Grammar Talk: Unit 5

Page 75

English modals are sometimes called

“incomplete verbs.” That is because they act like

verbs in some ways, but not in others.

The Modals are:

• shall and should • will and would • may and might • can and could

Modals are different from other verbs!

• They don’t take –s in the third person singular

(he/she/it)Example: He eats, but he must eat.

• A modal is always followed by the base form (dictionary

form) of another verb.

There are other expressions that we often study at the same time as

we study modals because they have similar meanings. We call these “modal-like expressions”:

- to have to- to be supposed to- to be allowed to

-ought to

Modals are TRICKY!

• Funny things happen in the negative!

(For example, must = have to, but “mustn’t” and “don’t have to” have

different meanings.)

And modals OFTEN change meaning in the past tense!

Obligation (Necessity)You must

ORhave toORhave got to

call them. You must notORcan’tORare not allowed to

call them.

Note the different meaning of “have to” in the negative:You don’t have to call them.

You had to call them You couldn’tORweren’t allowed to

call them.

Note the different meaning:

You didn’t have to call them.

AdviceYou had better

ORShouldORought to

leave early You had better notORshouldn’t

leave early

You should haveORought to have

left early. You shouldn’t have left early.

ExpectationYou are

supposed toORare to

take a gift. You are not supposed toORare not to

do this.

You were supposed toORwere to

take a gift. You were not supposed toORwere not to

do

do

this.

this.

Suggestion

You couldmight

give roses.

You could havemight have

given roses.

No Obligation (No Necessity)

You don’t have todon’t need to

call them.

You didn’t have todidn’t need to

call them.