“Modals Auxiliaries”

By Carlos Fabian

Intermediate English 1

Teacher: Mr. White

They help verbs. They express a wide range of meanings:

Ability, possibility, permission, necessity… Most of the

modals have more than one meaning.

Can – could – may– should – would – will –

The simple form of the verb follows all of them.

Examples:

She should work harder.

She has to do her homework herself.

Would you speak more slowly please?

You had better see him after your conflict.

Shouldn’t you save a little money for a rainy day?

You must not wait like this!

May I have this pen to write down some words?

Expressing Ability: Can – Could :

Can expresses ability in the present or future.

Can = is able to (present)

= Will be able (future)

Could express the ability in the past.

Could = was able (past)

Examples:

I can buy a screwdriver at a hardware store. But I cannot use it.

She could speak English, but she couldn’t write it.

Giving permissions: May

May is usually used in formal situations, can is used in

informal situation.

Examples:

You may borrow my car when you come.

Asking Polite Questions :

Would You, Will You, Can You, Could You? :“ You ” is the subject

The meaning of would you and will you in a polite question are the

same. But would

You is more common and polite than will you. However, the degree

of politeness is

determined by the speaker’s tone of voice.

Would you and could you have the same meaning. The difference is

slight:

Would you = do you want to do this please?

Could you = do you want to do this please, and is it possible for you

to do this?