When do we use modals?
1. To talk about someone's ability (or inability) to do something
Example: "We can find your house without the street plan."
"She can't have a daughter that old!"
2. To talk about an action that is necessary (or impossible, or not necessary)
Example: "You must always have your driver's licence when you are driving your car."
"You needn't carry your passport around with you."
3. To talk about a situation that is possible (or impossible)
Example:"Do be careful with that glass, the baby might knock it over"
Modals in the Past Form
can't have | certainty e.g. I can't have lost my keys! (I'm sure I didn't) |
permission e.g. When I was a teenager, I could go out as late as I wanted. | |
| | general ability e.g. Tom could walk by the age of 8 months. |
possibility, but did not happen e.g. I could have passed my driving test if I'd really tried. | |
| | uncertainty e.g. I guess it could have been Sandra on the phone. |
permission e.g. When I was a teenager, I couldn't stay out as late as I wanted. | |
| | general ability e.g. I couldn't walk until I was 2. |
| | ability in a particular situation e.g. I tried hard but I couldn't persuade him to go to the party with us. |
possibility/ability e.g. I couldn't possibly have passed my driving test, even if I'd tried harder. | |
uncertainty e.g. It couldn't have been Sandra on the phone, could it? | |
with comparative adjectives e.g. I couldn't have asked for better weather on my wedding day. | |
unwillingness e.g. I couldn't have left the dog in the car for long (so I didn't). |
unnecessary action not done e.g. As I was alone this weekend, I didn't need to do any cooking (so I didn't). |
obligation (past form of must) e.g. I couldn't go out last night because I had to do my homework. |
possibility (didn't happen) e.g. You might have been killed! | |
uncertainty e.g. I guess I might have been a bit hard on her when she came home an hour late. | |
annoyance at someone's failure to do something e.g. You might have told me that you had invited all your colleagues round for dinner! | |
might have known + would (idiom to ironically express that somebody's action was typical) e.g. I might have known that he would finish with me as soon as he found out I wasn't wealthy! |
certainty e.g. He must have known how much it was going to cost. (I'm sure he knew.) | |
with surely in exclamations e.g. Surely he must have known how much it was going to cost! |
unnecessary action that was actually done e.g. Oh, you needn't have done the washing up! |
criticism (more common is shouldn't have) e.g. You ought not to have been so frank with him. |
expectation (should have is more common) Why is she late? She ought to have arrived by now! |
expectation Why is she late? She should have arrived by now! | |
should have + verbs of thinking e.g. I should have thought you knew. | |
with be and adjectives, describing chance e.g. It was weird that you should have been staying in the same hostel last month. | |
criticism (you didn't do something, but it would have been the right thing to do) e.g. The party was such fun last night! You should have come! |
criticism e.g. You shouldn't have been so frank with him. | |
polite expression of thanks on receiving a gift or favour "Here's a bottle of wine for you" "Oh, you really shouldn't have!" |
events in the past that did not happen e.g. I wouldn't have gone out with him, but he didn't ask me. | |
assumptions e.g. Oh, that would have been Sarah on the phone just now. |
would not | unwillingness e.g. I asked Tom to close the window, but he wouldn't do it. |
PRESENT FORM | PAST FORM |
can | could |
may | might |
will | would |
shall | should |
must | - |
ought to | - |
need | - |
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