Modal verbs and how to "use" them

No tenses

No "to"

No axuliary vebs

Infinitives

Trabajo hecho por: Héctor Franco & Nicolas GuerrA

Modal verbs and how to "use" them

Work in progress (nothing isnisde)

Probability

Advice

Lack of obligation

Obligation

Permison

Request

Ability

Simple Modals

Should have

Must have

Would have

Can't have

Needn't have

Could have

Modal perfecs

• Don't have to- I don't have to do this info graphic, since I could use AI instead to do it for me!.
• Don't need to- I don't need to read minds to know that my dog is much smarter than me. ( She really is btw)

When you don' have to do something or you don't need to, you are found without obligations ( al least not directly related to you), the modals that we can use are the following:

Lack of obligation

WOULD HAVE

This modal verb is used to speculate about things that the speaker might have done, "if only he had a chance to" or something that the speaker wouldn't have avoided if he hadn't done things differently . We'll follow this structure : "Subject + WOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE" For example:

• "I WOULD HAVE burned the kitchen", If I had kept cooking with the oven opened at 200 degrees (temperature)
• "I WOULD HAVE bought that bike", If only I had enough money to buy it.

NEEDN'T HAVE (TO)

"Needn't Have" is used to express a lack of necessity about something that ocurred in the past. That action wasn't necessary at all. We'll use the structure: "Subject + NEEDN'T HAVE (TO) + PAST PARTICIPLE" For example:

• "You NEEDN'T HAVE to clean those windows ". I could've done it myself

As you can read, this modals esxpreses the ability of someone doing something, I shall say that "could" can also be used in expressing things that you were able to do in the past.

• Can/n't- I can paint a very good logo
• Could/n't- I could investigate why every one is a copy of someone else, but with some differences.
• Be able- I'm able to create some very good slides/info graphics.

The modals can be used for a lot of things, in this case expressing the ability you have to do something.

Ability modals

What did I say? As you can read, nothing to see.

SHOULD HAVE

This modal is used to talk about an action that the speaker "should have done" in the past that might've avoided something , or that it could've been beneficial for him/her. We'll use the structure: "Subject + SHOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE" For example:

• "I SHOULD HAVE left the car window closed", so that I couldn't get robbed
• "I knew I SHOULD HAVE listened to him". He always gives good advices to everything

• Must/sn't- I mustn't use the force to solve problems
• Have to- We have to improve the Spanish education quality, is suboptimal.
• Need/n't to- I needn't had to brig the umbrella, in the end it didn't rain.

Sometimes if you are under obligation, you may use or hear this modals.

Obligation

MIGHT HAVE:

This modal verb is used to express certainty about something that "can't have happened", and you are 100% sure about that affirmation. To use this verb in a sentence we will always follow this structure: "Can't + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (of the principal verb wich sets the action referred to)" For example:

• Jake has left the house. "He CAN'T HAVE RETURNED"
• "She CAN'T HAVE OPENED the safe". It was locked

MUST HAVE

This modal verb (as "Can't Have") is used to express certainty about an action or a subject. But, "Can't Have" is used to NEGATE that subject, whilst "MUST HAVE" confirms that that action has indeed ocurred.We'll use the structure : "Subject + MUST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE"

• I forgot my keys. "I MUST HAVE left them in the car"
• "He MUST HAVE been badly beaten". Look at those scars! (sorry for this brute example)

NO TENSES

This means that modal verbs will never change tense, but the verb that follows it will change (SOMETIMES TO THE INFINITIVE FORM OR TO THE PAST PARTICIPLE).

NO AUXILIARY VERBS

This is simply due to the fact that MODAL VERBS CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT ANOTHER VERB, SO THEY ACT AS THE AUXILIARY ONE, and by doing so, creating the future and conditional form of the main verb

• "My empty heart can't withsand another absence more" Lyrics from a song.
• I might have a walk with my dog.
• He could be in his home or in the party.
• I should be studying for my maths exam.
• I must finish this proyect before the deadline.

• Must

• Should

• Can/could

• May/might

• Can't

100%

90%

50%

10%

0%

This part is packed with info, so pay attention. When you want to express probability in diferent degrees you can use this modals:

Probability

In this case, "could" can't be used to express a request in the past, in this case, you shall proceed with finding a new solution.

• Can/n't- Can you please pass me the salt?
• Could/n't- Could you please be more respectful with you classmates?
• Would/n't- Would you do that for me?

When you want to request something to someone, you shall use this modal so people can understand your surely correct, formal and polite message:

Request

NO "TO"

Although sometimes it can be used, "to" isn't gramatically correct in almost every modal. But with the modal verb "NEEDN'T HAVE", there are some actual situations when this preposition is accepted ("You NEEDN'T HAVE TO do that. I could've done it myself")

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As you can read, the message (the song) is being recommended to the reader.

• Should/n't- You should hear "Sand Storm" fron Darude.
• Ought to- I ought you to listen this song.
• Had better- You had better leave that song in the radio or the the consequences will be regrettable.

If you want to give someone a useful advice on what to do, you may use this modals:

Advice

In this case, you can not use could to express a past and May does not has a negative form. Have in mind that modals like can, could and partialy must are very flexible, so they can be used in diferent meanings and forms, be careful.

• Can/n't- Can I listen to classic old radio hits?
• Could/n't- Could I make a 100€ thechnology proyect that sadly is useless??????
• May- May I stop doing this slide and go get something to eat, as it is already 1 o'clock evening.

Sometimes, if you want to get permission to do something, you can use this modals:

Permission

COULD HAVE

This modal verb is used to express doubt about an action that has taken place in the past. It is used for when there's a 50% chance that what you're saying is true. You also use it to talk about a thing that you would have been able to do in the past, but you didn't. For this modal verb, we will use the structure: "Could + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE "For example:

• I've seen Carl in a Lamborghini. "He COULD HAVE WON the lottery"
• "I COULD HAVE WON the contest". If only I had been there