Podcast
Questions and Answers
Could/would + [main verb infinitive]
Could/would + [main verb infinitive]
use
Could/might/should/would + have + [main verb past participle]
Could/might/should/would + have + [main verb past participle]
gone
It often makes sense to do it in some other way than by adding a modal verb
It often makes sense to do it in some other way than by adding a modal verb
indicate
The new modal verb just ______ will in the sentence
The new modal verb just ______ will in the sentence
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The simple future, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous tenses of main verbs are all already ______ with the modal verb will
The simple future, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous tenses of main verbs are all already ______ with the modal verb will
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I might have ______ to the party, but I forgot.
I might have ______ to the party, but I forgot.
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As with the present perfect continuous, you always ______ have, even if the subject is third-person
As with the present perfect continuous, you always ______ have, even if the subject is third-person
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The present perfect ______ of the main verb, which is have plus the past participle
The present perfect ______ of the main verb, which is have plus the past participle
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Modal verbs show ______
Modal verbs show ______
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Common examples of modal verbs include ______, should, and must
Common examples of modal verbs include ______, should, and must
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Modal verbs are used to express certain ______ conditions
Modal verbs are used to express certain ______ conditions
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A modal verb can appear alone in a sentence only if the main verb is implied because it has previously been ______
A modal verb can appear alone in a sentence only if the main verb is implied because it has previously been ______
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Modal verbs are quite common in English; you’ve seen them in action hundreds of times even if you didn’t know what they were ______
Modal verbs are quite common in English; you’ve seen them in action hundreds of times even if you didn’t know what they were ______
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The speaker does not necessarily swim every Tuesday; they’re saying that they are ______ of swimming every Tuesday or that the possibility exists for them to swim every Tuesday
The speaker does not necessarily swim every Tuesday; they’re saying that they are ______ of swimming every Tuesday or that the possibility exists for them to swim every Tuesday
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Modal verbs express very specific conditions that don’t come up often, like dare in its modal form in 'Dare I ask.' The word used in the idiomatic phrase used to, as in 'I used to be an English student too,' behaves like a modal verb with only a past tense form. When are modal verbs used. What special conditions do modal verbs indicate. Here’s a list, along with examples: Likelihood Some things seem likely to be true but can’t be stated as definite facts. In these cases, you can use the ______ verbs should and must to show probability without certainty.
Modal verbs express very specific conditions that don’t come up often, like dare in its modal form in 'Dare I ask.' The word used in the idiomatic phrase used to, as in 'I used to be an English student too,' behaves like a modal verb with only a past tense form. When are modal verbs used. What special conditions do modal verbs indicate. Here’s a list, along with examples: Likelihood Some things seem likely to be true but can’t be stated as definite facts. In these cases, you can use the ______ verbs should and must to show probability without certainty.
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Likelihood Some things seem likely to be true but can’t be stated as definite facts. In these cases, you can use the modal verbs should and must to show probability without certainty. Possibility In a situation when something is possible but not certain, use the ______ verb could, may, or might.
Likelihood Some things seem likely to be true but can’t be stated as definite facts. In these cases, you can use the modal verbs should and must to show probability without certainty. Possibility In a situation when something is possible but not certain, use the ______ verb could, may, or might.
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Ability The ______ verb can expresses whether the subject of a sentence is able to do something. Likewise, the negative form, cannot or can’t, shows that the subject is unable to do something.
Ability The ______ verb can expresses whether the subject of a sentence is able to do something. Likewise, the negative form, cannot or can’t, shows that the subject is unable to do something.
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Permission If you want to ask permission to do something, start your question with ______, may, or could. Traditionally, may is considered more formal and polite usage for permission; if you ask “Can I go to the bathroom.” it could be misinterpreted as “Do I have the ability to go to the bathroom.” However, in modern informal usage, may and can are both perfectly acceptable options for describing possibility or permission.
Permission If you want to ask permission to do something, start your question with ______, may, or could. Traditionally, may is considered more formal and polite usage for permission; if you ask “Can I go to the bathroom.” it could be misinterpreted as “Do I have the ability to go to the bathroom.” However, in modern informal usage, may and can are both perfectly acceptable options for describing possibility or permission.
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Similarly, if you want to ask someone else to do something, start your question with will, would, ______, or could.
Similarly, if you want to ask someone else to do something, start your question with will, would, ______, or could.
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Habit To show an ongoing or habitual action—something the subject does regularly—you can use the ______ verb would for the past tense and will for the present and future. The phrase used to is also acceptable when you’re talking about a habit in the past.
Habit To show an ongoing or habitual action—something the subject does regularly—you can use the ______ verb would for the past tense and will for the present and future. The phrase used to is also acceptable when you’re talking about a habit in the past.
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Using Modal Verbs for Different Situations
Using Modal Verbs for Different Situations
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For likelihood, use ______ and must to show probability without certainty.
For likelihood, use ______ and must to show probability without certainty.
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When something is possible but not certain, use ______.
When something is possible but not certain, use ______.
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To ask for permission, use ______, with may being more formal.
To ask for permission, use ______, with may being more formal.
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For requests, use ______.
For requests, use ______.
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Suggestions or advice without commanding can be expressed using ______.
Suggestions or advice without commanding can be expressed using ______.
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Study Notes
Using Modal Verbs for Different Situations
- Modal verbs express different conditions such as likelihood, possibility, ability, permission, request, suggestion/advice, command, obligation or necessity, and habit.
- For likelihood, use should and must to show probability without certainty.
- When something is possible but not certain, use could, may, or might.
- Can expresses ability, while cannot or can’t shows inability.
- To ask for permission, use can, may, or could, with may being more formal.
- For requests, use will, would, can, or could.
- Suggestions or advice without commanding can be expressed using should.
- Commands are conveyed using must, have, or need.
- Modal verbs can express obligation or necessity, using must, have, and need.
- For habitual actions, use would for the past tense and will for the present and future.
- Modal verbs are used in present tenses and some past tenses, and can refer to present or future time.
- Only a few core modal verbs have the ability to refer to past time: could, might, should, and would.
Studying That Suits You
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Description
Test your understanding of modal verbs with this interactive quiz. Challenge yourself with questions on the usage of can, should, must, and other common modal verbs to improve your language skills.
