Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
MODAL VERBS - Coggle Diagram
MODAL VERBS
ABILITY
Used to express the ability or possibility that someone has to perform an action.
Could
I could swim when I was 5
Be able to
I'm able to play football.
Can
I can swim
Managed to
I found the homework difficult, but I managed to do them.
OBLIGATION
To express obligation
:
internal obligation
Must
I must see a doctor at once!
External obligation
Have to
I have to be at school tomorrow at 8 a.m.
PAST:
Had to
PROHIBITION
We use them to show that something is prohibited – it is not allowed.
Can't
You can't take photos in the museum
Must not
Guests must not make noise after 10 p.m.
PROBABILITY AND CERTAINTY
We can use these modal verbs when we want to make a guess about something.
We choose the verb depending on how sure we are
Talking about the present:
must / might / could / may / can't + infinitive
Must
She must be on the bus. (I'm fairly sure this is a good guess)
Might
She might come soon. (maybe)
Could
She could be lost. (maybe)
May
She may be in the wrong room. (maybe)
Can't
She can't be at home. (I'm fairly sure this isn't true)
Will/won't
when we are very sure
She'll be at work now.
Should/shoudn't
To make an assumption about what is probably true, if everything is as we expect:
It shouldn't take long to drive here.
Can
Is used for something that is generally possible, something we know sometimes happens:
Prices can be high in London
Talking about the past
must / might / could / may / can't + have + past participle
must have + past participle
She must have forgotten about our date.
might / might not have + past participle
She might have worked late.
could / couldn't have + past participle
She may have felt ill.
may / may not have + past participle
She could have taken the wrong bus.
can't have + past participle
She can't have stayed at home.
Will / won't + have + past participle
Used for past certainty
The parcel will have arrived before now.
Should + have + past participle
can be used to make an assumption about something that has probably happened, if everything is as we expect
The train should have left by now
Could
We can use it to talk about a general possibility in the past
Prices could be high in the sixteenth century.
REQUESTS
We use these modals verbs to make requests sound more polite
Used for:
order at a restaurant
invite people to meetings
we want to ask for things
...
make offers
Four basic modal verbs:
more formal
would
Would you open the window?
could
Could you pass me the potatoes?
less formal
will
Will you lend me some money?
can
Can I borrow your pen?
May
May I open the door?
ADVICE
To express recommendation or moral obligation
ought to/ought not to
Its raining, the students ought to come inside.
had better
You had better stop smoking.
should/shouldn't
You should stop smoking.
LACK OF OBLIGATION
Used to express that something is not necessary or obligatory.
don't/doesn't have to
Tomorrow is Saturday, so I don't have to wake up early.
don't need to
I don't need to go to the doctor, I'm healthy
needn't
I needn't
NECESSITY
Need to
I need to leave now