Verbs · pillar 8 of 16

Modal verbs

ability · permission · obligation · advice · deduction

17 lessons from A1 to C2 · 61 grammar points

Mindmap: Modals from A1 to C2

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# 8 Modal verbs ## A1 - can / can't for ability - can for permission and requests (Can I…? Can you…?) - How modal verbs work: no -s, no to, no do (She can swim) ## A2 - must vs have to - mustn't (not allowed) vs don't have to (not necessary) - have got to (informal) - had to for past obligation - should / shouldn't for advice and opinions - could for past ability - be able to (will be able to, have been able to) - Could you…? May I…? (polite requests and permission) - may / might (not) for possibility - might vs will (less certain) - Suggestions: Let's…, Shall we…?, Why don't we…?, How about + -ing?, We could… - Offers: Shall I…? I'll… Would you like…? - can / could with verbs of perception (I can see it; I could hear voices) ## B1 - Deduction now: must (sure), might / may / could (possible), can't (impossible) - should for expectation (He should be home by now) - had better (strong advice, warning) - ought to - be supposed to - need to / don't need to / needn't - be allowed to / be permitted to - could vs managed to / was able to (one success in the past) - Would you mind + -ing? / Would you mind if I…? - Do you mind if I…? - I wonder if you could… - would for polite requests (Would you…?) - could for possibility, offers and suggestions (It could rain; I could help; You could ask her) - can / could for general possibility (It can get very cold in November) ## B2 - Deduction about the past: must have, can't / couldn't have, may / might / could have - should have / ought to have (criticism, regret) - could have (a possibility that didn't happen) - would have (unreal past) - needn't have vs didn't need to - You might have told me! (reproach) - Modal + be + -ing (He must be working) - Modal + be + past participle (It should be done) - Modal + have been + past participle - dare (I don't dare / I daren't) - need as a modal (Need I…? You needn't) - be able to in all tenses and after other verbs (I'd love to be able to…) - won't / wouldn't for refusal (The car won't start) ## C1 - may / might / could well - may / might as well - will for assumptions (That'll be John) - would for typical behavior (He would say that) - shall for formal offers, suggestions and rules - could do with - I dare say / How dare you - Modal + have been + -ing (must have been waiting) - can't (deduction) vs mustn't (prohibition) - be to vs have to - Combining modal meanings (will have to be able to) - will for orders and formal instructions (You will report to reception at nine) ## C2 - Putative should (It's odd that he should say that) - shall in legal and formal documents - You would say that! (criticism) - You might want to… (polite suggestion) - You could have told me! (irritation) - would-be (a would-be writer)

Lessons in this pillar

A1.21can / can't (and how modal verbs work)CoreSoonComing soon
A2.19must, mustn't, have to, don't have toCoreSoonComing soon
A2.20should for adviceMiniSoonComing soon
A2.21could, be able to; asking for things & permissionCoreSoonComing soon
A2.22may & mightMiniSoonComing soon
A2.23Suggestions & offers: Let's, Shall we, How aboutMiniSoonComing soon
B1.17Deduction now: must, might, can'tCoreSoonComing soon
B1.18had better, ought to, be supposed toMiniSoonComing soon
B1.19need, be allowed to, managed toCoreSoonComing soon
B1.20Polite requests: Would you mind…?MiniSoonComing soon
B2.9Deduction about the past: must have, can't haveCoreSoonComing soon
B2.10Past modals: should have, could have, needn't haveCoreSoonComing soon
B2.11Modals with continuous & passive infinitivesMiniSoonComing soon
B2.12dare, need; be able to; won't for refusalMiniSoonComing soon
C1.10Modality 1: may well, might as well, That'll be JohnCoreSoonComing soon
C1.11Modality 2: must have been waiting; can't or mustn't?CoreSoonComing soon
C2.6Fine modalityCoreSoonComing soon

Every grammar point

The complete checklist for this pillar. Nothing is left out.

A1

can / can't for ability
can for permission and requests (Can I…? Can you…?)
How modal verbs work: no -s, no to, no do (She can swim)

A2

must vs have to
mustn't (not allowed) vs don't have to (not necessary)
have got to (informal)
had to for past obligation
should / shouldn't for advice and opinions
could for past ability
be able to (will be able to, have been able to)
Could you…? May I…? (polite requests and permission)
may / might (not) for possibility
might vs will (less certain)
Suggestions: Let's…, Shall we…?, Why don't we…?, How about + -ing?, We could…
Offers: Shall I…? I'll… Would you like…?
can / could with verbs of perception (I can see it; I could hear voices)

B1

Deduction now: must (sure), might / may / could (possible), can't (impossible)
should for expectation (He should be home by now)
had better (strong advice, warning)
ought to
be supposed to
need to / don't need to / needn't
be allowed to / be permitted to
could vs managed to / was able to (one success in the past)
Would you mind + -ing? / Would you mind if I…?
Do you mind if I…?
I wonder if you could…
would for polite requests (Would you…?)
could for possibility, offers and suggestions (It could rain; I could help; You could ask her)
can / could for general possibility (It can get very cold in November)

B2

Deduction about the past: must have, can't / couldn't have, may / might / could have
should have / ought to have (criticism, regret)
could have (a possibility that didn't happen)
would have (unreal past)
needn't have vs didn't need to
You might have told me! (reproach)
Modal + be + -ing (He must be working)
Modal + be + past participle (It should be done)
Modal + have been + past participle
dare (I don't dare / I daren't)
need as a modal (Need I…? You needn't)
be able to in all tenses and after other verbs (I'd love to be able to…)
won't / wouldn't for refusal (The car won't start)

C1

may / might / could well
may / might as well
will for assumptions (That'll be John)
would for typical behavior (He would say that)
shall for formal offers, suggestions and rules
could do with
I dare say / How dare you
Modal + have been + -ing (must have been waiting)
can't (deduction) vs mustn't (prohibition)
be to vs have to
Combining modal meanings (will have to be able to)
will for orders and formal instructions (You will report to reception at nine)

C2

Putative should (It's odd that he should say that)
shall in legal and formal documents
You would say that! (criticism)
You might want to… (polite suggestion)
You could have told me! (irritation)
would-be (a would-be writer)