Ingles

Modal Auxiliaries

The modal auxiliaries (or modals) include the following:
can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, . . .

Modals are always followed by the base form of a verb orauxiliary verb.

Modals are always the same form no matter what the subject is.

In standard American English, a predicate verb phrase cannot contain more than one modal.
correct
He will beable to go.
not correct
* He will can go.

Below are example sentences containing the modal may and the verb go. Notice that the form of the modal does not change. Also notice that the base form ofa verb or auxiliary verb always follows the modal.

I may go.
You may go.
He may go.
It may go.
We may go.
They may go.
He may have gone.
They may have gone.
He may be going.
Theymay be going.
He may have been going.
They may have been going.

Modals and related verb phrases add meanings to verbs. Below are some of those meanings:

Ability/Availability
future: willbe able to
present: can, am/is/are able to
past: could, was/were able to
Requests
present/future: can, could, will, would
Permission
future: will be allowed to
present/future: may, can, could,am/is/are allowed to
past: could, was/were allowed to
Possibility
present/future: may, might, could
past: may have, might have, could have
Impossibility
present/future: couldn’t, can’t
past:couldn’t have
Advisability
present/future: should, ought to, had better
past: should have, ought to have, had better have
Expectation
present/future: should, ought to
past: should have, ought tohave
Necessity
future: will have to
present/future: must, have to, has to
past: had to
Lack of Necessity
future: won’t have to
present/future: don’t have to, doesn’t have to
past: didn’t have toProhibition
present/future: must not, may not, cannot
past: could not
Logical Deduction (=Probability)
present: must, have to, has to
past: must have, have to have, has to have

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