MODALS

1
MODALS
-Does not change by any person. -Never are
followed of TO. ( TO CAN) -Only are present
except can
could
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MODALS OF ABILITY

• To express ability we can use
• Can / be able to (is a semimodal since it can
  conjugate)
• Could
• EX You CAN it ravioli if you like pasta.
• (Puedes comer ravioles si te gusta la
  pasta)
• She COULD run fast when she was a child.
• (Ella podía correr rápido cuando era una
  niña)

3
MODALS OF PERMISSION, POLITE REQUEST

• These are used for interrogative sentences.
• There are three possibilities
• (?) Can (informal).
• (?) Could (formal).
• (?) May (more formal)
• Ex CAN you call me tonight?
• COULD you help me with the suitcases?
• MAY I join this team?

4
MODALS OF ADVICE

• These three modals we use when we want to give
  advice
• Should / ought to (deberías)
  should is the most used
• Shouldnt (no deberías)
• EX You SHOULD /OUGHT TO improve your
  pronunciation.
• You SHOULDNT go out this night.

5
MODALS OF OBLIGATION

• These modals are only used with the present time
• Must (debes) people with authority use
  it.
• Have to (tienes que) everybody can use it.
  (is a semimodal ,like be able to ,since it can
  conjugate)
• We also have NEED TO, that is not a modal but is
  used in affirmative like HAVE TO, and it express
  obligation and necessity.
• EX You MUST bring your books to class.
• I HAVE TO buy the tickets today.

6
MODALS OF PROHIBITION

• To ban something we use
• Mustnt (no debes)
• EX You MUSTNT exceed the speed limit.
• (No debes pasarte del limite de velocidad)

7
MODALS OF LACK OF OBLIGATION

• To express something that is not necessary, we
  use
• Dont /doesnt have to (no es necesario que)
• Neednt (no necesito).
• EX On Sunday I DONT HAVE TO get up early.
• You NEEDNT bring anything to the party.

8
MODALS OF POSSIBILITY

• We use them to express possibility
• Might (- probable) pudiera ser que
• Could ( probable) podría ser
• 
  quizás
• May ( probable) tal vez
• puede
  que
• Can ( probable)
• EX It MAY / MIGHT rain tomorrow.
• I CAN meet you later.

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Modals of positive deduction

• To show that something is true we will use
• Must.
• EX she got a great job. She MUST be very happy.
• Modals of imposibility
• To expresss that something is impossible we will
  use
• Cant (no puede)
• EX I CANT eat a whole cake by myself.

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For offerings and suggestions

• To offer something we can use
• Would
• Shall
• Can
• EX You CAN eat ravioli if you like pasta.
• Would you like something to drink?
• Shall I help you with your homework?

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MODALS PERFECTS

• MUST HAVE P.P.(3ª columna)
• It expresses a logical conclusion about a past
  event.
• Ex He must have spent all his money.
• He hasnt got any money left.
• MAY/ MIGHT HAVE P.P.
• It is used to make a assumption about something
  on the past.
• Ex She may/ might have taken the wrong bus.

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• COULD HAVE P.P.
• It shows ability to do something in the past
  which in the end was not done.
• Ex He could have broken his leg.
• COULDNT HAVE P.P.
• It shows certainty that something did not happen.
• EX Ela couldnt have broken the vase, She wasnt
  at home.

13

• WOULD HAVE P.P.
• It shows desire to do something in the past which
  in fact could not be done.
• Ex I would have gone to the party but I was too
  busy.
• SHOULD/ OUGHT TO HAVE P.P.
• It shows criticism or regret after an event.
• EX You should have told me earlier.

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• SHOULDNT HAVE P.P.
• It shows criticism or regret after an event.
• Ex I shouldnt have drunk so much.
• NEEDNT HAVE P.P.
• It expresses an unnecessary past action.
• Ex She neednt have bought anything.

15

• HAD BETTER/ SHOULD
• It is a very colloquial way of expressing what we
  think should be done.
• -Afirmative after the subject we put
• Had better infinitive es mejor que
  subjunctive
• -Negative after the subject we put
• Had better not infinitive
• -There are not interrogatives sentences.
• It also has a other use than SHOULD and which is
  also used to express a warning and means Será
  mejor, más vale que Ex You had better tidy
  your room now!
• You had better not take my
  car!

16
Choose the best modal

• Its Jennys birthday next week. We
  shouldnt/couldnt forget to buy her a nice
  present.
• Shouldnt
• This is number 11 Chelsea Road, so we
  cant/arent able to be far from Helens house.
  She lives at number 14.
• Cant
• In many countries, you could/must be at least 18
  to buy alcoholic drinks.
• Must
• I cant/neednt go to the club tonight because I
  promised to babysit for my neighbour.
• Cant
• In my opinion, you may/should eat more vegetables
  and fewer sweets.
• Should
• Yes, of course you might /may borrow this book
  after I read it.
• May

17
Choose the sentences that is closer in meaning to
the original

• 1- I cant find my library book. I may have lost
  it.
• a) Its possible that I lost the book.
• b) Im sure I lost the book.
• 2- Jim should have told us he would be late.
• a) It was nice of Jim to tell us he would be
  late.
• b) Jim didnt tell us he would be late.
• 3- Thanks for your help. We couldnt have fixed
  the car by ourselves.
• a) The car was eventualy fixed.
• b) It was impossible to fix the car.
• 4- She shouldnt have told him about the
  surprise.
• a) It was wrong of her to tell him about the
  surprise.
• b) It was good that she told him about the
  surprise.
• 5- The children could have smiled when the
  photographer took their picture.
• a) The children smiled when the photographer
  took their picture.
• b) The children arent smiling in the
  photograph.
• 1-a 2-b 3-a 4-a 5-b

18
Correct the errors using a suitable modal

• The music is so loud that we mustnt talk to each
  other.
• -The music is so loud that we cant talk to
  each other.
• Last nights concert was great! You should be
  there!
• -Last nights concert was great! You should
  have been there!
• Ask for directions to Karens house or you can
  get lost on the way.
• -Ask for directions to Karens house or you
  may get lost on the way.
• I took an umbrella with me because I thought it
  might have rained.
• -I took an umbrella with me because I thought
  it may have rained.
• I would apologise but I didnt know you were
  upset.
• -I would have apologised but I didnt know you
  were upset.
• Theres nobody home. They ought to have gone out.
• -Theres nobody home. They must have gone out.

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• END
• 
  Ángela Lloret and María Martí