Engels Module ¾
Chapter two: Modal Auxiliaries
The model verbs are
can, could, must, should, ought, may, might, will, would and shall
1. After a modal verb we put an infinitive without to.
We can park here.
It’s getting late. I must go.
! the only exception is ought, which has a to-infinitive !
The government ought to do more to help.
2. To from the negative we use not or n’t with the model verb
The plan might not work.
You shouldn’t be so untidy!
3. To from questions we put the modal verb before the subject
Can we park here?
We can park there, can’t we?
4. The same modal verb form can refer to the present or the future
Present: I’m looking for the letter. It might be somewhere in this pile of papers.
Future: I posted the letter this morning. It might get there tomorrow.
5. To talk about the past we can use a modal verb + have + past participle
I posted the letter two days ago. It might have arrived yesterday.
6. A modal verb is followed by an infinitive without to. The infinitive can be simple, continuous,
perfect, or passive.
Simple They may show us their holiday photos.
Continuous They may be showing the film on television soon.
Perfect I may have shown you this before.
Passive We may be shown the results later.
Perfect + continuous You must have been dreaming.
Perfect + passive The car must have been stolen.
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,Here is an overview of the kind of meanings expressed by modal verbs and other phrases:
Use Example
Necessity I must clean my shoes.
(noodzaak) We have to wait here.
No necessity You needn’t wear a tie.
(geen noodzaak) You don’t have to wear a tie.
The right thing to do You should complain.
(het juiste om te doen) You ought to complain.
Permission Can I go?
(toestemming) May I go?
Certainty The game will be over now.
(zekerheid) This place must be crowded in summer.
Impossibility This can’t be real gold.
(onmogelijk)
Probability Things should start to get better.
(waarschijnlijkheid)
Possibility We may/might go out later.
(mogelijkheid) We could go out later.
Ability I can ski.
(vermogen) I could ski when I was a child.
We were able to ski all afternoon.
Hypothesis A million pounds would be very useful.
(hypothese)
Past habits My friend would always call on me after school.
(oude gewoonte) We used to play together every day.
Must and have to
We use ‘must’ and ‘have to’ to talk about what is necessary now or in the near future.
I’m really sweaty. I must have a shower.
We must make the arrangements soon?
We have to turn left here. It’s one-way.
We normally use must when the speaker or writer decides what is necessary and we use have to
when the necessity comes from the situation.
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,You must… is a way of telling someone to do something.
You have to… is a way of explaining what is necessary in the situation.
We sometimes use ‘must’ to recommend something enjoyable:
You really must watch this new soap opera. It’s superb!
We must have lunch together some time!
Needn’t, don’t have to and mustn’t
We use these forms to say that something is not necessary.
You needn’t apologize. It’s not your fault.
You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault.
If someone didn’t do something because it wasn’t necessary, we use didn’t need to.
We didn’t need to make any sandwiches. We knew no one would be hungry.
There wasn’t a queue, so I didn’t need to wait.
If someone did something which we now was unnecessary, we can use either needn’t have done or
didn’t need to.
We needn’t have made / didn’t need to make these sandwiches. No one’s eaten any.
It’s a beautiful day. I needn’t have brought / didn’t need to bring this umbrella.
Mustn’t is used to tell someone not to do something, or to say that it is necessary to avoid
something.
You mustn’t forget you keys or you’ll be locked out.
We mustn’t lose this game. It’s really important that we win.
It can also be used to forbid something, as is ‘may not’
Student must not / may not use dictionaries in the examination.
Should and ought to
We use these modals to say what is the right thing or the best thing to do.
These aren’t enough hospitals. They should build / ought to build more of them.
You should go / ought to go to London. It’s an interesting city.
In negatives, short answers and questions we use ‘should’.
Who should we invite to the wedding?
Should I apologize, do you think? Yes – you should.
You shouldn’t leave litter all over the place.
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, Probability
We can also use ‘should’ to say that something is probable, either in the present or in the future.
I posted the letter ages ago. They should have it by now.
The journey normally takes four hours, so we should get there about six.
In the negative we use ‘shouldn’t’.
We’re nearly at the front of the queue. We shouldn’t have to wait much longer.
‘should’ has the additional meaning of ‘if all goes well’.
There are no reports of delays. The train should be on time.
But we cannot use it to predict that something will go wrong.
There are reports of delays. The train will probably be late.
Can, could and may
We use can, could or may to ask permission.
Can I take your umbrella? Of course you can.
Could I borrow this calculator, please? Well, I need it actually.
May we come in? Yes, of course.
Could is more polite, may is rather formal.
We use can or may to give permission.
You can use my mobile phone if you like.
We use cannot / can’t to refuse permission.
These rooms are private. I’m afraid you can’t just walk in here.
We sometimes talk about permission when we are not giving it or asking for it. To do this, we use
‘can’ referring to the present or the future and ‘could’ referring to the past.
I can stay up as late as I like. My parents don’t mind.
At one time anyone could go and live in the US.
Will, must and can’t expressing certainty
For an assumption we can use ‘will’
It’s no good ringing Luke now. He’ll be at work.
There’s someone at the door. It’ll be the postman.
‘Must’ expresses certainty.
You saw the film last week, so you must know what it is about.
Jane got up at 4 o’clock! She must be tired then.
