Obligation, permission & ability MODAL VERBS & PHRASES Obligation, permission & ability
STRONG OBLIGATION PRESENT Have to/have got to Must Need to Am obliged to Am required to PAST Had to/had got to ___ Needed to Was obliged to Was required to
MILD OBLIGATION PRESENT Should Ought to Am supposed to PAST Should have Ought to have Was supposed to
LACK OF OBLIGATION PRESENT Don’t have to Don’t need to Needn’t Am not obliged to Am not required to PAST Didn’t have to Didn’t need to Needn’t have Wasn’t obliged to Wasn’t required to
PROHIBITION PRESENT Mustn’t Can’t Oughtn’t Shouldn’t Am not supposed to Am not allowed to PAST ___ Couldn’t Oughtn’t to have Shouldn’t have Wasn’t supposed to Wasn’t allowed to
PERMISSION PRESENT Can Am allowed to may PAST Could Was allowed to might
ABILITY PRESENT Can Am able to Manage to PAST Could Was able to Managed to