1. MODAL VERBS
By Noelia Villafañe

2. MUST expresses a personal obligation ( imposed by the
MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING OBLIGATION
MUST expresses a personal obligation ( imposed by the
speaker ). The speaker thinks it is necessary to do as he says
I must study harder if I want to pass the test
She must eat salad to lose some weight
I must help my mum with the housework

3. HAVE TO expresses an impersonal obligation.
It is used for external rules
Do you have to get your hair cut to join the army?
Students have to wear uniforms in this school
He has to put his seatbelt

4. MUSTN’T expresses prohibition: it forbids
MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING PROHIBITION
MUSTN’T expresses prohibition: it forbids
someone from doing something.
People mustn’t drink alcohol if they are going to drive
You mustn’t park here
You mustn’t jump a red light

5. LACK OF OBLIGATION DON’T/ DOESN’T HAVE TO NEEDN’T/DON’T NEED TO
MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING
LACK OF OBLIGATION
DON’T/ DOESN’T HAVE TO
NEEDN’T/DON’T NEED TO
express that is not necessary to do something
He doesn’t have to make his bed. His mum does it for him
You don’t need o water the plants everyday. It is enough to do it every four days
YOU needn’t do the washing up. Those plates are clean.

6. Complete the sentences with the most suitable modal
1. You ……………………… (mustn’t / don’t have to) drive a car if you don’t have a driving license.
2. They ………………….. (don’t have to/must) be quiet in class
3. In France, you ………………… (have to /mustn’t ) drive on the right
4. He …....… (doesn’t have to/must) pay for the tickets. They are free
5. John……………………..(has to /mustn’t) wear a tie at work.
6. People ………………….. (must /mustn’t ) their teeth after every meal if they want to prevent tooth decay
7. You …………………..(mustn’t / don’t have to) wash the car. Mum did it early in the morning
8. Students ……………(mustn’t / don’t have to) run along the corridor
9. When you enter a new country, you …………………….(have to / don’t have to) show your passport

7. COULD MAY MIGHT MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING PROBABILITY
are used to say that something
is likely to happen, but we are
not completely sure. It is uncertain
She likes studying Law. She may / might become a lawyer some day
We could win the next match

8. Can is used to say that ……..
MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY AND ABILITY
Can is used to say that ……..
a. Something is possible or not
I CAN see the beach from this window
They CAN’t get on the bus. It’s full

9. b. Somebody has or doesn’t have the ability to do something
He CAN play the guitar.
She CAN’t draw
very well.
CAN birds fly?
Yes, they can

10. Could is used to talk about ability and possibility in the past
When I went to nursery , I COULDN’T count up to 40.
He COULD run very fast when he was young
I COULDN’T watch TV yesterday
COULD you speak when you were one?
Yes, I could
No, I couldn’t

11. Be able to expresses ability in the other tenses
Future - WILL BE ABLE TO Present Perfect - HAVE/ HAS BEEN ABLE TO
I will BE ABLE TO reach the shelf when I grow up
She HAS BEEN ABLE TO pass all her exams
I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO write the letter
He will BE ABLE TO improve his English

12. CAN, COULD or BE ABLE TO?
In the future we ____________ use robots to do the housework
a. could b. can c. will be able to
She ………………… come tomorrow (-)
a. can’t b. won’t be able to c. couldn’t
A hundred years ago, we _________ send spaceships to other planets.
a. could b. couldn’t a. can
4. For three days, I haven’t ______________ speak to him on the phone
a. been able to b. could c. can
4. In the Bronze Age, families ______ go to the cinema or to a restaurant.

13. CAN, COULD or BE ABLE TO?
When my grandmother was young, she ……………. surf the Internet, but she ……….. make beautiful pottery jars and vases
After treatment he ………………. to return to work
The fire spread quickly but everyone …………… escape
Lora …………..play the violin very well now, but with practice and effort, she ………. improve a lot.
She ……………………… lose weight with a new diet
He used to ……………………. climb mountains when he was young.
I haven’t …………………………. sleep well recently

14. MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING PERMISSION
CAN I….?
COULD I…?
MAY I….?
Can I borrow your pencil?
Could I open the window?
May I make a suggestion?
a. Asking for permission
(requests)

15. POLITE REQUESTS May I...? Can you...? Could you...?
You have a terrible headache. And your brother is listening to music loudly
You left your mobile phone at home. You want to call your mother.
May I...?
You’re a tourist in Rome. Ask somebody to take a photo of you.
Your friend borrowed some money and he didn’t give it back.
Can you...?
It’s cold and the fan is on
You’re feeling ill. You want to take a day off from work
Could you...?

16. I can’t/am not allowed to go to bed after 10,30
b. Talking about permission
When we want to say that some things are permitted or not (laws or rules), we use can(’t) or be (not) allowed to.
I can’t/am not allowed to go to bed after 10,30
You can/are allowed to drive a car in America if you are 16. (That’s the law.)

17. I was allowed to play football last week
She won’t be allowed to go out next weekend. She’s punished.
I haven’t been allowed to go to the party

18. Are you allowed to ...? watch late-night movies? get a tattoo?
And how about you?
watch late-night movies?
get a tattoo?
keep a pet at home?
spend hours on Internet?
go on holidays with friends?
wear what you want?
stay out until after twelve on Saturday night?

19. MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING LOGICAL DEDUCTION/
CERTAINTY
Must expresses the idea that something is highly probable because we are sure about it
He must be French
“ It must be my mother “
I’ve had no sleep for 22 hours – “You must be exhausted”.

20. Can’t expresses the idea that something is imposible
Peter can’t be from Rome. He doesn’t speak Italian
A: There’s someone at the door. I think it’s Bill.
B. It can’t be Bill. He’s on holidays
Pam is only in her forties. She can’t be retired

21. Complete the sentences with the most suitable modal
Nobody’s answering and there are no lights. They ______ (can’t/must) be out
2. Don’t be long. The bus ____________ (can’t/may) be here any minute
3. He’s been working 12 hours a day. He ____ (must/could) be exhausted
4. Take jacket! It ________________ ( must / might) be cold later.
5. Dad is late for lunch. He _________ (could / can’t) be caught in traffic.
She _________ (can’t/could) owe you money. She’s very rich
The teacher ________ (could / can’t) punish you if you use your mobile

22. I _________ (can’t/might) go to Lisbon next August but I’m not sure yet.
Tomorrow’s test _______ (can’t/might) be quite easy. You never know
He _______ (could/can’t) be Spanish, judging by his accent
We ____________( might / can’t) get married in August but we are not sure yet
My parents _______ (may/must) be away for the weekend but I’m not sure
Marta is really beautiful. She ________(might /can’t ) become a model.
Dad ______( must/might) lend you the car if you ask him.
A heavy smoker ______( could / can’t) stop smoking if he has enough determination

23. MODAL VERBS EXPRESSING
ADVICE
SHOULD and OUGHT TO are used to give advice
and to ask for advice
She SHOULDN’T / OUGHT NOT TO eat too much chocolate
SHOULD he visit the doctor?
You SHOULD / OUGHT TO take an umbrella. It might rain

24. HAD BETTER expresses that is advisable
to do something. It is also used to warn someone.
I’d better go to bed. I have a meeting first thing in the morning
You’d better hurry up or you’ll miss the bus.
He doesn’t look well. He’d better not go to work tomorrow

25. Thank you for your attention!