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Chapter two: Modal Auxiliaries
The model verbs are
can, could, must, should, ought, may, might, will, would and shall
1. After a modal verb we put an infinitive without to.
We can park here.
It’s getting late. I must go.
! the only exception is ought, which has a to-infinitive !
The government ought to do more to help.
2. To from the negative we use not or n’t with the model verb
The plan might not work.
You shouldn’t be so untidy!
3. To from questions we put the modal verb before the subject
Can we park here?
We can park there, can’t we?
4. The same modal verb form can refer to the present or the future
Present: I’m looking for the letter. It might be somewhere in this pile of papers.
Future: I posted the letter this morning. It might get there tomorrow.
5. To talk about the past we can use a modal verb + have + past participle
I posted the letter two days ago. It might have arrived yesterday.
6. A modal verb is followed by an infinitive without to. The infinitive can be simple, continuous,
perfect, or passive.
Simple They may show us their holiday photos.
Continuous They may be showing the film on television soon.
Perfect I may have shown you this before.
Passive We may be shown the results later.
Perfect + continuous You must have been dreaming.
Perfect + passive The car must have been stolen.
1
,Here is an overview of the kind of meanings expressed by modal verbs and other phrases:
Use Example
Necessity I must clean my shoes.
(noodzaak) We have to wait here.
No necessity You needn’t wear a tie.
(geen noodzaak) You don’t have to wear a tie.
The right thing to do You should complain.
(het juiste om te doen) You ought to complain.
Permission Can I go?
(toestemming) May I go?
Certainty The game will be over now.
(zekerheid) This place must be crowded in summer.
Impossibility This can’t be real gold.
(onmogelijk)
Probability Things should start to get better.
(waarschijnlijkheid)
Possibility We may/might go out later.
(mogelijkheid) We could go out later.
Ability I can ski.
(vermogen) I could ski when I was a child.
We were able to ski all afternoon.
Hypothesis A million pounds would be very useful.
(hypothese)
Past habits My friend would always call on me after school.
(oude gewoonte) We used to play together every day.
Must and have to
We use ‘must’ and ‘have to’ to talk about what is necessary now or in the near future.
I’m really sweaty. I must have a shower.
We must make the arrangements soon?
We have to turn left here. It’s one-way.
We normally use must when the speaker or writer decides what is necessary and we use have to
when the necessity comes from the situation.
2
,You must… is a way of telling someone to do something.
You have to… is a way of explaining what is necessary in the situation.
We sometimes use ‘must’ to recommend something enjoyable:
You really must watch this new soap opera. It’s superb!
We must have lunch together some time!
Needn’t, don’t have to and mustn’t
We use these forms to say that something is not necessary.
You needn’t apologize. It’s not your fault.
You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault.
If someone didn’t do something because it wasn’t necessary, we use didn’t need to.
We didn’t need to make any sandwiches. We knew no one would be hungry.
There wasn’t a queue, so I didn’t need to wait.
If someone did something which we now was unnecessary, we can use either needn’t have done or
didn’t need to.
We needn’t have made / didn’t need to make these sandwiches. No one’s eaten any.
It’s a beautiful day. I needn’t have brought / didn’t need to bring this umbrella.
Mustn’t is used to tell someone not to do something, or to say that it is necessary to avoid
something.
You mustn’t forget you keys or you’ll be locked out.
We mustn’t lose this game. It’s really important that we win.
It can also be used to forbid something, as is ‘may not’
Student must not / may not use dictionaries in the examination.
Should and ought to
We use these modals to say what is the right thing or the best thing to do.
These aren’t enough hospitals. They should build / ought to build more of them.
You should go / ought to go to London. It’s an interesting city.
In negatives, short answers and questions we use ‘should’.
Who should we invite to the wedding?
Should I apologize, do you think? Yes – you should.
You shouldn’t leave litter all over the place.
3
, Probability
We can also use ‘should’ to say that something is probable, either in the present or in the future.
I posted the letter ages ago. They should have it by now.
The journey normally takes four hours, so we should get there about six.
In the negative we use ‘shouldn’t’.
We’re nearly at the front of the queue. We shouldn’t have to wait much longer.
‘should’ has the additional meaning of ‘if all goes well’.
There are no reports of delays. The train should be on time.
But we cannot use it to predict that something will go wrong.
There are reports of delays. The train will probably be late.
Can, could and may
We use can, could or may to ask permission.
Can I take your umbrella? Of course you can.
Could I borrow this calculator, please? Well, I need it actually.
May we come in? Yes, of course.
Could is more polite, may is rather formal.
We use can or may to give permission.
You can use my mobile phone if you like.
We use cannot / can’t to refuse permission.
These rooms are private. I’m afraid you can’t just walk in here.
We sometimes talk about permission when we are not giving it or asking for it. To do this, we use
‘can’ referring to the present or the future and ‘could’ referring to the past.
I can stay up as late as I like. My parents don’t mind.
At one time anyone could go and live in the US.
Will, must and can’t expressing certainty
For an assumption we can use ‘will’
It’s no good ringing Luke now. He’ll be at work.
There’s someone at the door. It’ll be the postman.
‘Must’ expresses certainty.
You saw the film last week, so you must know what it is about.
Jane got up at 4 o’clock! She must be tired then.
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