MODAL AUXILIARIES

What is Modal Auxiliaries?

Modal Auxiliary is a type of verb that is used to indicate modality (that is, likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation.). Modal phrases are used to express the same things as modals, but are a combination of auxiliary verbs and the preposition to. The modal in English is can, could, will, would, should, may, might, must, ought and shall

What to keep in mind when using modals

Explanation	Sample sentences
Do not use modals for things which happen definitely.	The sun rises in the east. - A modal can't be used in this sentence.
They have no -s in the 3rd person singular.	He can play football.
Questions are formed without do/does/did.	Can he speak Spanish?
It follows a main verb in its infinitive.	They must read the book.
There are no past froms (except could and would).	He was allowed to watch the film.
When you use the past particple you tell about things whichdid not happen in the past.	You should have told me.

Let's look at each modal verb separately, and the functions they help to express:

WILL

Making personal predictions

• I don't think the Queen will ever abdicate.
• I doubt if I'll stay here much longer.

Talking about the present with certainty (making deductions)

• I'm sure you will understand that there is nothing the Department can do.
• There's a letter for you. It'll be from the bank: they said they'd be writing.

Talking about the future with certainty

• I won't be in the office until 11; I've got a meeting.
• Don't bother ringing: they'll have left for their 10 o'clock lecture.

Talking about the past with certainty

• I'm sure you will have noticed that attendance has fallen sharply.

Reassuring someone

• Don't worry! You'll settle down quickly, I'm sure.
• It'll be all right! You won't have to speak by yourself.

Making a decision

• For the main course I'll have grilled tuna.
• I'm very tired. I think I'll stay at home tonight.

Making a semi-formal request

• Will you open the window, please? It's very hot in here.
• Sign this, will you?

Offering to do something

• You stay there! I'll fetch the drinks.

Insistence; habitual behaviour

• I'm not surprised you don't know what to do! You will keep talking in class.
• Damn! My car won't start. I'll have to call the garage.

Making a promise or a threat

• You can count on me! I'll be there at 8 o'clock sharp.
• If you don't finish your dinner off, you'll go straight to bed!

SHALL

Shall is a form of will, used mostly in the first person. Its use, however, is decreasing, and in any case in spoken English it would be contracted to "-ll" and be indistinguishable from will.

The only time you do need to use it is in questions, when:

Making offers

• Shall I fetch you another glass of wine?

Making suggestions

• Shall we go to the cinema tonight?

MAY & MIGHT

May & might sometimes have virtually the same meaning; they are used to talk about possibilities in the past, present or future. ("Could" is also sometimes used).

May is sometimes a little bit "more sure" (50% chance); whereas might expresses more doubt (maybe only a 30% chance).

May & might are used, then, for:

Talking about the present or future with uncertainty

• She may be back in her office: the lecture finished ten minutes ago.
• I may go shopping tonight, I haven't decided yet.
• England might win the World Cup, you never know.

Talking about the past with uncertainty

• I'm surprised he failed. I suppose he might have been ill on the day of the exam.

They can also sometimes be used for talking about permission, but usually only in formal situations. Instead of saying May I open a window? we would say Is it all right/OK if I open a window? or Can I open a window? for example. You might, however, see:

• Students may not borrow equipment without written permission.

MAY

Talking about things that can happen in certain situations

• If the monitors are used in poorly lit places, some users may experience headaches.
• Each nurse may be responsible for up to twenty patients.

With a similar meaning to although

• The experiment may have been a success, but there is still a lot of work to be done. (= Although it was a success, there is still ...)

MIGHT

Saying that something was possible, but did not actually happen

• You saw me standing at the bus stop! You might have stopped and given me a lift!

WOULD

As the past of will, for example in indirect speech

• "The next meeting will be in a month's time" becomes
• He said the next meeting would be in a month's time.

