You are one step away to learn Modal Verbs in English "GujaratAdda"
Verbs: Modals :-
A verb used to express the mood or
attitude of a speaker is called a modal.
The moods and attitudes expressed in
the sentences given above are:
1). Advice
2). necessity
3). Seeking permission
4). Giving permission in a friendly, informal
manner
5). Giving permission in a formal
manner
6). Making a polite request
A). The most commonly
used modals are:
can could may might
will would shall should
must ought
to need dare
==>And these modals are used to
suggest:-
1). Permission 2). Ability 3).
Possibility
4). Suggestion, advice, duty
(obligation) 5).
Promise
6). Intention 7). Request 8). Necessity, compulsion
9). Prohibition 10). Wish
B). Permission: May,
Can and Could:
May, can, and could are used to suggest
permission, Can is informal, may is polite and could is more polite than may.
Eg. 1). Shikha: Can I use your book,
Arjun?
Arjun:
Yes, you can, But don’t spoil it please.
2). Garima : May
I go to the library, madam ?
Teacher
: Yes, you may. What books do you want?
3). Abhinav : Sir
could you grant me two days’ leave?
Officer
: You may take leave if there is nothing urgent in the office.
C). Ability : can,
could, be able to :
The idea of ability is expressed by
can. In this sense, can means : be able to, be capable of, know how to. Ability
in the past is expressed by could. Can and could also suggest opportunity.
Eg. There is a slight difference
between :
1). Patel could keep wickets. [Patel
knew ho to keep wickets.]
2). Patel was able to keep wickets.
- Can
is used for the present
- Could
for the past
- Be able to can be used in any tense
Eg.1). We were able to swim across the
river easily. (Past)
2). He is able
to sell most of the vegetables by evening. (present)
3). I am sure I will
be able to attend your birthday celebration. (future)
D). Possibility :
may, might, could :
·
May suggests a good possibility.
Eg. Don’t worry your purse may be in
your bag.
- Might suggests a weak possibility and could a
still weaker possibility, could also expresses a very weak possibility in
the future.
=>Look at the use of could in these.
Eg. Sentence.
1). I am glad she could come yesterday.
[ability in the past]
2). She could come tomorrow. [ a very
week possibility in the future]
E). Suggestion, advise,
duty (obligation) : should, ought to
=>. Should is used to express
suggestion or advise
=> should we start packing luggage?
(Suggestion)
=> We should include another fast
bowler in the team. (Suggestion)
=> You should try to reduce you
weight. (Advice)
Ought to is a little stronger than
should. It suggests that something is the right thing to do. It also conveys a
sense of duty.
Eg. 1).You ought to take care of your
old parents. (Moral duty)
2).You aren’t
keeping fit. You ought to go for a morning walk everyday. (That’s the
right thing to do)
(F) Promise : will,
shall :-
=> will and shall are used to
suggest promise: Normally we use shall with only first person subjects and will
with all persons. But if a promise is to be suggested, we use will with first
person subjects and shall with other persons:
Eg.:
1). We will attend your brother’s marriage. (promise)
2). They shall get all concessions given to
other. (I promise that they will)
(G) Intention : will , shall :-
Will and shall in their normal usage
suggest intention or willingness:
I shall ring you up in the evening.
(intention)
They will gladly cooperate.
(willingness)
Note: This use of will and shall is not
very common now.
(H) Request : would, won’t, can, could :-
Eg. Would you buy me some woollens
please? (polite request)
Could you
switch on the fan? (uncertain polite request)
Can I have
some tea? (informal request)
Won’t you
have something to eat? (have something to eat)
(I) Necessity,
compulsion : must, have to, had to , have got to, will have to
Eg. 1) I am getting late. I must take a
taxi. (necessity)
2) In the army
you have to clean your shoes yourself. (compulsion)
=> must, have to:-
Must suggests the desire of the
speaker. Have to suggests an external compulsion:
Eg. 1) You must pay the dues on time.
2) In the
army you have to clean your shoes yourself.
=> Needn’t suggests that there is no
necessity or compulsion :
Eg. 1) He needn’t go to the doctor.
2) You needn’t
get up so early.
(J) Prohibition :
Must not, ought not to :
1) Cars must not be parked in front of
the gate. (It is prohibited to park cars in front of the gate)
2) You ought not to make fun of an old
man. (As a duty you should not make fun of an old man)
(K) Wish : may
May is normally used to express a wish:
Eg. 1) May you live long!
2) May god bless
you with a son!
(L) Dare :
1). I daren’t climb that tall tree.
2).The child dared not complain.
3). Dare you challenge him to a fight?
No, I daren’t.
=> In affirmative sentence, other
expressions replace dare:
He is not afraid to do what he likes.
(= dares to do )
=>Dare can also be used as a normal
verb. Then negative and questions are formed with do /did:
Eg. 1) I don’t dare to climb that tall
tree.
2) The child didn’t
dare to complain.
3) Do you dare to
challenge him to a fight? No, I don’t.
=> These sentence can also be
written without the use of the to verb:
Eg. 1) I don’t dare climb that
tall tree.
2) The
child didn’t dare complain.
3) Do you
dare challenge him to a fight? No, I don’t.