Modals
Modal is a helping verb
it cannot work as main verb
it needs a main verb after it (modals must be followed by main verb)
A verb used to express the mood (mode) or attitude of a speaker is called Modal
Auxiliary
Most Commonly Used Modals
Can Could May Might Should Would Must Ought to
Am/Was to Have/Had to Used to Need
Am/Was to Have/Had to Used to Need
All these Modals Suggest
(A) Permission (B) Ability (C) Possibility (D) Suggestion, Advice (E) Promise (F) Intention
(G) Request (H) Necessity, Compulsion
(G) Request (H) Necessity, Compulsion
Different Uses of Modals
(A) Possibility
(i) It may/might rain.
(ii) He may/might go to jammu tomorrow.
(iii) You may fall.
(B) Permission
(i) May I come in?
(ii) Yes, you may come in.
(C) Wish or Prayer
(i) May you live long!
(D) Purpose
(i) She works hard so that she may pass.
(ii) She came so that she might see me
(E) Remote Possibility
‘Might’ is used in place of ‘may’ to express remote possibility.
(i) It might rain.
(ii) He might be sleeping now.
Normally both ‘May & Might’ can be used to express possibility present and future. However, ‘might’ is used when the reporting verb is in the past.
(F) May/Might+Have They are used to express possibility /desirability relating to the past action. For example
(i) He may/might have left yesterday. (It is possible he left)
(ii) He might have failed. (It is possible he failed)
(i) May I come in?
(ii) Yes, you may come in.
(C) Wish or Prayer
(i) May you live long!
(D) Purpose
(i) She works hard so that she may pass.
(ii) She came so that she might see me
(E) Remote Possibility
‘Might’ is used in place of ‘may’ to express remote possibility.
(i) It might rain.
(ii) He might be sleeping now.
Normally both ‘May & Might’ can be used to express possibility present and future. However, ‘might’ is used when the reporting verb is in the past.
(F) May/Might+Have They are used to express possibility /desirability relating to the past action. For example
(i) He may/might have left yesterday. (It is possible he left)
(ii) He might have failed. (It is possible he failed)
(iii) Better, you might not have revealed the secret. (The secret was revealed)
Directions Complete the sentences with suitable alternatives.
1. She expects that her son ........... .
(a) can return (b) may return (c) should return
2. If we request her she ............... to college.
(a) must give a lift (b) might give a lift (c) can give a lift
3. It is possible Marlowe ............... plays for Shakespeare.
(a) may write (b) might have written (c) might write
4. All felt that he ............... a cheat.
(a) may be (b) can be (c) might be
5. ............... I go out? asked her son.
(a) Should (b) May (c) Must
6. “Yes, you ...............”, the mother answered.
(a) should go (b) may go (c) must go
7. The son asked his mother if he ................ .
(a) can go out (b) may go out (c) might go out
8. ............... our king live long!
(a) May (b) Must (c) Should
9. We eat so that we ............... live.
(a) may (b) might (c) can
10. He went there so that he ............... borrow money.
(a) may (b) can (c) might
(a) can return (b) may return (c) should return
2. If we request her she ............... to college.
(a) must give a lift (b) might give a lift (c) can give a lift
3. It is possible Marlowe ............... plays for Shakespeare.
(a) may write (b) might have written (c) might write
4. All felt that he ............... a cheat.
(a) may be (b) can be (c) might be
5. ............... I go out? asked her son.
(a) Should (b) May (c) Must
6. “Yes, you ...............”, the mother answered.
(a) should go (b) may go (c) must go
7. The son asked his mother if he ................ .
(a) can go out (b) may go out (c) might go out
8. ............... our king live long!
(a) May (b) Must (c) Should
9. We eat so that we ............... live.
(a) may (b) might (c) can
10. He went there so that he ............... borrow money.
(a) may (b) can (c) might