Modal auxiliary
verbs Angel Duran, Irvin Ernesto.
31-5897-2011.
What
are
"modal
auxiliary
verbs"?
The verbs can, could, will, would, should, may, might, must, ought, be going to, are verbs which 'help' other verbs to express a meaning: it is important to realize that these "modal verbs" have no meaning by themselves. A modal verb such as would has several varying functions; it can be used, for example, to help verbs express ideas about the past, the present and the future. It is therefore wrong to simply believe that "would is the past of will": it is many other things.
“Can� "Can" is one of the most commonly used modal verbs in English. It can be used to express ability or opportunity, to request or offer permission, and to show possibility or impossibility. Examples:
I can cook very well. (Ability)
We cannot stay out after 10:00 pm. (Permission)
Can you borrow me your pencil? (Informal request)
“Could� "Could" is used to express possibility or past ability as well as to make suggestions and requests. "Could" is also commonly used in conditional sentences as the conditional form of "can." Examples:
This extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city. (Possibility)
Mom, Could I use your laptop? (Request)
James could ski like a pro by the age of 11. (Past ability)
“May� "May" is most commonly used to express possibility. It can also be used to give or request permission, although this usage is becoming less common. Example:
My dad may be at home. (Possibility)
Teacher, May I go to restroom? (Request permission)
I may get up early, today. (Possibility)
“Might� "Might" is most commonly used to express possibility. It is also often used in conditional sentences. English speakers can also use "might" to make suggestions or requests, although this is less common in American English. Example:
It might rain right now. (Possibility)
Your purse might be at home. (Possibility)
Might I borrow you your market? (Request)
“Must� "Must" is most commonly used to express certainty. It can also be used to express necessity or strong recommendation. Examples:
You must drink some medicine for that cough. (Strong recommendation)
You must have a permit to enter the national park. (Need)
“Ought to� "Ought to" is used to advise or make recommendations. "Ought to" also expresses assumption or expectation as well as strong probability, often with the idea that something is deserved. Examples:
Josh ought not to drink too much. (Advice)
He ought to receive the package tonight. (Expectation)
“Should� "Should" is most commonly used to make recommendations or give advice. It can also be used to express obligation as well as expectation. Examples:
By now, she should already be in Spain. (Expectation)
You should take this pill for headache. (Advice)
You should visit Germany. (Request)
“Would� "Would" is most commonly used to create conditional verb forms. It also serves as the past form of the modal verb "will." Additionally, "would" can indicate repetition in the past. Example:
Would you like anything (Preference question)
else?
They would prefer to go to New York. (Preference)
Would you like to sing with me? (Preference question)
“Will” “Will" is used with promises or voluntary actions that take place in the future. "Will” can also be used to make predictions about the future. Examples:
I think, it will rain tomorrow. (Prediction)
I will take care our family. (Unplanned)
Friends, I will have an ice tea. (Unplanned)
“Had better� "Had better" is most commonly used to make recommendations or advices. It can also be used to express desperate hope as well as warn people. Example:
You had better leave here. (Advice)
You had better wash your hands before eating, because you may sick. (Advice)
“Be able to” Although we look at” be able to” here. It is simply the verb be plus an adjective (able) followed by the infinitive. We look at be able to here because we sometimes use it instead of can and could. It’s for ability.
He is able to do his assignment without his parents (Ability)
He is able to speak in an audience. (Ability)
“Used to” We use “used to + verb” when we talk about habits and to discuss past and past states. Examples:
James used to play the trumpet. (Habits)
We used to watch cartoons on TV at night. (Habits)
They used to live in Paris. (Past action)
“Be going to� "Be going to" expresses that something is a plan or a future activity. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not. Examples:
They are going to spend their vacation in Italy. (Planned)
They are going to meet at 6:00 pm. (Future activity)
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