he might go for the
in Indirect seminar.
Speech
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Future Tense He will go to the university
tomorrow.
Offer I will do that for you if you like.
Will
Polite Request Will you help me in my
assignment?
Determination/ I will not listen to his
willingness explanation.
Modal Uses Example
Habitual We would play cricket daily.
Action in Past Would you lend me your pen?
Polite Request Misbah would probably be fit
Possibility before World Cup.
Would you mind if I brought a
Permission colleague with me?
Would "Would three o`clock suit you?" -
Making "That’d be fine."
Arrangements Would you like to play golf this
Invitation Friday?
"Would you prefer tea or coffee?" -
Preferences "I’d like tea please.”
She told me that she would like to
Past of will take admission.
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Threat They shall be punished for their
wrong doings.
Shall
(More Prohibition You shall not ask question during
the class.
common
in the UK Suggestion Shall we go for a picnic this
than the weekend?
US)
Offer Shall I help you with your luggage?
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Advise/ You should learn you lessons on
Suggestion time.
Recommending I think we should check
Should action everything again.
Uncertain Profits should increase next year.
prediction
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Obligation We must respect all religions.
Conjecture She must have forgotten the keys.
Must /Guess
Compulsion You must reach the class on time.
Prohibition You mustn´t drive without a license.
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Saying what’s We ought to employ a professional
right or writer.
correct
Ought to
Moral We ought to look after our old
obligation parents.
Probability They ought to win the game today.
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Past Habit They used to study together in
(would) school.
Used to
Existence of There used to be a hotel at the
something corner of the street.
in the past
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Necessity
(to-infinitive) You need to work hard for
(Need as a your exam.
Need main verb)
(Need is
a semi-
modal Absence of
obligation or You need not to go too early.
verb.)
necessity
(need as a
models verb)
b. Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Uses Example
Courage How dare you touch my bag?
Dare
Challenge You dare not object to my
argument.
Comparison of Modal Auxiliaries
Making Prediction
Least certain -------------------------------------------------------------- Most
Certain
Could would can will
Making Polite Requests
Most Polite -------------------------------------------------------------- Most Direct
(Formal) Could would can will (Informal)
Requesting Permission
Most Polite -------------------------------------------------------------- Most Direct
(Formal) Might Could May can (Informal)
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