An overview of Modal Verbs

1. Modal verbs
an overview

2. can will shall may must
could would should might -

3. properties

4. form questions

5. form negatives

6. form short answers etc

7. weak / strong
pronunciation

8. can be abbreviated

9. property
modal
verbs
auxiliary
verbs
main
verbs
form +ive ✔ ✔
not do/does/did
✔
present and past
form –ive ✔ ✔ ✗
form ?ive ✔ ✔ ✗
except subject q’s
form short answers ✔ ✔ ✗
weak / strong
pronunciation
✔ ✔ ✗
abbreviation ✔ ✔ ✗

10. followed by
base form (-to INF)

11. no infinitive

12. defective:

13. no forms that derive from
infinitive:
base form
gerund
present participle
past participle

14. never used in combination
with other modals

15. no conjugation

16. can will shall may must
could would should might -
present / future

17. can will shall may must
could would should might -
past / conditional / subjunctive

18. property
modal
verbs
auxiliary
verbs
main
verbs
followed by base form
base form
present participle
past participle
to INF
gerund
infinitive ✗ ✔ ✔
base form
gerund
pres./past participle
✗ ✔ ✔
used with
(other) modals
✗ ✔
not ‘do’
✔
conjugated ✗ ✔
✔

19. characteristics

20. modal verbs are
SAXON

21. modal verbs are
SAXON
very different
from grammar
with Latin
origins

22. concepts:

23. offers
ability
requests
possibility
obligation
deduction
probability
permission
willingness

24. offers
ability
requests
possibility
obligation
deduction
probability
permission
willingness

25. modals are for
interpersonal
interaction

26. big contrast with
the indicative

27. “We do not normally use modal verbs to say
that situations definitely exist or that
particular events definitely happened. We
use them, for example, to talk about things
which we expect, which are not possible,
which we think are necessary, which we
want to happen, which we are not sure
about, which tend to happen, or which have
not happened.”
Michael Swan
Practical English Usage
OUP

28. modal indicative
all
Saxon
(mostly)
Latin
personal factual

29. modal indicative
all
different
(mostly)
familiar
personal factual

30. indicative modal
I have to get up early tomorrow. I must get up early tomorrow.
[be able to] Can you play the piano?
Perhaps it isn’t a good idea. [may]
[be important] You mustn’t smoke.
Do you want me to carry your bags? [shall]
[be able to] I couldn’t do the exercise.
Please give us permission to go now. [may]
[be going to] It will rain this evening.
It was possible to see the hills. [could]
[want] They’d like to have a party.

31. indicative modal
I have to get up early tomorrow. I must get up early tomorrow.
Are you able to play the piano? Can you play the piano?
Perhaps it isn’t a good idea. It may not be a good idea.
It’s important that you don’t smoke. You mustn’t smoke.
Do you want me to carry your bags? Shall I carry your bags?
I wasn’t able to do the exercise. I couldn’t do the exercise.
Please give us permission to go now. May we go now?
It’s going to rain this evening. It will rain this evening.
It was possible to see the hills. We could see the hills.
They want to have a party. They’d like to have a party.

32. www.davidnicholson.it