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Questions and Answers
What does the modal verb 'can' indicate?
What does the modal verb 'can' indicate?
Which modal verb implies a hypothetical situation and can show politeness or uncertainty?
Which modal verb implies a hypothetical situation and can show politeness or uncertainty?
When is the modal verb 'may' typically used?
When is the modal verb 'may' typically used?
Which modal verb conveys less confidence or certainty compared to 'may'?
Which modal verb conveys less confidence or certainty compared to 'may'?
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What does the modal verb 'must' imply?
What does the modal verb 'must' imply?
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Which modal verb is commonly used to indicate ability, possibility, or permission under normal circumstances?
Which modal verb is commonly used to indicate ability, possibility, or permission under normal circumstances?
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Study Notes
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs represent the reader's attitude towards possibility, probability, ability, permission, or advice. They indicate various degrees of certainty and doubt. In English grammar, modal verbs often occur alone with a subject or together with other auxiliary verbs. Let's explore some common modal verbs in more detail:
Can
Can indicates ability, possibility, or permission. It is used when expressing that something is possible or doable under normal circumstances. For example: "I can play the guitar."
Could
Could is also about ability but it implies a hypothetical situation. It suggests that something was possible in the past but now it isn't. It can also show politeness or uncertainty. For instance: "If I had known earlier, I could have helped you."
May
May is used to talk about possibility, probability, or permission. It usually refers to future events or situations. For example: "It may rain tomorrow."
Might
Might is similar to may, but it conveys less confidence or certainty. It is commonly used to make predictions based on current evidence. For instance: "She might be late because of traffic."
Must
Must is used to denote obligation. It implies that something is necessary or compulsory. For example: "You must wear a helmet when riding a bike."
These modal verbs are essential parts of the English language, helping us convey nuanced meanings and shades of meaning.
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Description
Explore the common modal verbs in English grammar that express various degrees of certainty, possibility, ability, permission, and advice. Learn how modal verbs like can, could, may, might, and must convey different nuances in sentences.
