Modal Verbs
There are ten modal verbs in English:
- can
- could
- may
- might
- shall (formal)
- should
- will
- would
- must
- ought to (rare)
To use Modal Verbs correctly, follow these rules:
- They do not change forms like other verbs:
- go ➞ goes
- went ➞ gone
- look ➞ looks
- look➞ looked
- There is no do / does in the question forms:
- Can you give me a hand?
- There is no don't / doesn't in the negative forms:
- He shouldn't be malnourished.
- There are always followed by a base form verb. "Ought to" is the only exception as it takes "to" or "not to" before the verb:
- We would help if we had time.
- She mustn't do drugs!
- We ought to get healthy.
- Some modals are used with the Perfect Infinitive to make past forms. This is more explained in Unit 12:
- You shouldn't have done that.
- She must have been anemic.
Modal Verbs of Probability: Present and Future
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