MODAL VERBS AND ASSOCIATED MEANINGS

MODALS AND ASSOCIATED VERBS
VERB	USE	EXAMPLE
BE ABLE TO	Ability / Capability (past, present, future	After the operation John was able to walk again.(single past occasion) I’m able to play tennis twice a week. (circumstances permit me to do this) I will be able to visit Paris next year. (nothing should prevent me from doing this)
MANAGE TO	Ability / Capable of doing something with a degree of difficulty (past, present, future)	I managed to get two tickets for the concert. (a degree of difficulty was involved) I manage to play tennis twice a week. I hope you will manage to come. (even though you may encounter difficulty in doing this)
CAN	Ability / Capability (present)	I can swim.
	Permission	You can go to the cinema.
	Possibility	Smoking can cause cancer.
	Request	Can I have a biscuit, please?
	Offer	Can I help you, madam?
	Negative deduction (present)	You can’t be hungry, you have just eaten two pizzas.
	Prohibition	You can never tell anyone.
COULD	Ability / Capability (past)	I could swim when I was seven.
	Permission	We could go to the cinema once a week.
	Possibility	This vase could be very valuable.
	Request	Could I use your phone, please?
	Offer	Could I be of any help?
	Suggestion	You could buy Mary some flowers.
	Negative deduction (past)	It couldn’t have been John because he has an alibi.
MAY	Permission	You may leave the room.
	Possibility	He may be waiting for us when we arrive.
	Request	May I use your phone, please? (formal request)
	Offer	May I help you, sir?
	Prohibition	You may not use this computer.
	Speculation	John may have gone to Spain.
MIGHT	Possibility	John might come to your party.
	Speculation	Someone might have already told his wife.
	Suggestion	You might not want to drink this because it’s very bitter.
	Conditional	If you invite him he might come. If you had invited him he might have come to your party.
MUST	Deduction	He failed the exam.   He must be disappointed
	Necessity	To overcome these difficulties we must all work together.
	Obligation	John must work harder if he wants to pass this exam. (subjective obligation) All expenses must be approved by the manager.
	Prohibition	You mustn’t use this computer. (emphatic)
	Emphatic advice	You must see this film, it’s great.
HAVE TO	Obligation	You have to stop when the traffic light is red. (imposed obligation)
	Negative: Not necessary and not done	I don’t have to go to work tomorrow. I didn’t have to water the flowers yesterday because it rained.
NEED	Necessity	Do you think I need to take an umbrella?
	Negative	You needn’t water the flowers as John will be back tomorrow. (not necessary) I needn’t have watered the flowers because it rained in the afternoon. (done but not necessary)
OUGHT TO	Deduction	He has studied very hard, he ought to pass the exam.
	Assumption	He ought to have received the parcel by now.
	Advice	You ought to go to the doctor’s. You ought not smoke so much.
	Recommendation	You ought to tell him the truth.
HAD BETTER	Advice	You had better take those wet clothes off.
	Recommendation	You had better tell me the truth.
SHOULD	Assumption / deduction	The plane should be landing now.
	Advice	You should go to the doctor’s.
	Recommendation	You should take one of these pills every day.
	Necessity	You should be wearing a coat, it’s very cold.
	Obligation	I should be studying but I’m too tired.
	Prediction	This should be a very good film.
	Prohibition	You should never repeat what you’ve just said.
SHALL	Speculation	Where shall/will we be this time next year?
	Suggestion	Shall we invite John or not?
	Decision	I shall/will marry John even without your permission.
	Future	We shall overcome.
	Question	What shall we do?
	Offer	Shall we pick you up at 7.00?
WILL	Assumption	He will have plenty of time to get to the airport.
	Deduction	He left home an hour ago.  He’ll arrive any minute now.
	Future	He will be 27 next month.
	Offer	I’ll do the shopping.
	Promise	I will marry you.
	Intention	I will wait for you.
	Obligation / decision	You WILL go to school whether you want to or not.
	Prediction	It will rain in Rome tomorrow.
	Conditional	If it rains tomorrow I will/won’t go to the cinema.
WOULD	Possibility	Would John come with us?
	Request	Would you please answer the question?
	Speculation	What would I have done without you?
	Polite question	Would you, please, close the door?
	Offer	Would you like a cup of tea?
	Past tense ‘will’ (indirect speech)	John said he would take me to the cinema.
	Customary past action	She would take the dog for a walk every morning before going to work.
	Invitation	Would you like to come with us?
	Preference	I would rather have a cup of coffee.
	Conditional	If I were you I would leave. If I had known you wanted to go to the concert I would have bought you a ticket.