UNIT 11

HISTORY MAKERS

Focus on

Use of English

Grammar:

Modal Verbs:

(In)ability: can/could/be able to

Permission and prohibition: can/could/may/be allowed

Obligation and necessity: must/need (to)

Obligation and advice: should/ought to/shall/had better

Possibility: can/could/may/might

Certainty: must/can't/couldn't

Probability: should/ought to/will Request: could/would/can/will

Offer: can/could/shall/will/would

Reading

Human Achievements

Speaking

Social English

Polite Request

Use of english Grammar

Modal Verbs

Modal Verbs (CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, MUST, NEED (TO, OUGHT TO, SHALL, SHOULD, WILL, WOULD) are used to talk about ability, possibility, obligation, certainty, permission, willingness, etc.

I can speak English rather well. (ability)

He could be in the living room. (possibility)

You must be home by 11o’clock. (obligation)

She hasn’t eaten all day. She must be very hungry. (certainty)

May I borrow your car? (permission)

I will help you. (willingness)

Modal verbs
Meaning	can	could	may	must	need	should	ought to	shall	might	will	would
(In)ability	v	v
Permission	v	v	v		v
Prohibition	v	v	v	v
Obligation				v		v	v
Necessity				v	v
Advice						v	v	v
Possibility	v	v	v						v
Certainty	v	v		v
Probability						v	v			v
Request	v	v								v	v
Offers	v	v						v

Positive form is used by putting the modal verb between the subject and the main verb.

They can stay here for a week.

He might be angry if I do that.

Negative form is used by adding not (or n’t) after the modal verb.

Tom could not (couldn't) swim when he was a child.

You should not (shouldn't) paint your door.

Questions are formed by putting the modal verb in front of the subject.

"May I leave when I've finished?" he asked.

Must we give them the money?

Instead of some modal verbs we can use other verbs and expressions

e.g. can => be able to; be allowed to; must => have (got) to; etc.

They are not able to run very fast.

It isn't allowed to park here.

I always have to do the shopping.

NOTE:

1. The negative of CAN is cannot or can't

I cannot/can't take a day of whenever I want.

2. NEED can be needn't (modal form) or don't need to (verb form).

You needn't do your homework tonight.

She doesn't need to have a visa to go to France from Britain.

Exercise 1. Rewrite these sentences as questions or negatives.

Example: I must go to work today.

I mustn't go to work today./Must I go to work today?

1. You can answer all the questions.

2. We may park here.

3. On weekdays we could stay up late.

4. Ann might know Tom's address.

5. I ought to write to him tomorrow.

6. Kelly must practise the piano every day.

7. They should be in bed now.

8. We need (to) tell Nick about the party.