Modals: Introduction & Usage
Modals (also called modal verbs or modal auxiliary verbs) are special verbs that behave irregularly in English. They are used to express functions such as permission, ability, obligation, prohibition, lack of necessity, advice, possibility, and probability. Understanding modals is crucial for conveying precise meaning in English.
Common Modals and Their Functions:
Can / Could
- Can: Ability (I can swim), Permission (You can leave), Possibility (It can be true).
- Could: Past ability (I could swim), Polite permission (Could I borrow?), Possibility (It could rain), Suggestion (We could go).
May / Might
- May: Permission (You may come in), Possibility (It may rain).
- Might: Slight possibility (It might snow tomorrow), Polite suggestion.
Will / Would
- Will: Future intention (I will go), Prediction (It will be cold), Willingness (I will help).
- Would: Polite request (Would you help?), Habitual past (I would often play), Conditional (If I were rich, I would buy).
Shall / Should
- Shall: Future (formal, with I/we), Offer (Shall I open?), Suggestion (Shall we go?).
- Should: Advice (You should study), Obligation (We should obey), Expectation (They should be home).
Must / Ought to
- Must: Strong obligation (You must wear), Certainty (She must be intelligent), Strong recommendation.
- Ought to: Moral obligation (You ought to respect), Strong advice (similar to 'should').
Need / Dare
- Need: Necessity (You needn't worry - negative modal).
- Dare: Challenge, courage (How dare you? I dare not speak - often negative/interrogative).
Key Characteristics of Modals:
- They are always followed by the base form of the main verb (e.g., can go, not can goes or can to go).
- They do not take '-s' in the third person singular (e.g., He can sing, not He cans sing).
- They do not use 'do/does/did' in questions or negatives (e.g., Can you swim? not Do you can swim? I cannot swim, not I do not can swim).
- They have no '-ing' or '-ed' forms.