Polite requests and offers (a 'softer' form of will)

• Would you like another cup of tea?
• Would you give me a ring after lunch?
• I'd like the roast duck, please.

In conditionals, to indicate 'distance from reality': imagined, unreal, impossible situations

• If I ruled the world, every day would be the first day of Spring.
• It would have been better if you'd word processed your assignment.

After 'wish', to show regret or irritation over someone (or something's) refusal or insistence on doing something (present or future)

• I wish you wouldn't keep interrupting me.
• I wish it would snow.

(This is a complicated area! Check in a good grammar book for full details!)

Talking about past habits (similiar meaning to used to)

• When I was small, we would always visit relatives on Christmas Day.

Future in the past

• The assassination would become one of the key events of the century.

CAN & COULD

Talking about ability

• Can you speak Mandarin? (present)
• She could play the piano when she was five. (past)

Making requests

• Can you give me a ring at about 10?
• Could you speak up a bit please? (slightly more formal, polite or 'softer')

Asking permission

• Can I ask you a question?
• Could I ask you a personal question? (more formal, polite or indirect)

Reported speech

• Could is used as the past of can.
• He asked me if I could pick him up after work.

General possibility

• You can drive when you're 17. (present)
• Women couldn't vote until just after the First World War.

Choice and opportunities

• If you want some help with your writing, you can come to classes, or you can get some 1:1 help.
• We could go to Stratford tomorrow, but the forecast's not brilliant. (less definite)

Future probability

Could (NOT can) is sometimes used in the same way as might or may, often indicating something less definite.

• When I leave university I might travel around a bit, I might do an MA or I suppose I could even get a job.

Present possibility

• I think you could be right you know. (NOT can)
• That can't be the right answer, it just doesn't make sense.

Past possibility

• If I'd known the lecture had been cancelled, I could have stayed in bed longer.

MUST

Examples here refer to British English; there is some variation in American English.

Necessity and obligation

Must is often used to indicate 'personal' obligation; what you think you yourself or other people/things must do. If the obligation comes from outside (eg a rule or law), then have to is often (but not always) preferred:

• I really must get some exercise.
• People must try to be more tolerant of each other.
• You musn't look - promise?
• If you own a car, you have to pay an annual road tax.

Strong advice and invitations

• I think you really must make more of an effort.
• You must go and see the film - it's brilliant.
• You must come and see me next time you're in town.

Saying you think something is certain

• This must be the place - there's a white car parked outside.
• You must be mad.
• What a suntan! You must have had great weather.

The negative is expressed by can't:

• You're going to sell your guitar! You can't be serious!
• She didn't wave - she can't have seen me.

SHOULD

Giving advice

• I think you should go for the Alfa rather than the Audi.
• You shouldn't be drinking if you're on antibiotics.
• You shouldn't have ordered that chocolate dessert - you're not going to finish it.

Obligation: weak form of must

• The university should provide more sports facilities.
• The equipment should be inspected regularly.

Deduction

• The letter should get to you tomorrow - I posted it first class.

Things which didn't or may/may not have happened

• I should have renewed my TV licence last month, but I forgot.
• You shouldn't have spent so much time on that first question.

Ought to

Ought to usually has the same meaning as should, particularly in affirmative statements in the present:

• You should/ought to get your hair cut.

Should is much more common (and easier to say!), so if you're not sure, use should.

Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the following modals:
can, could, be able to, may, might, shall, should, must, have to, don’t have to, need to
– You may have to make the modals negative according to the context of the sentence.
– There may be more than one possibility.

1. He has to take his car to be serviced. The brakes are squeaking.
2. Would you please save me a seat at the dinner event.

Questions:

1. If you are sick, you ________ go to work. You’ll infect everyone there.
2. Drivers _______ stop at red lights.
3. You _______ finish the proposal today. You can finish it tomorrow.
4. She ______ hear much better with her new hearing aids.
5. ______ I order us a bottle of wine?
6. Sam ______ pick his daughter up from school. She’s taking the bus home.
7. You _____________ smoke here. It’s a smoke-free building.
8. You ________ eat so many sweets. They are bad for you.
9. _________ you mind walking a little faster? We’re going to be late.
10. I’m sorry. I _______ help you. I don’t know how to do it.

