Modals and perfect modals C1

Modal verbs

PresentaTION

index

Present modal verbs

What are modal verbs?

Practice

perfect modals

Advanced uses

What are modal verbs?

Video explanation

Present modal verbs

Ability

Advice

Prohibition obligation and necessity

Permission and requests

Possibility and speculation

Perfect modal verbs

MV + HAVE+ PAST PART. = to talk about PAST EVENTS

• SPECULATION IN PAST
• Possibility: could/may/might have (e.g. I don't know shere he is, he might have missed the bus.)
• Certainty: must have (e.g. He must have left, his car is not here.)
• Impossibility: can't have (e.g. She can't have arrived, her flight hasn't taken off yet.)
• POSSIBILITY IN PAST (not done in the end) - could have (e.g. I could have called you).
• PAST REGRETS - ought to/should have (e.g. I should have studied more).
• LACK OF NECESSITY - didn't need to / needn't have
• I didn't need to study the conditionals for the exam. (we don't know if action was done, it just wan't necessary)
• I needn't have studied the conditionals for the exam. (action was done and unnecessary)

Advanced uses of modal verbs

• Modal verbs can be combined to express different aspects of modality. However, we can ONLY combine a MV and a semi-modal (have to, be able to, be allowed to, need to).

E.g. To express the possibility of an obligation. I MAY HAVE TO work extra hours today.

• Modal verbs may be expressed in combination with the continuous aspect. Here, we simply follow the grammar rules regarding tenses.

E.g. He must be working now. They may have been studying until late.

Practice makes perfect

Permission modals

Can, May, Could, be allowed to

• Asking for permission: can (informal), may (formal), (Less common: could, might)

e.g. Can/May I go to the toilet?

• Making requests: can (informal), could (formal)

e.g. Can/could you pass me the salt?

• Permission in the past: be allowed to ( we DON'T use could to talk about permission in the past, only ability as it could be ambiguous).

E.g. When I was young I could go to concerts with my friends (This could be interpreted as "I was able" because, maybe, no you don't have time).When I was young I was allowed to go to concerts. Shall - can be used for formal suggestions and offers

Modals of speculation

Can, could, may, might, must, can't

We can use MV to speculate about the present or indicate possibility:

• General possibility: can (not referred to specific circumstances)

E.g. It can get really cold in Madrid.

• Speculating about SPECIFIC circumstances: must (certainty); may/could/might (possibility, might is less likely); can't (impossibility, certainty that smth isn't true).

E.g. That must be Tom, that's his car!He's late. He could/may/might be lost. That can't be Mark. He's been hospitalized since the accident.

Obligation/prohibition

Must(n't), (don't) have to, need to

Obligation in the present: must for PERSONAL obligation (aka. imposed by that person) and 'have to' to communicate an existing rule.Obligation in the past/future: semi-modal have to ( NEVER MUST)E.g. I had to work a lot / I will have to do this tomorrow.Prohibition: mustn't / must not or can't E.g. You can't/ mustn't park here. Lack of obligation: don't have to / don't need to (aka. it's not compulsory but ok to do it)E.g. You don't have to bring the books tomorrow.Necessity: need to / don't need to (CAREFUL DIFFERENCE: didn't need to vs. needn't have + ppart, explained in perfect modals)

Advice modals

Should, ought to, had better

• To give advice or criticize someone's PRESENT actions, we use interchangeably should, ought to, 'd better.
• The only difference is related to the formality, being had better more informal.

E.g. W'd better hurry if we want to make it to the concert You ought not to talk during an exam You should treat him better.

Ability modals

Can, could and be able to

• Can in simple present.
• Be able to = can (but can be used in other tenses) In two years time, Max will be able to do everything in the garage.
• Could or the alternative form was/were able to in simple past.
• We use was/were able to when we talk about something specific in the past.
• Could is used to talk about general ability in the past
• Be able to in past may indicate an added difficulty, like 'manage to'.