The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Overview of modals

Modal verbs, semi-modal verbs (also called marginal modals) and other modal expressions are listed in alphabetical order on the following pages. For a detailed discussion of each meaning click on the links.

BE ABLE TO

General ability I am not able to help you at the moment.

I will probably be able to get there by nine.

I was able to swim when I was 5.

"Manage to" Although the current was strong, I was able to swim to the other bank.

BE ALLOWED TO

General permission Are we allowed to smoke in this restaurant?

Will journalists be allowed to ask questions?

Permission + action performed Although I was underage, I was allowed to enter the race.

BE BOUND TO

Probability, certainty Kevin is stuck in a traffic jam, so he is bound to be late.

BE DUE TO

Arrangements The film is due to start at 8 pm.

Negotiations were due to take place later that week.

BE GOING TO

Intention Do you think Sam's going to apply for the job?

I was going to call you, but my battery died.

Prediction My sister is going to have a baby.

The sky was dark; it was going to rain.

BE LIKELY TO

Probability Smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer compared to non-smokers.

He knew that he was likely to be promoted.

BE LIKELY THAT

Probability It is likely that he will win the race.

It was likely that Mrs Hancock would become president.

BE TO

Arrangements + action performed Mr Jones was to speak at the meeting.

Arrangements + action not performed Mr Jones was to have spoken at the meeting, but he had to cancel because of his illness.

Obligation What am I to do?

Official arrangements The Prime Minister is to visit India next month.

Official orders At the end of the course, all students are to take a written exam.

Prohibition You are not to do that again!

CAN

Ability Tom can play the piano.

If you ask him, he can probably help you.

Criticism You can be really annoying, you know!

Offers Can I help you?

Permission You can borrow my car if you want.

Can I use your phone?

Students can choose any topic for their project.

Possibility Winters in Minnesota can be really cold.

Requests Can you lend me $10?

Can I borrow your car?

CAN'T

Ability We can't enter this street because it's blocked.

Deduction It's only 10 o'clock. He can't be at home.

It can't have been Carla you saw this morning. She is away on holiday.

Prohibition I'm sorry, but you can't stay here.

We can't eat in the library.

COULD

Ability I could see him through the window.

Criticism George could really help you!

George could really have helped you!

Offers I could give you a lift.

General permission When I was a child, I could do basically anything that I wanted to do.

Asking for permission Could I have a glass of water?

Possibility You could be right.

I could have caught the bus if I had hurried.

Suggestions You could talk to your parents and ask them.

Requests Could you tell me where the train station is?

Uncertainty We haven't heard from him for 10 years. He could have died.

COULDN'T

Ability She couldn't speak German then.

I couldn't walk any further.

Deduction It's only 10 o'clock. He couldn't be at home.

It couldn't have been Carla you saw this morning. She is away on holiday.

Possibility The food is delicious and the staff couldn't be more polite.

It was a great year, and I couldn't have been happier.

DARE

"Have the courage to do something" How dare she criticise us?

I daren't think how many victims there are.

DARE (TO)

"Have the courage to do something" Do you dare (to) tell him what happened to his bike?

Don't you dare interrupt me!

Who dares (to) argue with me?

He didn't dare (to) look back.

HAD BETTER

Advice We'd better leave soon.

HAVE TO

Necessity, obligation I have to get to work by 9 every day.

You don't have to answer that question.

Do you have to wear a uniform at your school?

We had to start all over again.

I didn't have to wait long.

What did you have to do that for?

HAVE GOT TO

Necessity, obligation I've got to be home soon.

You haven't got to go already, have you?

Has he got to pay in advance?

MAY

Offers May I carry your suitcase, Madam?

Permission Children may use the pool with adult supervision.

May I start my presentation?

Possibility, uncertainty You should ask him. He may know Susan's telephone number.

I may have told you this before.

MAY NOT

Possibility, uncertainty You should introduce yourself; he may not remember you.

I had better call Anne. She may not have read my e-mail.

Prohibition Non-committee members may not vote on committee issues.

MIGHT

Criticism You might be more polite.

You might have told me you weren't coming!

Permission Might I ask you a question?

Possibility, uncertainty I might see you later.

I should call Anne. She might not have read my e-mail.

Suggestions You might consider taking up meditation.

I thought you might want to read this.

You might just as well order it on the internet.

MUST

Deduction That child is really talented. His parents must be proud of him.

That dress looks expensive. It must have cost a fortune.

Obligation I really must give up smoking.

You must keep this secret.

MUSTN'T

Prohibition You mustn't touch that Ming vase.

NEED

Necessity, obligation You needn't worry about that.

You need only just ask.

Need you make so much noise?

We needn't have bought any milk. We still have plenty at home.

NEED TO

Necessity, obligation Do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something.

I don't need to be told that I should lose weight.

Do you need to use the hairdryer?

If you want good results, you will need to work harder.

I needed to have my hair cut.

Why did they need to change the lock?

We didn't need to buy any milk. We had plenty at home.

OUGHT TO

Advice You ought to thank her.

Assumption Anne ought to be at home by now.

Obligation We ought to protect the environment.

You ought to have told me earlier. Why didn't you tell me?

SHALL

Formal rules and regulations, commands Visitors shall be accompanied at all times by a security guard.

You shall not kill.

Offers Shall I copy this document for you?

Suggestions Shall we throw a party sometime next week?

SHOULD

Advice You should smoke less.

Assumption I should get back before 9.

I have never tried setting up a website, but it shouldn't be too difficult.

The plane should have landed by now.

Criticism You shouldn't be sitting here just doing nothing!

I should have booked a table in advance.

Obligation I think you should leave.

You should have consulted a doctor.

Suggestions Shouldn't we have a pizza instead?

Surprise I'm sorry that he should feel that way.

It's surprising that she should have said that.

USED TO

Past habits and states On Sundays, my parents used to take me to dance school.

I didn't use to like dancing in those days.

WILL

Assumption "The phone's ringing." "That'll be for me."

There's no point in speaking louder. He won't understand.

Some of you will have met me before.

Habits A friend will always help you.

Intentions (spontaneous offers, promises, decisions) Come on, I'll help you with those bags.

I will always love you.

I'll have a wiener schnitzel.

Prediction If you ask him, he'll probably give you a lift.

Salty water will freeze at a lower temperature than pure water.

Requests Will you turn off your mobile phone, please?

Willingness I will take you to the airport. I have nothing to do tomorrow.

If you will wait for a moment, I'll see if Mr Hawking is available.

WON'T

Unwillingness, refusal My bank won't allow me to make international transactions.

Greg just won't answer the phone.

The door won't open.

WOULD

Habitual, repeated actions From time to time, he would call her to ask if she wanted to meet for lunch.

Annoying habits Tom would do something like that, wouldn't he? It's so typical of him!

Requests Would you open the door for me?

Would you mind stepping outside for a moment?

Unreal situations It would be nice to live by the sea.

It would be great to go hiking in the Appalachians again.

I would help you if you asked me to.

It would have been wonderful to meet you in person.

I would have helped you if you had asked me to.

WOULDN'T

Unwillingness I took the phone back to the shop, but they wouldn't give me a replacement.

Try as I might, the door wouldn't open.