Answers:

1. shouldn’t
2. must
3. don’t have to
4. can
5. shall
6. needn’t
7. mustn’t
8. shouldn’t
9. would
10. can’t

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_verb

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/hilfsverben1.htm

http://library.bcu.ac.uk/learner/Grammar%20Guides/3.07%20Modals.htm

http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/modal-verbs/

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.

Conditional Usage in 3 Types.

Type 1: It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

            If clause verb tense: Simple Present

            Main clause verb tense: Simple Future

Type 2: It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

            If clause verb tense: Simple Past

             Main clause verb tense: Present conditional or Present continuous conditional

Type 3: It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

            If clause verb tense: Past Perfect

            Main clause verb tense: Perfect Conditional

Explanation Each Type of Conditional Clause

Type 1 (if + Simple Present, will-Future)

Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.

Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure, however, that I will find it.

The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Example: I will send her an invitation if I find her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.

Type 2 (if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive))

Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present. An action could happen if the present situation were different. I don't really expect the situation to change, however. I just imagine „what would happen if …“

Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address.

The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Example: I would send her an invitation if I found her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.

Were instead of Was, In IF Clauses Type II, we usually use ‚were‘ – even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it –.

Example: If I were you, I would not do this.

Type 3: (if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle))

Conditional Sentences Type III refer to situations in the past. An action could have happened in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.

Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

Sometime in the past, I wanted to send an invitation to a friend. I didn't find her address, however. So in the end I didn't send her an invitation.

The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Example: I would have sent her an invitation if I had found her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams.

More Examples

If-clause at the beginning

Type 1 = If I study, I will pass the exam.

Type 2 = If I studied, I would pass the exam.

Type 3 = If I had studied,I would have passed the exam.

If-clause at the end

Type 1 = I will pass the exam if I study.

Type 2 = I would pass the exam if I studied.

Type 3 = I would have passed the exam if I had studied.

Affirmative and Negative Sentences

Type 1             +          If I study, I will pass the exam.          

                        -           If I study, I will not fail the exam.

                                    If I do not study, I will fail the exam.

Type 2             +          If I studied, I would pass the exam.

                        -           If I studied, I would not fail the exam.

                                    If I did not study, I would fail the exam.        

Type 3        +          If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.       

                   -           If I had studied, I would not have failed the exam.

                                If I had not studied, I would have failed the exam.

Exercise

TYPE 1

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type 1) by putting the verbs into the correct form.

1. If you (send) ________ this letter now, she (receive) ________ it tomorrow.
2. If I (do) ______ this test, I (improve) ______ my English.
3. If I (find) ______ your ring, I (give) ______ back to you.

TYPE 2

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type 3) by putting the verbs into the correct form. Use conditional 1 with would in the main clause.

1. If we (have) _______ a yacht, we (sail) _______ the seven seas.
2. If he (have) _______ more time, he (learn) ______ karate.
3. If they (tell) ________ their father, he (be) ________ very angry.

TYPE 3

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type 3) by putting the verbs into the correct form. Use conditional 2 with would in the main clause.

1. If you (study) _______ for the test, you (pass) _______ it.
2. If you (ask) _______ me, I (help) ___________ you.
3. If we (go) ________ to the cinema, we (see) ___________  my friend Jacob.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Answer

TYPE 1

1. send, will receive
2. do, will improve
3. find, will give

TYPE 2

1. had, would sail
2. had, would learn
3. told, would be

TYPE 3

1. had studied, would have passed
2. had asked, would have helped
3. had gone, would have seen

Sources:

https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/conditional-sentences

http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/conditional/

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/if.html

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional2.htm