MODAL AND SEMI MODAL VERBS

MODAL VERBS

Special verbs used with main verbs to express ideas like ability, permission, necessity, advice etc.

They don’t change form and are always followed by the base form of the verb.

These are a special kind of auxiliary (helping) verbs and they are also called modal auxiliaries. 

Modal verbs include: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would.

Uses:

Ability

Can: (Present Ability)

She can swim.

I can speak three languages.

Could: (Past Ability)

When I was younger, I could run fast.

She could play the piano beautifully when she was a child.

Be Able to:  My brother is able to find his way home.

Permission

Can: You can borrow my book.

May: May I use your phone?

Necessity

               Must: 

You must wear a seatbelt.

I must do my homework. 

Advice

                   Should: 

You should eat healthier.

You should get more sleep.

Certainty

          Must: 

He must be at home; his car is in the driveway.

She must be tired after working all night.

It must be almost noon by now.

They must really like this restaurant; they eat here every week.

Have to: I have to stop at a red signal.

The children have to arrive on time. 

Not Allowed

          Mustn't: 

You mustn't ride a bike without a helmet.

          Can't: 

You can’t park here; it’s a no-parking zone.

Future Possibility:

             Might: (Lower)

 I might come to the party.

They might cancel the game if it rains.

            May: (Higher)

She may join us later.

I may start a new project next month.

Requests:

                Can: (Informal)

Can you help me with this project?

Can you tell me the time?"

              Could: (Polite)

Could you please pass the salt?

Could you open the window?

Future Actions/Suggestions/Offers

We shall see the results tomorrow.

Shall I open the window?

Shall we go for a walk?

Future actions, willingness, promises

I will call you tomorrow.

I will help you with that.

 I will always support you.

would (past tense of will)

:to talk about what people wanted to do or were willing to do in the past:

We had a terrible night. The baby wouldn't go to sleep.

Dad wouldn't lend me the car, so we had to take the train.

SEMI MODAL VERBS

 Semi-modals are verbs that sometimes act like modals and sometimes like main verbs. They change form based on subject and tense.

They change form depending on tense and subject.

In certain cases, they need auxiliary verbs to make questions. 

Semi modal verbs: Need to, dare to, have to, used to, ought to, be able to

You need to finish your homework.

He needs to finish his homework.

Do you need to finish your homework?

She has to attend the meeting.

Does she have to attend the meeting?

He ought to apologize. (Necessity)

Does he ought to apologize?

He dares to oppose his Manager. (To have courage to do something)

Did he dare to say that?

He used to live in this village some years ago.(discontinued habit)

He is not used to hard manual labour. 

I am not used to it. 

Modal Perfect Verbs

Modal Perfect Verbs are used to talk about past actions, showing that something should have happened but didn't. It also shows some possibility in the past. 

Format: Modal+ have+ past participle

She should have asked before using my phone. (Criticism)

We could have stayed longer at the beach. (Possibility)

I would have called but I was very busy. 

I must have left my keys at home. (Certainty)

They might have missed the bus.(Possibility)

Exercise

1. You _______ wear a helmet while riding a bike. (necessity)

2. I _______ play the guitar when I was five years old. (past ability)

3. _______ I borrow your pen for a moment? (permission – polite)

4. She _______ be at school now; her bag is on the bench. (certainty)

5. We _______ go for a walk after dinner. (suggestion/offer)

6. He _______ to help his sister with homework every evening. (habitual necessity)

7. I _______ call you later. (future action/promise)

8. She _______ finish the project; the deadline is tomorrow. (necessity)

9. When I was a child, I _______ visit my grandmother every summer. (discontinued habit)

10. They _______ missed the bus; they left so late. (past possibility)

11. You _______ eat so much junk food. It’s unhealthy. (advice)

12. He _______ to clean his room before playing video games. (semi-modal: necessity)

13. I _______ speak four languages. (present ability)

14. You _______ bring your umbrella; it looks like rain. (higher possibility)

15. She _______ have told the truth. Lying was wrong. (criticism in the past).

16. 16. You _______ park your car here; it’s a no-parking zone. (not allowed)

    17. He _______ have taken your book by mistake. (past possibility)

    18. We _______ to leave early tomorrow for the trip. (semi-modal: necessity)

    19. I _______ go to the zoo this weekend if it doesn’t rain. (future possibility – lower)

    20. She _______ climb trees when she was a child. (past ability)

    
    

Answers

must – You must wear a helmet while riding a bike.

could – I could play the guitar when I was five years old.

Could – Could I borrow your pen for a moment?

must – She must be at school now; her bag is on the bench.

shall – We shall go for a walk after dinner.

has – He has to help his sister with homework every evening.

will – I will call you later.

must – She must finish the project; the deadline is tomorrow.

used – When I was a child, I used to visit my grandmother every summer.

might have – They might have missed the bus; they left so late.

should – You should eat so much junk food. It’s unhealthy.

needs – He needs to clean his room before playing video games.

can – I can speak four languages.

may – You may bring your umbrella; it looks like rain.

should have – She should have told the truth. Lying was wrong.