About Modal Verb in English

1. MODAL VERBS
Chicken Group
Lê Huỳnh Thúy Hằng
Trương Thị Mỹ Trang
Nguyễn Thị Linh Huệ
Nguyễn Minh Thư
Bùi Thị Hào
Phạm Thị Diệu Thiện
Huỳnh Lương Phương Thảo
Vũ Thị Diễm Hương
Đặng Thị Hương Giang

2. MODAL VERBS
I. DEFINITION
II. STRUCTUR
E
III. USAGE

3. MODAL VERBS
I. DEFINITION
A modal verb is a type of auxiliary verb
that is used to indicate modality-that is
likelihood, ability, permission, obligation,...
Applicants must Two of my
answer the friends can
question play guitar
honestly
(ability)
(obligation)

4. MODAL VERBS
I. DEFINITION
Modal verbs are part of the verbal phrase.
They give more information about the
function of the main verb that they govern.
They must get
there before 7 It may rain
o’clock. tomorrow.

5. MODAL VERBS
I. DEFINITION
LIST OF MODAL VERBS
Can Would
Could Shall
May Should
Might Ought to
Will Must

6. MODAL VERBS
II. STRUCTURE
•Affirmative S + modal + infinitive.
She should stay.
•Negative S + modal(n’t) + infinitive.
She shouldn’t stay.
•Interrogative (Wh)modal + S + infinitive?
Why should she stay?

7. MODAL VERBS
II. STRUCTURE
a. Modal verbs do not add –s or –es to
the third person singular.
He can swim. He cans swim.

8. MODAL VERBS
II. STRUCTURE
• Simple The formation •of conjugations using the
Continuous
modal auxiliaries can modal + be + present as
S + modal + bare infinitive S + be summarized participle
I could work
follows:
He could work
I could be working
He could be working
It could work It could be working
They could work They could be working
• Perfect • Perfect continuous
S + modal + have + past participle S + modal + have been + present participle
I could have worked I could have been working
He could have worked He could have been working
It could have worked It could have been working
They could have worked They could have been working

9. MODAL VERBS
II. STRUCTURE
b. Modal verbs don’t need auxiliaries to form
negative and question.
Exp : She should stay.
She doesn’t should stay.→ She shouldn’t stay.
Why does she stay? → Why should she stay?
c. Modal verbs don’t have infinitives or –ing
forms
Exp: canning to might

10. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
CAN
Use Example
Ability / Possibility  They can control their own budgets.
Inability / Impossibility  We can’t fix it.
Asking for permission  Can I smoke here?
Request  Can you help me?

11. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
COULD
Use Example
Asking for permission  Could I borrow your dictionary?
Request  Could you say it again more slowly?
Suggestion  We could try to fix it ourselves.
Future possibility  I think we could have another Gulf War.
Future wish  I wish Jane could meet me next
week. in the past
Ability  He gave up his old job so he could
work for us.
*** The Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991) was a war waged by a U.N.-
authorized Coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in
response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.

12. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
MAY
Use Example
Asking for permission  May I have another cup of coffee?
Future possibility  China may become a major economic power.

13. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
MIGHT
Use Example
Present possibility  We'd better phone tomorrow, they
might be eating their dinner now.
Future possibility  They might give us a 10% discount.

14. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
MUST
Use Example
Necessity / Obligation  We must say good-bye now.
Logical conclusion  You must be mad if you think I’m going
to lend you any more money.
Prohibition  They mustn’t disrupt the work more
than necessary.

15. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
OUGHT TO
Use Example
Saying what’s right or correct
( give advance, recommendation)  We ought to employ a professional
writer.

16. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
SHALL
(More common in the Uk
than the US)
Use Example
Offer  Shall I help you with your luggage?
Suggestion  Shall we say 2.30 then?
Asking what to do  Shall I do that or will you?

17. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
SHOULD
Use Example
Saying what’s right or correct
( give advance, recommendation)  We should sort out this problem at
once.
Recommending action  I think we should check everything
again.
Uncertain prediction  Profits should increase next year.

18. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
WILL
Use Example
Instant decisions  I can’t see any taxis so I’ll walk
Conditional sentences  If I have money, I’ll buy it.
Offer  I'll do that for you if you like.
Promise  I’ll get back to you first thing on Monday
Certain prediction  Profits will increase next year.

19. MODAL VERBS
III. USAGE
WOULD
Use Example
Asking for permission  Would you mind if I brought a
colleague with me?
Request  Would you mind waiting a
moment?
Making arrangements  "Would three o`clock suit you?" –
Invitation  "That’d be fine."
Would you like to play golf this Friday?
Preferences  "Would you prefer tea or coffee?" –
"I’d like tea please."

20. M I G H T
S H O U L D
C O U L D
S H A L L
W I L L
M U S T

21. THE END
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