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Modal verbs - Coggle Diagram
Modal verbs
Lack of obligation
Present
Don't have to
Past
Didn't have to
Deduction/Speculation
Present
May
Not very certain
Must be
Very certain
Positive form
Might
Less certain than may
Can't be
Past
May have done
Must have done
Might have done
Can't have done
Very certain
Negative form
Ability
Present
Can
Be able to
The same meaning
Past
Could
The possibility to do sth
Was/were able to
The person completed the action
Obligation
Present
Have to
The situation makes it necessary
Must
Personal obligation
Past
Had to
Possibility
Present
Can/can't
May
Less possible
Past
Could have done
Might have done
Less possible
Prohibition
Present
Mustn't
The speaker is prohibiting sth
Can't
It is against the rules
Past
Couldn't
It wasn't allowed
Was not to
You were not supposed to
Necessity/Lack of necessity
Present
Needn't
Don't need to
The same meaning
Need to
Only positive form
Past
Didn't need to do
You knew about the lack of obligation
Needn't have done
You didn't know about the lack of obligation
Modal verbs with passive
Present
Modal verb+be+past participle
Past
Modal verb+have+been+past participle
Permission
Present
Can/could
Less formal
May/might
More formal
Past
Allowed to
Advice
Present and future
Should
Ought to
They mean the same
Likelihood
Present
Should
Certainty
Present
Will
Criticism/Regret
Past
Should have done
They mean the same
Ought to have done
Requests
Present
Could
Can
Would
More formal